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| WorldWar2.ro Forum > WW2 in General > Romanians within some other armies |
| Posted by: johnny_bi June 21, 2003 11:07 am |
| There some Romanians within the american or british army? |
| Posted by: Geto-Dacul June 23, 2003 04:17 pm |
| Yes indeed, Romanians did participate on the Western Allied side in WWII. I don't know nothing about their presence in the British Army. But within the U.S. armed forces, over 5.000 Romanian men served during WWII and distinguished themselves on various fronts. Hundreds of Romanian American women also served in the U.S. Army or WAVE during WWII. |
| Posted by: johnny_bi June 23, 2003 10:39 pm |
| Do you have any detailed information on this subject ? |
| Posted by: Geto-Dacul June 25, 2003 07:54 pm |
| Unfortunately, I do not have any detailed information... :oops:
But I do have some sources : "Lieutnant Alex Vraciu, the Indestructible." NEW PIONEER 3 (February 1944): 27. Short article devoted to a brave Romanian American pilot and his daring missions on the Pacific front. "Lieutnant Vraciu, Navy Top Ace Is of Romanian Descent." NEW PIONEER 2 (October 1944): 10-11. Short biography of Alex Vraciu, born in East Chicago, Indiana, who downed nineteen Japanese planes. Picture. "Military News." NEW PIONEER 2 (October 1944): 18-20. Romanian Americans taking part in the military actions of the Allied Forces on June 6, 1944, in Normandie, France. "Our Heroes." NEW PIONEER 1 (November 1942): 6-9; 2 (February 1943): 16-25; (April 1943): 20-25; (July-September 1943): 35-47; 3 (October 1944): 26-45. Lists of over five thousand Romanian men, accompanied by pictures, who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, and distinguished themselves on various fronts. "Our Heroines." NEW PIONEER 2 (February 1943): 15; (April 1943): 89. Lists of hundreds of Romanian American women who served in the U.S. armed forces or WAVE during WWII. Photographs included. |
| Posted by: Dénes June 26, 2003 02:05 am |
| It depends who can be considered Rumanian.
For example, recently I came across the following name in a Luftwaffe personnel roster: "Oberleutnant Nicolai (2./NAGr. 14) " I was wondering if Olt. Nicolai was, in fact, a Rumanian pilot, who served within the Luftwaffe (possibly after the coup d'état of 23 August 1944). However, I received the following reply from a German researcher: "Wolfgang Nicolai was born 12. Feb. 1918 at Finsterhagen, Kreis Gotha. This is Central Germany, far away from Rumania. Seems to be of German origin, in spite of his name." Dénes |
| Posted by: Geto-Dacul June 26, 2003 03:05 am |
| "Nicolai" (Nicolaï) is typically Slavo-Germanic... After all I know, the Romanian version of the name is Nicolae.
Best regards, Getu' |
| Posted by: Dénes June 26, 2003 02:44 pm |
| Back in the 1940s, the name Nicolai, instead of Nicolae, was a quite common spelling form in Rumania. The 'e' and 'i' at the and of names were often interchanged, e.g. Vizanti-Vizante, or Ursachi-Ursache, just to mention a few famous fighter pilots.
Even today, the family name 'Nicolai' is common, see Mrs. Norica Nicolai, Senator, Rumanian Senate... Dénes |
| Posted by: Geto-Dacul June 26, 2003 03:42 pm |
| You are right Dénes! I remember reading the book of a Romanian-Moldavian prisoneer of the early Stalinist régime named Neculai Popa. So the two versions of the terminology exist, but today you see more "Nicolae" than "Nicolai" or "Niculai".
But there are also many other versions of the name... Invented by stranger to apparently integrate in the Romanian nation. A good example is the more fictive name Sergiu Nicolau (Serghei Niconov). Best regards, Getu' |
| Posted by: daveh June 28, 2003 09:22 am |
| Hi Geto-Dacul
can you tell me a little more about the NEW PIONEER that you mention please. I would be fascinated to follow up the stories of romanians fighting in western armies... yet another area I know nothing about. |
| Posted by: Geto-Dacul June 28, 2003 04:20 pm |
| daveh, I'm sorry to disapoint you but unfortunately I do not have any of these magazines... The sources that I mentionned are from a book about the Romanians in USA and Canada. This book features only lists classed by categories about Romanian newspapers, organizations etc. |
| Posted by: allanteo667 July 05, 2003 12:58 pm |
| But what about the romanian volunteers in the Waffen SS?
Does anyone know if they fought the allies on the western front (or their exact number  )? |
| Posted by: Victor July 05, 2003 02:59 pm | ||
See my reply in the 1000 Mann Aktion thread. |
| Posted by: inahurry August 01, 2003 01:24 am |
| Nicolai was practically never used for Romanian first name, unless, of course, was the first name of someone of slavic origin or the parents eccentricity.
Niculae or Neculai as variants to Nicolae, yes. The i or e at the end of the family/last name (Ursachi/e etc.) is another matter. I know for sure that one Romanian-American was killed at the Pearl Harbour attack(was in the Navy) but unfortunately I forgot the source. |
| Posted by: inahurry August 01, 2003 01:32 am |
| about Norica Nicolai - Nicolai is here the family/last name. And even as a last name it is not common at all. Sorry to disappoint you. Norica even less.
You can find a lot of Nicolau or Niculiu or other variants for the last name that are emerged probably from a common Nicolae ( or Nicu - its short form. Nicolae being the Romanian for Nicholas (for those who don't speak Romanian). |
| Posted by: C-2 August 01, 2003 09:11 pm |
| Sorry ,but Alex Vraciu is an American.
Yes his parents were born in Romania but Alex was born like I said in the US. |
| Posted by: Dénes August 04, 2003 03:45 am |
| I came across the followng SS member:
Sturmbannführer Toba, Rumanian, Jagdeinsatz Rumänien, SS Jagdverband Südost (Otto Skorzeny's Special Forces). Any further info? Dénes |
| Posted by: C-2 August 04, 2003 08:34 pm | ||
Mr Denes ,maybee not directly to the subject,but can you confirm a rumor I heard some time ago:That the ARR ace Greceanu merried the dauther of an ex O.Skorzeny special forces oficer(he was Romanian)? Is it by coincidence this Toba? |
| Posted by: Dénes August 04, 2003 09:37 pm |
| I am not aware of the story. Although I did meet Mrs. Greceanu in the late 1980s, obviously I did not ask her anything about her family. I was busy interviewing T. Greceanu, the 10th ranking ARR ace! 8)
Dénes |
| Posted by: Reazzurro90 August 31, 2003 08:23 pm | ||
Yeah, I remember that name. It reminds me of the President of Romania in teh Left Behind books. Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist!!! |
| Posted by: Geto-Dacul August 31, 2003 09:19 pm | ||
Why Antichrist?! Because he was a radical socialist? |
| Posted by: Dan Po February 23, 2004 09:07 am |
| Are you talking about the fact that every child who is born in US is automaticaly american ? Vraciu learn some years in a school in Romania (even he was just a little boy) and the he finish his studies in an american college.
So i this that its correct to say : Alex Vraciu was an romanian american. By the way, can we ask him about his origin ? :ro: |
| Posted by: C-2 February 23, 2004 09:41 pm |
| I wrote Vraciu about a year ago.
Got no answer. |