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Looking for my Father

Discussion in 'Land Warfare in the Pacific' started by hueymech, Jun 17, 2010.

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  1. hueymech

    hueymech recruit

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    Greetings all,
    I joined this outfit to try and find my Father. So far, I have had no luck with the VA records search, and I am pretty much at a dead end.
    I think he was in the 108th; he may have also been in another unit as well. On his discharge paper (I keep wanting to call it a "214".) it mentions the 108th, and I know that he was at Leyte, and Mindanao. My Step-Mother also said that he spoke of New Guinea, and Occupation duty in Korea. I also found a mention of him one day when I Googled his name, and it came up with a different outfit. (I need to look for that piece of paper with the info on it.)
    Unfortunately, my Father and I did not see eye-to-eye, for many years.
    I also did not know, until after his death, that he had a profound case of PTSD, but when he was discharged it was known as "Shell shock". He had trouble sleeping the rest of his life, and had nightmares. Many nights my Step-Mother was awakened to him yelling "Get down! Damn it, get down!" and he may have thrown his arm over her to protect her from what was taking place.
    I have his Service number and Social, when he was inducted, etc., but I really don't know where else to go.
    Also, a little about me. I was drafted in February 1969, and I was discharged in August 1971. Several years after my discharge, I became interested in WW2, and started collecting, (mainly patches and DI's, although I have managed to accumulate tons of field gear and ephemera) and now my house if filled with trench art, uniforms, ordnance, and everything else. I live in North Central Oklahoma, and I'm retired.
    I joined this outfit, mainly, to try and find out my Father's unit, exactly where he was and when, and a little of what he did. I know he saw a lot of what you hope nobody ever sees. Maybe I want to understand a little bit more about him.
    If anyone can offer some advice as to what direction I need to take I would certainly be grateful.
    Thanks all, hueymech.
     
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Welcome Hueymech, good to have you here. Thank you for your sevice.

    I assume by the 108th, you mean the 108th Infantry Regiment (IR). There were some other units numbered 108. It seems, however, that the 108th IR was at the locations you mentioned, as part of the 40th Infantry Division (ID). There is also 108th Engineer Battalion that was part of the 33rd ID and was in combat in the same areas, but ended up in Japan, instead of Korea.

    Research the 40th ID and you can probably find more information.

    Feel free to post any photo, etc, including your collection. There are many here who have any interest.
     
  3. MDJ696

    MDJ696 Member

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    My dad was with the 43rd Cav Recon, 43rd ID, and was with the 103rd regiment at Camp Shelby, Ms. His favorite TV show was The Black Sheep Squadron with Pappy Boyington. He loved hearing them mention the island names that he was on. Leyte, Rendova, New Georgia, etc. He derosed back to states before war ended, acquired enough points, but 43rd went onto Okinawa. I too went into army 66-69, doing the Nam tour. 1st ID. While doing some research on my dads unit, I found the 43rd Winged Victory Veterans Association in Rhode Island. With their 1st news letter they sent him, I discovered that their Capt. had written a book on the Recon unit and was for sale at the Museum at Camp Blanding Fla. I bought it and found all the storys he told me in there from A to Z. Had his name in back of book. I believe there's a big museum at Camp Shelby, Ms. Also google veterans associations, VFW, books written on units.
     
  4. Coyote850

    Coyote850 recruit

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    Thank you for your service and that of your father. I had a Grandfather and uncle(his son) in the Seebees in WW2, and lost a cousin in Vietnam (1st Air Cav.)

    You've probably already seen this info, but I thought I'd post it anyways.


