114th Infantry - Antitank unit

my grandfather served in an anti tank co. 114th infantry, finding info on this unit is difficult at best. i have his discharge paper, and breif history of the 44th div. but no details on the 114th. can anyone help?

 

There's likely a regimental history out there in a library or one might show-up on eBay. An image of the the cover appears on this page:
http://efour4ever.com/44thdivision/nordwindgros.html




The story of some AT gunner's in the 44th ID appear on this page
http://efour4ever.com/44thdivision/schalbach.htm


Until you get hold of the history, on the web you could piece together the route of the 44th ID by using the official histories Riviera to the Rhine and The Last Offensive. The story of the 114th Infantry will parallel the division history.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Riviera/index.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Last/index.html


The US Army Chronology can also be helpful. The 44th first appears on 13 November 1944.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-SS-Chronology/index.html

We would be glad to help you sort out whatever questions arise in your research. Stop by often --even just to say hello. Good Luck.

 

I happen to have a copy of the 114th unit history, "With the 114th in the E.T.O.", which I acquired a couple of months ago. My great uncle's TD Company spent much of their time in France attached to or supporting the 114th. If you have something specific you'd like me to check, I'd be happy to do so. The efour4ever.com website that Earthican referenced is pretty good for info on the 44th Division.

 

Yes, Lou. I was pretty pleased to get it at a reasonable price, at least compared to what most regimental histories go for these days.

Ghayes, I did have time to check the book and it does have rosters for each of the companies. I will see if I can post the Anti-Tank Company roster in this thread. I'll also scan through the book and if I see anything that might be of interest.

 

thanks for checking. i could find what company he was in. you are a great help

 

sorry i meant couldnt

 

Sorry that this took awhile. I have been pretty busy with work the last couple of months (a good problem to have), and finally got a chance to follow up on my promise. Here is a partial roster for the 114th Infantry's Anti-tank Company:

View attachment 23028


If that is your grandfather listed, he was in the AT Company of the 114th Infantry Regiment. I did not find many references to the Anti-tank Company in the narrative history. However, I did find a photo featuring the AT Company:

View attachment 23030


Nothing says "You're in the Army" like washing your equipment in a mud hole.

 

I did find an account of an act of heroism on the part of a member of the Anti-tank Company. To establish a context, I will begin just before the rather dramatic account.

Here is a situation map from the book:

View attachment 23031


The following is an account of the actions of T/5 Vitolt Bogdonovich on 1 Jan 1945:

T/5 Vitolt Z. Bogdonovich is a posthumous recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross.

 

Excellent Info Tommy....Thats typical of this forum...Someone asks a question and the rest of us learn interesting facts on units, actions and people we had no previous interest in...Good reading.

 

A memoir from an AT Gun crewmen in the 26th Infantry Division provides some insight into their war.
http://www.amazon.com/Normandy-Bulge-American-Europe-During/dp/0809320843

 

thank you. this is great

 

We're always happy to help. If there is anything we can do to help with understanding his service or records, we'll be here waiting.

I forgot to suggest one more website: http://www.angelfire.com/la2/44thdivision/

It is more about the 44th Division and its regiments in general, but there are lots of photos to go through. It might be worth checking it out.

ghayes, I hope you will tell us a bit more about your grandfather someday soon. Perhaps even start a thread in his honor in the Roll of Honor & Memories - WWII section.

 

Hello folks,

I recently found out that my great uncle Dario Perez Jr. (1910-1971) served HQ CO of the 114th Infantry Regiment. He is buried in Willamette National Cemetery. Any information on him or his unit will be greatly appreciated. Thank you and thank you for your service!

Carlos Talbott Perez
A co. 12th Eng Bn. 8th ID (86-88)
44th Chem Co. 2nd AD (88-90)
email: ctalbott@cox.net

 

Thank you for your service as well, Carlos.

Your great uncle's Memorial page on Findagrave.com: Dario J Perez (1910 - 1971)

It is relatively rare to find references to specific soldiers other than being mentioned in a list (i.e. Rosters, Roll of Honor, etc.). If I can find him listed in the Regimental history, I'll post it here. As for info on his unit, I encourage you to go through the links in posts #2 and #13 above. There is quite a bit of information to be found there.

Also, you may want to see if you can find either the 44th Division history or the 114th Infantry Regiment history online. Both do come up from time to time on the major auction website. You can also check with your local library to see if they have or can get a copy of the 114th history. Bring them the info from WorldCat: With the 114th in the ETO.

 

Thank you Tommy776 for the information. I visited my great uncles grave about two weeks ago while in Portland.

 

You're welcome, Carlos. I looked through all of the rosters in the 114th book and didn't find anyone named Perez. Unit history rosters are not always complete. If I may ask, how did you determine that he served with the 114th Infantry?

 

Hello Tommy776,

From the headstone at the Willamette Military Cementary. I tried placing a photo here but having problems doing that.

The headstone reads:

DARIO J PEREZ
CALIFORNIA
PVT HQ CO 114 INFANTRY
WORLD WAR II
JUNE 6 1910 DEC 1 1971

Plot: U, 909

 

Well, one possibility is that the info on his marker came from his discharge papers. Discharge papers often list the unit a soldier was in at the end of the War, which is not always the same as the unit they served with during the War. Here's a very recent example of exactly that scenario: "Help with where my Grandfather went". In that case, the discharge says 14th Armored Division, but he was actually with the 179th Infantry Regiment during the War.

Having said that, I would say that you should assume HQ, 114th Infantry is correct until you find evidence to the contrary. If you have his Army Service Number, you try requesting his personnel records. I found a Dario Perez in the NARA Electronic Enlistment database, but am not sure it is him. The year of birth matches, but it has Texas as the place of enlistment and residence rather than California.

 

Hello Tommy776,

Thank you very much for all the information. The second Dario Perez from Texas is not my great uncle. I researched him on ancestry.com. My great uncle signed up in New Orleans. yesterday I received his Certificate of Death and luckily enough contained his SSN. I am hoping that with that I can get more information. Thank you!

- CT