Placing Dad on a roster

[captn]

This quest all started with making a shadow box for my fathers war service 3 years ago . All I had to start with were his uniform ribbons and awards . I knew he was an airborne soldier and that was the start . From his uniform I placed him with the 82nd airborne 505 . I contacted all the Airborne web sites . None could place him . One speculated that he had joined the 82ND 505 company F after the war was over.
They will not add him to any combat rosters till I can prove it officially . I had no idea he was not on any Airborne rosters till I began this search . Its time he gets his war time service recognized and put on a roster where he belongs. My search with the national archives ( after 2 years) turned up only his last pay check , records lost in fire 1973.
The VA was a home run as they had his discharge papers . This only confused things as he was discharged with the 101st airborne 506 company G . I hit a dead end .
I have now opened a search though Golden Arrow research with Geoff . This is where it stands as of now . More to follow , hopefully Geoff can place him to his wartime unit .

[Rakkasan187]

Good information so far, and with the 101st connection he more than likely had enough points to rotate home after the war and since the 101st was going stateside they assigned him to one of the rotating units. The 82nd went into Berlin to start occupation duties on July 4, 1945, So depending on when he was shipped home and how long he was with the 101st, his current unit assignment insignia on the left shoulder would have been a 101 patch and his former wartime service patch, AKA "Combat Patch" worn on the right shoulder would have been his 82nd patch.

Geoff at Golden Arrow is wonderful and you were wise to reach out to him. In addition to reaching out to Geoff I would like to suggest that you reach out to the 82nd Airborne Musuem at Fort Bragg, NC. They may be able to assist you and they may have jump rosters from the units. Not promising this but they may be able to help you. Here is a link to the site: General Information - 82nd Airborne Division Museum

Also: You can reach out to the US Army Airborne and Special Operations Musuem which is located in Downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. This is an Army Musuem, part of the Army Musuem Enterprise and the Center of Military History (CMH). As a CMH museum they may also be able to help you search for the jump rosters and other information that can place your dad in an 82nd unit.

Here is a link to the site: US Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum - Fayetteville, NC : ASOMF

Hope this helps, good luck

Smitty

[captn]

Thanks Smitty for the search information . I tracked his home date as Jan 3 which put him on the Queen Mary return of the 82 airborne .He did not have the points - ASR 49 . I believe his service started with the Market Garden campaign and finished with occupation duty.

[Rakkasan187]

Hopefully you will get some answers and he can be properly added to the rosters. The Airborne and Special Ops Museum might have the plane manifests for the Market Garden Operation and that should list your father based on what plane and stick he was in/on for the jump.

I have a Headquarters 1st Battalion 505th jumped suit to a WW2, Korea and Vietnam Veteran. He was credited with jumps in Sicily and Normandy and one other jump that I am still researching.

Smitty

[captn]

Thanks Smitty , I just sent an email to the Airborne and Special Ops Museum .

[captn]

update: Geoff has shed more light on Dads service ,but still have some time holes to fill . Dads time line so far is:
ASTP (army specialized training program- engineering )- Feb 1943 -Mar 1944
37 infantry engineer battalion- oct 25 1944
1st parachute training regiment Dec 9 1944
arrived in ETO-Feb 7 1945
11 replacement depot Mar 4 1945
101st company G 3rd battalion 506 Mar 4 1945
101st company I 3rd battalion 506 Nov 6 1945
82nd company F 2nd battalion 505 Nov 22 1945
departed ETO Dec 29 1945
morning reports show the company was training for the NY parade Jan 12 1945 . I think this was how he came by the unit awards for the 82nd 505. Two questions to be answered 1) when he arrived in the ETO Feb 7 1945 would he have been assigned to a unit ? one month before he joint the 101st. 2) He was awarded a bronze arrowhead. Where can I look for how he received it ?
Still more answers to be had, but what a journey so far.

[Rakkasan187]

He may have participated in Operation Varsity, March 24, 1945. Will have to look more into the Operations after February 1945.

Smitty

[captn]

Dad also had some airborne command patches in his collection . I did some goggle searches and came up with this finding :
“Before troopers of the 506th and 501st ever wore the screaming eagle patch on their left shoulder, they wore the Airborne Command patch. Whereas the GHQ reserve patch was worn at Toccoa, for small units not yet assigned to a division, the Airborne Command patch was created for small, non-divisional Airborne units. As such, the 506th wore this patch for a few months in early 1943, while stationed at Camp Mackall, N.C. This was after they completed jump school, but before they joined the 101st Airborne Division at Ft Bragg, N.C., becoming members by attachment. At that time, the 506th began to wear the eagle patch. The 501 PIR wore the Airborne Command patch for longer, beginning in spring, 1943, and wearing it until early January, 1944, when they sailed for the UK. The 501st was attached to the 101st AB in England and only then began to wear the screaming eagle insignia. Airborne units stationed state-side, continued to wear this patch into 1945, including the 555st PIB, the Parachute Training Regiments in GA and AL, and the 541st and 542nd PIRs in N.C.”

This could be his unit from Dec 9 1944 to Mar 4 1945 till he was placed to the 101st company G .

[captn]

Just got Dad place on a roster . WW11 Airborne . US web site . 101st 506 company G 3rd battalion .

[Chopperman]

Good for you.
I admire your determination in getting this done.


Re-airborne command patch.
I know that the patch was being worn as late as 1952.
I know an old guy who was with the 10th special forces group, earning his wings
in 1952 and in the picture he showed me, he was wearing that patch. I assume
it was taken in the states before heading to Korea.