Unknown picture with romanian soldiers in WW2

Hi. For so long i have tried to centralize as many photos i can with soldiers from Romanian Army. I have more than 300 pics so i have decided to print them. While i was setting up the contrast for printing, i was astonished. I had to setup contrast for a photo with 4 soldiers who got The Iron Class in Crimea and i just couldn't beleive. One of them was my grandfather (the father of my father), who was part of Second Cavalary Regiment from Caracal. His name was Crușoveanu Ion Marcu, but anyone called him Mărin. He was from Dăbuleni. I knew he fought in Besarabia, Crimea, Kalmuk Steppe, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Transilvania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. No one from my family knew anything about that picture. That photo was made by someone from Wehrmacht. He died in 93 and was buried without military honors. The communists didn't mentioned anything about The Iron Cross he got. I use to play with that Iron Cross when i was young.



I had to scan his military service record made by the communists and a photo from his wedding before he had to go on Eastern Front, to prove it.

And here is a photo of mine, since 2001.

Fascinating!!! How small is the world!!!

Please post some more information. It is always great to put a name to a face, and hear a life story.

Al

PS - the foto where your grandfather is presented with his comrades was published in an Osprey book, if I recollect correctly.

Great story with regards your Grandfathers military service, thanks for posting

It appears you are wearing the Communist belt buckle on your post Communist period

camo uniform, what year was the picture taken?

Kevin in Deva.

When I was in the army in year 2000 we had the same comunist belt buckles.

I have seen a picture of a Romanian soldier wearing one on parade in Iraq or Afghanistan

Kevin in Deva.

I dont wonder. This is the "heroic romanian army" in the XXIth century. Romania sent troops abroad to war and it's army dont have money to buy a proper belt buckle.

When I was in the army in 2000 our mortar platoon had a 80 and some mm mortar made in october 1944. The "Armagedon" reports from early 2000 was not a lie, I lived in the army the situations described there. I wonder when DNA will get on the some army high officers, as they did with custom officers and border policemen.

Ever saw the Yacht ,cars and villas that gen de brigada ioan sarbu has?

He must have a very wise expenditure list which he make from his "bugetar" monthly wage, as he could save money for this kind of house, car and especially the yacht As the custom oficers and border police was saving money from they "bugetar" salaries

It is so hard to explain my feelings regarding this photo of my grandpa. He was almost 27 when the photo was shot by Wehrmacht. I used to play with his Iron Cross when i was young. I didn't ever imagine i could find this photo. After the war he didn't have to speak too much about the war against the communism. My father was born on december 25th 1943, when he was still on the front line somewher in Caucaz, i think.

The photo is in Osprey's Men at Arms series, No. 246, "The Romanian Army of World War 2", 1991, ISBN 1 85532 169 6.

It is on page 38 and the caption reads "A capitan and NCOs of the 8th Cavalry Brigade after receiving the Iron Cross: Crimea, 7 January 1942".

@Soim, thanks for the story, very interesting!, is your grandfather the first from left?
At page two of the book Tyke is talking about writes: ”All photographs are courtesy of the Muzeul Militar Național”
In the lower right corner of the photo a sign can be seen that partially covers the boot of the solder , which suggests the photo was made by Romanian front propaganda.

Regards!

This post has been edited by ionionescu on March 24, 2011 11:04 am

My grandfather is the second from the left. You can see his duty service record papers reprinted by communists and i picture of him when he was 20, at his wedding on http://soim.ro/tataie . He was in the Second Regiment of the 8th Cavalry Brigade - 3rd Army

Escuze me.. it's the second from the right to left. Crușoveanu "Marin" Ion Marcu

Thanks, I think you can find more about your grandfather if you go to the archives,
maybe you can find more photos and documents there.
It would be nice for you to follow up your grandfather and his unit story, and to find all details.
It is just a suggestion.
Regards!

Serviciul Istoric al Armatei
Str. Drumul Taberei nr. 9-11, sector 6, Bucureşti, cod poştal 061353;
Telefon/Fax: 021/318.53.85;
Relaţii cu publicul: 021/318.53.67 (interior 161, 314);
Sala de studiu: 021/318.53.67 (interior 330, 332);
E-mail: sia@forter.ro

Centrul de Studii şi Păstrare a Arhivelor Militare Istorice
str. Aleea Poarta Eroilor nr. 4, Piteşti, judeţul Argeş, cod poştal 110058;
Telefon/Fax: 0248/22.31.77;
Relaţii cu publicul: 0248/22.34.77 (interior 116);
Sala de studiu: 0248/22.31.77 (interior 129);
E-mail: um02405.pitesti@yahoo.com