The 13th Armored Division, also known as “The Black Cats”, was a brotherhood.

The men who served as “Black Cats” and their families continue to meet as a group to this day. Here is some news from our past and latest reunions.


Bavaria – Central Europe Campaign

World War II Connections by Bob Whelan April 30, 1945 - Germany Two significant events were occurring that day… In ...

Two Robert Whelans in WWII

CLICK THIS STORY TO HEAR IT PLAY! I love this photo because it tells such a family story. I don't ...

The Healing Power of Time

by Bob Whelan The picture below taken in late February 2019 shows two smiling faces together with a snowman in ...

The Rhine Crossing

You can also click the link - The Rhine Crossing - to hear this account of crossing the Rhine River ...

Rolling Home

Dad talking about his journey back home after the war ...

Perfect Day

“Were you teaching a class full of innocent children?” ~ Alan. Jackson The grassy-assy scent of cow shit charged our ...
Black Cat Bob Whelan at Dec. 30 Buffalo Bills Game

Black Cat Honored at Buffalo Bills Football Game

While you can't hear it, here is what the PA announcer said during the time Bob was on field: "Robert ...

The Importance of Stories

Stories are more than entertainment. They are life itself. We each live in them. They are us… Your story is ...

Arnold

“We know you were right there with us in spirit.” So, wrote Nancy Damon in a short note to me ...

The Quilt Story

This is a story of a quilt and its gift of an ability to help emerge from the numbness of ...

Skibbereen

As often happens, what is originally planned, changes. Usually, because of an unplanned intervention. So, guess what? It happened in ...

Anglesqueville

I chose to title this story Anglesqueville because, while no longer the name for the town of Val de Saane ...

Luneville

To some extent this story is an extension of the first story in this Trip series. It, like the Siegburg ...

Siegburg

Here’s another story where one door closes, Another opens. Siegburg, was such a place. The name Siegburg translates as “Victory ...

Mettmann

One door closes, Another opens. Mettmann was such a place. The door had closed for the over 300,000 German troops ...

Wuppertal

Growing up in the 1930’s, I had a tremendous fascination for futuristic devices and stories. Foremost in my memories are ...

Opladen Connections – Part 1

Why Opladen? As explained in the Long Meadow story I used the name as an umbrella term for most of ...

Opladen Connections – Long Meadow

A Company’s role in the Ruhr Pocket, in my view, was a different scene from that in and around Berg ...

Patton – Transport 3

We, in A Company said goodbye to our halftracks we left behind in Berg, and pretty much retraced our journey ...

Berg – Transport 2

We crossed over the Inn for the last time on June 25, 1945. Vacation time was over. The next day ...

Berg – Transport 1

An Armored Division travels on wheels and tracks. Armored Infantry does most of its combat traveling on half tracks and ...

Berg – R&R

72 years is a long time. Time enough to gather one’s thoughts and take another look at what has been ...

Berg – House

Yes, Berg was the happy beginning of our 2017 return… Happy, because even the memories were happy in this place ...

Braunau

April 30, 1945 – July 8, 2017 My 13th Armored Division stories start at Braunau, Austria. As outlined in my ...

Brothers Reunited

Horst Przybilski          Ike Refrice World War II – Europe          World War II ...

Dienstglas

The following story took place in the Ruhr Valley of Germany in April 1945. This is a pair of WWII ...

Lost and Found

I lost a hat It fit upon my head It was my face I found a heart It was under ...

Emelienne

by Bob Whelan July 2017 The sentiment of powder and laceTake me back to a tender placeWhere memories replaceA forgotten ...

A Birthday Story for Arnold

To all wives, children, descendants, and friends of Veterans. This story is my birthday gift to my WWII buddy Arnold ...

Bob Whelan – Witness to War Interview

Bob Whelan's interview done by the Witness to War Foundation on 9/12/14. For more about this foundation, please visit www.witnesstowar.org ...

He Ain’t Heavy

This a memoir developed from a recent experience in 2014. It has a few premises, which are topics not dealt ...

Goodbye – Hello

This is a 68 year memoir. Actually, the 68 years are the interval between two opposing stories. In late 1945, ...

Remembering

As  President of the 13th Armored Division Association I would like to take the opportunity to offer and suggest the ...

Action at Bridge at Inn River by Jack Campey

Jack R. Campey, E5. Half Track Driver, Battalion 16, Company C of the 13th Armored was invited by one of ...

2016 Black Cat Reunion

Reunion in New Orleans, Louisianna in September 2016 While there are more photos and stories to be posted, a brief ...

Berchtesgaden

This story is an excerpt of one of my many memoir stories I wrote for my children as a record ...

Black Cat Reunion Update

Another great 13th Armored Division Reunion was held in September 2015 in Washington, DC. The Reunion activities included tours, a ...

The Connections

A circuit that lights a light if you switch it on. A light that helps you see better. I learned ...

The Battle Jacket

In early 2013 I saw a listing for a reunion of the 13th Armored Division in the VFW magazine.  I ...