1st Battalion 22nd Infantry 3rd BN War Trophy

In April 2014 a grouping of artifacts associated with the 22nd Infantry from World War II was posted
on the website U.S. Militaria Forum.

One of the artifacts is a German flag which has been signed by nine soldiers with their name and hometown.
Eight of those nine soldiers could be found in the 22nd Infantry Regiment yearbook published in 1946
and all eight were listed as members of Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 22nd Infantry.

At the top the flag is marked for Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 22nd Infantry.

Below are photos of the flag taken from the U.S. Militaria Forum website with photos of the eight soldiers
added by the 1st Battalion webmaster from the 1946 22nd Infantry Regiment yearbook.

Artifact grouping containing the German flag signed by members of HQ Company 3rd BN

The soldiers who signed the flag are listed below and identified according to the way they signed the flag.

C B Ross = 1st Lieutenant Charles B. Ross

George Ertler = PFC George F. Ertler

Al Isaacson = PFC Albert A. Isaacson

"Smittie" = PFC Elvan L. Smith

Moe Larkin = PFC Clarence H. Larkin

Andrew Timo = PFC Andrew Timo

Newton D. Zinn = PVT Newton D. Zinn

B.E. Kassabaum = SGT Bartlett E. Kassabaum

1st Lieutenant Charles B. Ross

Brazil, Indiana

Served in Company K, transferred to
Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion
on May 17, 1945.

Finished the war as S-4 Officer of
Headquarters Company
3rd Battalion 22nd Infantry

Signed the flag as

C B Ross

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Private First Class George F. Ertler

Lakewood, Ohio

(signed the flag as Cleveland but listed his home as Lakewood.
Lakewood is a part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area.)

Born in Lakewood, Cuyahoga County, Ohio on December 9, 1925.
Drafted into the Army on August 29, 1944 at Cleveland, Ohio.
Completed four years of High School and at the time of induction
was single with no dependents.

Died on April 24, 2006 at Breinigsville, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Signed the flag as

George Ertler

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Private First Class Albert A. Isaacson

Brooklyn, New York

Born in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York on July 12, 1922.
Drafted into the Army on April 27, 1943 at New York City, New York.
Completed four years of High School and at the time of induction
was single with no dependents. His civilian occupation was listed as
Decorators and window dressers.

Died on November 14, 2013 at Malverne, Nassau County, New York.

Signed the flag as

Al Isaacson

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Private First Class Elvan Leroy Smith

Superior, Nebraska

Born on July 12, 1925.

Promoted to PFC on December 4, 1944.

Died on November 22, 1994.

Buried in Superior, Nuckolls County, Nebraska.

Signed the flag as

"Smittie"

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Private First Class Clarence Hamilton Larkin

New Philadelphia, Ohio

Born in New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County, Ohio on
January 15, 1910.

Non-battle casualty in France from
August 3, 1944 to September 21, 1944.

Died on April 20, 2005 in Dover, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

Signed the flag as

Moe Larkin

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Private First Class Andrew Timo

Braddock, Pennsylvania

Born in Pennsylvania in 1919. Drafted into the Army on
March 4, 1942 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
Completed four years of High School and at the time of induction
was single with no dependents. His civilian occupation was listed as
Semiskilled occupations in manufacture of electrical machinery
and accessories.

Died on February 14, 2009.

Buried in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Signed the flag as

Andrew Timo

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Private Newton Dunlap Zinn

Alexandria, Kentucky

Born in Kentucky on July 26, 1922. Volunteered for the
draft on May 5, 1942 at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky.
Completed one year of college and at the time of induction
was single with no dependents. Civilian occupation was
listed as Stock clerks.

Non-battle casualty in Germany
November 27 - December 27, 1944.

Died on August 16, 2005 at Alexandria, Campbell County,
Kentucky.

Signed the flag as

Newton D. Zinn

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Grave marker for Bartlett E. Kassabaum

Photo by L. Williams from the Find A Grave website

Sergeant Bartlett E. Kassabaum

Granville, Illinois

Born in Granville, Putnam County, Illinois on
October 6, 1917. Drafted into the Army on
November 19, 1941 at Fort Benjamin Harrison,
Indiana. Completed four years of High School and
at the time of induction was single with no
dependents. His civilian occupation was listed
as Retail managers.

Non-battle casualty in Germany
on November 24, 1944.

Died on May 16, 2011 at Merrillville,
Lake County, Indiana.

Signed the flag as

B.E. Kassabaum

Kassabuam could not be found in the 1946 yearbook for the 22nd Infantry. Not all soldiers who served in the Regiment
are in that book. Most are, but some, for one reason or another were left out of the book. It is possible that Kassabaum
is one who was left out.

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Private First Class Charles M. Nastro

Brooklyn, New York

Born in New York in 1923. Drafted into the Army
on April 24, 1943 at New York City, New York.
Completed four years of High School and
at the time of induction was single with
dependents. His civilian occupation was listed
as Unskilled occupations in the manufacture
of miscellaneous products.

Non-battle casualty in Germany
September 15-17, 1944 and again on
September 19, 1944.

Signed the flag as

Charles M. Nastro

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