    108th NY Infantry Regiment during World War Two - NY Military Museum and Veterans Research Center

    The 108th Infantry Regiment, originally the 3rd Infantry regiment, is a New York State National Guard regiment that can trace some of its roots back to1830 when militia companies were formed in various cities. The regiment served in the Spanish American War, the Mexican expedition of 1916, and fought in World War I as the 108th as part of the 27th Infantry Division. After WWI the regiment reverted to their original name of the 3rd Infantry Regiment New York National Guard. The 3rd was redesignated as the 108th once again in April 1921.
    For its service in World War Two the 108th had 12 companies, all recruited from western New York. With the first battalion drawing its men from Watertown, Geneva, Syracuse and Oswego, for companies A, B, C, and D respectively. Second battalion’s companies E, G, and H were drawn from Rochester and F company from Medina. Third battalion’s I, K, L, and M companies were formed in Auburn, Hornell, Elmira, and Ogdensburg respectively.
    The 108th was inducted into federal service on 10 October 1940 and was moved to Ft. McClellan, AL on the 23rd, a week later, along with the rest of the 27th. The 108th participated in the Tennessee maneuvers from 21 May 1941 until 30 June 1941, and the Arkansas-Louisiana maneuvers from 6August 1941 until 6 October 1941. These maneuvers greatly helped the 27th division and the 108th regiment when it came time to operate in the field. On 12 December 1941, just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor the 108th left Ft. McClellan by train for California. The regiment’s original mission was to have been the reinforcement and garrison of the Philippines. This plan fell through though when the islands surrendered. The regiment was encamped first at the Los Angeles County fairgrounds, and then on 22 January 1942 was moved to Ft. Ord, CA.
    On the 7April 1942 the regiment embarked in San Francisco bound for Hawaii. There, due to triangularization, (originally divisions were organized with two brigades of two regiments each, in triangularization the division has just three regiments) the 108th, as the fourth regiment in the division, was separated from the 27th and placed under the control of the 40th division (a National Guard Division from California) on 1 September 1942.
    The 108th stayed in Hawaii, fulfilling duties as garrison troops there until 21 January 1944 when the entire 40th division was moved to Guadalcanal. The regiment left Guadacanal on 22 April 1944 and landed at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, to relieve the 1st US Cavalry and marines stationed there. The regiment was occupied in active patrolling there, to keep the Japanese confined to one end of the island, until 9 December 1944 when they sailed for Luzon.
    They were the reserve for the XIV Corps during the initial landings at Lingayen Gulf. After intense fighting near Ft. Stotsenburg, Tarlac, and Clark Field, the regiment was relieved by the 43rd Division. The regiment left Luzon on 8 March 1945 and landed on Leyte on the 13th of the same month. On 10 May 1945, the regiment assaulted Macjalar Bay on the Island of Mindanao, they advanced 85 miles, before hooking up with the 31st Division. During this time the regiment was also attached to the Eighth Army Area Command and then X Corps. During the 108ths’ time on Leyte, 2nd Battalion (with attachments) was assigned the duty of destroying Japanese forces on the Island of Masbate. After the Entire Regiment reformed on Leyte, they continued their push on to Mindanao.
    On 29 June 1945 the regiment was reunited with the 40th Division on the Island of Panay. The regiment departed from the Philippines on the same day bound for Korea, for post war occupational duties. There they stayed in an occupation role until 15 March 1946. The regiment returned to San Francisco on 5 April 1946 and was inactivated two days later at Camp Stoneman CA.
    For its service, the 108th received the following campaign streamers:
    1. Bismarck- Archipelago
    2. Leyte
    3. Luzon
    4. Southern Philippines (with arrowhead)
    It also received the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

    Daniel Markle, President of the 108th Infantry Regiment Association, contributed information to this page.
    Sources
    108th Infantry Regiment Vertical File. New York State Military Museum.
    Stanton, Shelby L. World War II Order of Battle. New York: Galahad Books, 1991, p. 216.
     
  5. Jerry Wayne Pinkerton

    Jerry Wayne Pinkerton New Member

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    My father PFC Ralph C Pinkerton was in I Company of 108th Infantry Regiment 40th Division. He was KIA on Mindanao on 14 June 1945 and is buried in the Manila American Cemetery. He came from the States through the Replacement Depot on Leyte arriving there in March 1945 and was assigned to the 108th. On May 10 the Regiment was sent to Mindanao. I have met other members of the unit. After the Philippine and they were deployed to Korea until 1946. I can provide you with some information on the 108th during that period. Jerry Pinkerton
     
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