Today I would like to honor the memory of my great-uncle Sam H. Ball, Jr. I’ve posted about my Uncle Son’s heroic time in WWII before and if you missed it click here to read more about him.
I was very privileged recently to visit with my cousin Karen Ball Cowan, Sam’s daughter and she graciously shared these photos with me and gave me permission to post them here.
Capt. Sam H. Ball enlisted in the Army on 31 May 1940. He served until 5 Jan 1946 in Company “A” 146 th Engineer Combat Battalion when he was Honorably Discharged. He remained in the inactive reserve until 16 Aug 1953. He was also a member of the draft board.
After the war, Sam was a salesman for KTFS Radio Station in Texarkana for 35 years.
Please enjoy the pictures.
Officers from Company “A” 146th Engineers:
Here is the back of this photo:
The gentlemen in this photo are not identified, but I recognize Sam standing in the middle.
These are some postcards that he had:
Here is a picture of them constructing a bridge, I have no idea where this is.
Mess tent the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
Taking a rest – the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
WWII Capt. Sam H. Ball, Jr. in the middle, others unknown
In a bunker maybe? – the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
In a bunker maybe? – the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
Sparing – the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
Marching – the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
Tents of the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion WWII
Russian Lt. and Capt. Sam H. Ball, Jr. with pistols WWII
Destruction. Vossenack, Germany.
Destruction in Vossenack, Germany
Destruction in Vossenack, Germany
Destruction in Vossenack, Germany
Wow! Is all I can say about these maps.
A Pictorial Map History of the 146 Engrs from June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945
A Pictorial Map History of the 146 Engrs from June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945
A Pictorial Map History of the 146 Engrs from June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945
Liberation!! These are some postcards that he had:
Liberation WWII
Liberation WWII
Liberation WWII
Liberation WWII
Liberation WWII
Liberation WWII
Liberation WWII
More recognition for a job well done:
Maj Willard B Baker and Capt Sam H Ball Jr news article
Maj Willard B Baker and Capt Sam H Ball Jr
Reunions:
Normandy Reunion
Omaha Reunion Lubbock Texas 1984 40th anniversary
Omaha Reunion Lubbock Texas 1984
Omaha Beach Reunion article
Remembering the War:
Remembering the War Sam Ball Jr
Sam Ball Jr Remembers Omaha Beach article 1988
It’s overwhelming and humbling to look through his collections of photos from this time in his life and realize the magnitude of what he went through, and to know what a good man he was after the war.
If he ever had any problems that bothered him from his time in the war, I never heard him complain and neither did my grandmother, Mary Parks, his sister. That’s just the kind of guy he was and I am so proud to have known him, if only I could have heard some of the stories!
Susie
John
March 15, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Hi,
Neat page! I think the “bunker” pictures are in the target pits at a rifle range. Established training ranges had underground “pits” for raising and lowering targets for scoring.
Susie
March 15, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Thank you! I never thought of that. They do look a little relaxed for that to be a bunker.
Ian
July 30, 2019 at 1:53 am
Hi the bunker photos are deffenatly small arms ranges, I served in the UK army, and in the 1980’s this style of ranges were still used. This end of the range was known as the butt stops, the target lowering and raising was done here, this group of soldiers would usually rotate , there would be an officer or NCO controlling the lifting and lowering of targets via a telephone or radio connected to the range master at the firing point, additional the soldiers in the butts party would patch up the targets and sometimes use a pointer to point out the fall of shot, patching up is a very simple process using a small book of paper patches and a small pot of glue, the glue is fined on with a small paint brush, there is a lot with a brush poking out in the photograph. I hope this is helpful
Ian
June 6, 2017 at 10:49 am
Is it possible some of the photos , with tents are taken in England Devon?
Tony Koorlander
June 24, 2019 at 3:30 pm
I have film of Sam getting his medal from Montgomery in France, which I found when working with Wes Ross on attempts to get his book published about 8 years ago. I also have film of Sam stood with Bill Kehaly (I believe) at the visit of Russian Military observers to the ATC in North Devon in early 1944. Wes Ross had no recollection of that visit – he was on leave in London! The tent camp looks VERY similar to the one in Braunton Devon as I also have the film of that. If you would like me to put clips of these films somewhere that you could view them, I would be pleased to do so. I am sorry to say that they are silent film, but the quality of the picture is very good. I am an ex-BBC TV News person, and have spent extensive time restoring these films. I am still working on the publication of Wes Ross’s Book.
John D. Antkowiak
January 13, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Hi, Susie. I’ve spent quite a few years researching your Uncle Son’s unit, the 146th ECB. I love knowing that the family knew him by that name; I’d never heard it 🙂 One of the group pictures here says the men are unidentified, with your uncle standing at the center. If there’s any way you could scan the original photo at higher resolution to create a file around 5 MB or so, I bet it would reveal a lot of information. I can’t promise, but maybe I can identify where and when the photo was taken. Anyone reading this note who would like to ask or share more, your emails are welcome. john_antkowiak@yahoo.com