101st Airborne info/grandfather's service

Hello, I was wondering if someone might be able to help me out. My Grandfather, Chester Ogorek, always told me he was in the 101st Airborne Division during WWII. He stated that he jumped at Normandy and Market Garden and my father told me my grandfather told him about a prior jump in Italy or Sicily somewhere. My grandfather passed away in the 1990s and I regret not asking him questions when he was around. He was severely injured during the war and was in a hospital for months afterwards. He had large pieces of shrapnel in his forearms. I remember him letting me feel them when I was a kid. He had scars on his upper chest, neck and face along with his leg. Now, here is the mystery. I obtained his discharge papers. They list his unit as the 517PIR and his discharge date of sometime in 1946. This really threw me off. I did not expect to see the 517pir on his discharge paperwork. Later, I found a shadow box my grandfather created. In it he placed a photo of himself, along with his purple heart and some medals, along with some medals he purchased to make up for the ones he lost over the years. In the photo he obviously had the 101st Airborne patch on his sleeve and I believe it says 501PIR on the rocker above. It’s hard for me to read clearly because it looks like a child used a pen to mark on the photo. I also have a letter from Secretary of War Stinson to my great grandparents commending them on the service of their six sons in the military during WWII. The photo of my grandfather in that frame appears to be the same one in his shadow box. Is there any way to explain the discrepancy in units? If he was in a military hospital after his original unit was discharged, would he be assigned to another unit while he convalesced? Is there documentation anywhere that might show that he was a part of the 101st? . I included photos of the shadow box and framed letter. I also have a letter from him that he sent home from jump school at home. Any help you might be able to give me would be greatly appreciated Thank you for your time.

 

To get home, men were some times transferred to a unit that was headed home. Then, upon arrival to the states, either discharged or transferred to another unit to serve stateside. The last unit they served with is on the separation/discharge papers. So, it is not always the unit they actually served the most time with.... I hope that makes sense.

 

The 101st Airborne Division was deactivated on 30 Nov 1945 in France. The 13th Airborne Division was shipped back to the States in August 1945 after Japan surrendered. Generally, after the War was over, soldiers with high ASR scores (aka "points"), were often transferred to units that were heading home. Soldiers with low ASR scores were transferred to units that were to remain for the Occupation. So, as has been pointed out, it is possible that he was transferred to the 517th PIR to be returned to the States for his eventual discharge. This is, of course, speculation, but it is a reasonable explanation in the absence of definitive facts.

 

Thanks. He was severely injured and was in the hospital for approx one year. Im guessing the hospital was somewhere in europe initially. Probably explains the change in units.