81st Infantry, 322 Regiment.."Wildcats"

Well, after requesting my uncle's (Joseph Tobias, 81st Infantry, 323rd Regiment, KIA Oct. 26, 1944) back in May, I received a "fire phone call", as opposed to a letter, in early September, explaining that my uncle's records had been damaged in the '73 fire, and I had to send in $60 to get copies of what they had. It turns out he was in Company K, so I guess my land mine recollection doesn't hold up. Another relative of mine always though Joe had died in Europe, so I don't feel too bad about my poor memory.

The information also included his Purple Heart award letter sent to my grandparents 2 months after he died, Official Statement of Military Service and Death, Report of Death, Battle Casualty Report, Inventory of Effects, Record of Award of Infantryman Badge, Immunization Records, and pages and pages and pages about how he was hospitalized with a boil on his neck when he was still in California!

In addition, the letter from the National Personnel Records Center states " This record contained social security numbers and/or- sensitive personal information which couldbe injurious to the veteran, the veteran's family, or third party mentioned in the record. We haveredacted or withheld that information in accordance with the personal privacy exemption of theFreedom of Information Act (FOIA), U.S.C.552 (b) (6).If you consider this an adverse response under the FOIA, you may appeal by writing, within 35days of receipt of this letter, to the Deputy Archivist (ND), National Archives at College Park,8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001, and explain why you think ourresponse does not meet the requirements outlined in the FOIA.

So now I'm curious about what they could possibly have redacted, and will write an appeal.

 

Well that is certainly good news. It sounds like you got a good amount of information for your $60. I paid $20 for a one-page document that I already had.

I agree with your decision to appeal the redactions. Hopefully, one of our Forum members has some experience in that and can offer some advice.

 

Peleliu October 26, 1944:
The 323rd, arriving from Ulithi, relieves the 321st.

 

howz it going everyone. i am new to this forum and need a littlt help. this thread is very close to a subject i'm investigating concerning the officers and enlisted men of the 316th field artillery battalion which was attached to the 321st rct of the 81st wildcats. i have a copy of the unit history that i got from the us army heritage and education center, but their personnel list is lacking. any help as to were to look for a complete list of personnel that served this unit would be appreciated.

 

Welcome and thank you for reviving this wonderful thread (and its sister thread.)
We all wish you the very best in your research. Its been a while but new members since this thread "retired" will hopefully provide just the sort of information you need.
Stay tuned!

See: http://81stwildcatassociation.com/

 

Hi, everyone. I just joined this forum.

I would like to salute William W. McLarty, my grandfather's cousin. I've had his funeral home record for many years and this record lists 18 September 1944 as his date of death and Anguar Island as place of death. As I've had other research to do, it was only today that I found William on the National Archives site listed as KIA. According to his headstone, William served in the 321st Infantry, 81st Division. I have been surfing the Internet trying to get a roster of the 321st without finding anything. After browsing this thread, I will be ordering William's OMPF and IDPF once I have the funds.

 

I just came across a book that may interest: Victory at Peleliu: The 81st Infantry Division's Pacific Campaign.

You may want to read The Approach to the Philippines, Chapter XXI, The Landings on Peleliu and Angaur (courtesy of HyperWar). Also, here's a map (page 500) of the Assault on Angaur. (also courtesy of HyperWar)

 

THE PRODIGAL, try and locate, purchase or borrow a book called The 81st Wildcat Divison in WWII

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Infantry Journal Press; First Edition edition (1948)

Also Victory at Peleliu: The 81st Infantry Division's Pacific Campaign

Both books could possible provide after action details describing the battles/events the day of William W. McLarty's death on Anguar Island. "The 81st Wildcat Divison in WWII" does list the members of the 321st RCT Killed and Wounded in action.

My Uncle Captain William F. Murphy was KIA on Peleliu Sept 28, 1944. We were very awed to see that he was quoted in " Victory at Peleliu"

 

Very good suggestion, jackflack3. However, I am unaware of any reprinting of the 81st Division's WWII history, so it can be expensive trying to buy a copy.

Another avenue would be to take the book info from WorldCat.org to your local library and see if they can get a copy on loan from another library (presuming they don't have one already).

 

TD-Tommy. Borrow is probably the best bet. I borrowed initailly. My library at the time got it on loan from the Naval War College. I started looking for it on E-bay and book sellers and was finally able to buy my own copy. Unfortuantely they are even harder to find and more expensive now. But it is an awesome keepsake...

 

My father was also a lieutenant in the 321st Regiment of the 81st Infantry Division. He was wounded and evacuated out from Peleliu to the U.S. in late October of 1944. I don't know what company he was in, off hand, but I will look at some of his old records and post it if I can. I have a picture of the officers of the Regiment, and a picture of the Regiment on parade at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, before they deployed to the Pacific. Dad's name was Harvey Byrd, from Bogalusa, La. He passed away in 1999.

 

View attachment 24947 My Grandfather was in the 321st Regiment. I just started researching this Regiment yesterday and was surprised at how much information was available. Everything I've read tells me the 81st Division was a top notch group of American soldiers. My grandfather never spoke of his time in the Pacific. I am not sure if it's because he couldn't or just wouldn't. He came home, got a job, got married, had his children, and lived a good life until his death in 1989. Knowing the kind of grandfather he was I can easily imagine what kind of soldier he was. I have his souvenir Japanese rifle and bayonet and I will soon start asking around in the family about his uniform, patches, and such. I'm almost positive that he kept these but my grandmother may have given them away to family members after he passed. If anyone has other pictures from the 321st, I'd love to see them. I have his diary at home also. He wrote a couple of entries and it has some names and addresses entered as well. I will get it out and have the pages scanned soon. As an idea of how tough things were over there, a glass of milk on Christmas Day was worth writing about.

 

I bought "Victory at Peleliu, The 81st Infantry Division's Pacific Campaign" ebook today. I should have waited until I was home from work before doing so. I can't wait to get started on it.

 

Going through some old papers in the garage, I found my father's certificate of service document issued by the Army. His name was Spencer E. Millard. He was a First Lieutenant in the 322nd Infantry Regiment 81st Infantry Division. During his service, from November '42 - January '46, he was in the Southern Philippines and Western Pacific. He received a Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars, an American Theater ribbon, and a Philippines Liberation Victory ribbon. Unfortunately, I do not have any of his Citations or Decorations. My father survived the war, but died in 1958, when I was just two years old. Researching the war in the Pacific helps me know him just a little better than I do.

 

My father Pierce B. Irby, Jr was company commander Co K, 321st Inf Rgt on Peleliu, retired as COL in 1970. He passed away in 2004. In 1948, he authored a monogram of his company's combat experience at Peleliu while a student at Infantry Officer's Advanced Course, Ft. Benning, GA. This document still exists in the archives at the Infantry School at Ft. Benning. I can provide a link to the document if you wish.

 

I would love to have that link! Thank you so very much!

 

The following link is to my father's IOAC monograph at Ft. Benning. I made an error in my prior email. He was
commander of Company "L", not "K", which is an important distinction when you read his account. His hand drawn maps
of the operation, which were annexes in the study, are not in this link for unclear reasons. I believe I can find a link
to the maps and will send separately.

The Operations of Company "L", 321st Infantry (81st Wildcat Division) in the Capture
of the Island of Peleliu, 23-29 September 1944 (Western Pacific Campaign)
(Personal Experience of a Company Commander)

Captain Pierce B. Irby, Jr

https://www.benning.army.mil/library/content/Virtual/Donovanpapers/wwii/STUP2/IrbyPierceBJr CPT.pdf

 

Yes! Thank you I would also like to have the link!