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Trying to track grandpa's footsteps in WWII

Discussion in 'Military Service Records & Genealogical Research' started by lmt, Feb 24, 2012.

  1. lmt

    lmt recruit

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    If anyone can help, I would very much appreciate. I have to write a 15 page report on history and would love to focus on my grandfather's trail in WW2. This is the info I have:
    Grade: T/4
    Service: SC
    Organization: 236th Sig Serv BN
    Component: AUS
    Occupation: Cook 060
    Place of Separation Unit B Sep Ctr 45 IGMR Pa
    Battles and Campaigns: GO33 & 40 WD 45 India Burma
    Decorations: Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, AS-Pac Thr Ser Med w/1 Br Str Victory Medal
    Service outside US:
    Departure: 10 Jul 43 Destination: APT Date of Arrival: 12 Aug 45
    Departure: 12 Dec 45 Destination: USA Date of Arrival: 3 Jan 46
    Reason for Separation: AR 615-365 RR1-1 Demobilization
    Remarks: Lapel Button Issued
    ASR Score (2 Sep 45) 66
    Inactive Service ERC from 10 Sep 42 to 23 Sep 42

    I have found a pic of the 236th in India on 25 Dec 45 and my grandfather is not in the pic or listed as one of the men absent from the pic, so I am really confused. Also, I don't understand why he left 2 years before he arrived at his destination.
     
  2. chibobber

    chibobber Member

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    Imt,Contact Geoff at Golden Arrow Research.He is a member here.He can track your grandfathers service through the morning reports of his unit.I highly recommend his services.The date thing might be a typo.
    Oh by the way,Welcome to this fine forum.
    Bob
     
  3. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    I am pretty sure that date is a typo.

    As much as I hate to tell you, finding enough information on the 236th to fill a 15 page manuscript is going to be extremely difficult without your grandfather being available to speak to. The war was essentially over by the time he made it to India. Both atomic bombs had been dropped and we were more or less waiting on the Japanese to say "uncle." Since he was there for only three months, I suspect he spent his time getting ready to come back home.

    Small units like his rarely had reunions and most members maintained very little contact with each other afterwards, so there will be very little official records of them. You can contact NARA and see if they have any type of records from the unit. I suspect that you are going to have to rely on what he brought back home and saved.

    I wished that I could help you more.
     
  4. adambhoy

    adambhoy Member

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    His ASR score is 66. Isn't that a lot of points for a guy who was only in theater for three months?
     
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  5. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

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    Would it make sense for the APT Arrival date to be 12 Aug 43 instead of 12 Aug 45?
     
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  6. Buten42

    Buten42 Member

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    imt, The arrival date of 12 Aug 45 is typo. He left the states on 10 July 1943 and arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater on 12 Aug 1943. He departed the APT on 12 December 1945 and arrived back in the states on 3 Jan. 1946. The Maritorious Unit Award was given to non-combat units that distinguished itself. He spent nearly 30 months overseas--He missed getting 5 overseas service bars by 7 days (they may have given him the fifth). TD-Tommy 776 is perfectly correct.
    I'll do some checking on the 236th Sig Service Bn and see what I can scrape up and get back. Dave
     
  7. Buten42

    Buten42 Member

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    imt, this may be the same page that you already found, SIGNAL CORPS UNITS.
    The reason he wasn't included in the picture on Dec. 25, 45 is because he was on some boat in tansit back to the states.
    He wore the China-Burma shoulder insigna as shown on the man in the front row in the picture.

    You might see if your library has a copy of the book shown in this link. You didn't mention your grandfathers name or it might be listed. China Burma India: Where I Came in - Robert James Kadel, Turner Publishing Company - Google Books
    I found reference to the 236th but again didn't know if it was your grandfather it was referring to.

    Check your personal messages. Dave
     
  8. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    I saw that and went right on by and ignored it.
     
  9. lmt

    lmt recruit

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    Additional Info that I did not previously list:
    Name: Leo Wilson
    Serial Number: 35 417 338
    Qualifications: 03 Rifle 30 Cal MKS
    Continental Service: 1 year, 9 Months, 22 days
    Foreign Service: 1 year, 5 months, 24 days
    Place of Entry: Columbus, Ohio
    Thank you to everyone who is helping. I really appreciate all the info.
    @ Adambhoy...I agree that is a pretty high score for 3 months and I am sure there is some error on the dates as it lists his foreign service as being almost a year and a half.
    @ TD-Tommy and Buten, Thank you, I believe it must be an error with the dates. Although the dates still don't match with his time served. I am just guessing but perhaps it is common to find errors on the DD214 from WWII.
    Dave, I can not find his name listed on any sites nor can I find him by serial number, I am guessing partly due to the fire where many records were destroyed.
    Somewhere in the family there is a pic of him in India with a monkey on his shoulder, if I am able to someday locate it and get a copy I will share it. Thank you again, everybody for your help.
     
  10. lmt

    lmt recruit

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    That makes sense! I have been going crazy trying to figure out where he would have been for 2 years, unaccounted for. I know that my grandfather told us that he was in India and that he was a cook and he would sometimes have to use a generator to cook on. He also mentioned mass graves because there were soooo many bodies.
     
  11. Buten42

    Buten42 Member

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  12. Joy Carter

    Joy Carter New Member

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    How were ASR scores determined? My dad's was 66 also.
     
  13. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    I think this thread will answer your questions WWII ASR point question
     

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