Ran across this forum and since it seems there are many helpful people here I thought I would ask a question. A few years back I requested my Dad's WWII records but they have been destroyed, so says NARA. He enlisted in Dec 1941 (like many others) in Pittsburg Pa. He later was sent to Desert Tank Training in Arizona (CAMA) and then to the Africa, Egypt I think. He was wounded there when an armor piercing round hit his tank and blew up on impact. He then went and fought in Italy and then was an MP in Guam for the duration. He said he was in Patton's Army and that would make sense I guess. All the information I have is listed below and his pic attached. I am trying to gather his actual information, Company information, battle records and possibly ribbons/medals and so then the question. Since NARA can't help what other avenues are available to gather the information? ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 13040220 Dad served in WWII and enlisted in Pittsburgh on the 29 th of Dec 1941 NAME MOORE CHARLES C Place OF ENLISTMENT 3298 PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 29 29 DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 12 12 DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 41 41 GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law NATIVITY 32 PENNSYLVANIA YEAR OF Birth 22 22 RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1 White, citizen CARD NUMBER # # BOX NUMBER 0117 0117 FILM REEL NUMBER 1.117 1.117 After Basic he was transferred to the World War II Desert Training Center, California-Arizona Maneuver Area or CAMA for short. He was trained in desert tank maneuvers in order to fight the Germans in North Africa. It was in Africa that he was blown out of a tank when an armor piercing round exploded on contact. After which he was put back in with Patton's Tank Army and headed to Messina, Italy. He later went to Guam as a MP and then left the military 3 Jul 1945.
fantastic picture.....I take it, it is the hometown?? with the snow, and surroundings, it captures more than your standard warzone pic
Yes it was right after basic I think and was right before heading to CAMA. So Feb-Mar 1942 I would guess. A proud young man to be sure. I only mentioned Africa and Italy but I also seem to recall him speaking of Belgium as well. He didn't talk much of what happened while in Europe or even Africa for that matter other than he was wounded when his Tank was hit and it left him with some hearing loss. He was supposedly wounded again which is why he was then sent to MP duty in Guam. So I am guessing he was with either the 67th or 66th Armored Regiments but I am not sure. I would really like to find out where and what campaigns he served in so if anyone can help me figure that out I would appreciate it.
You might also want to post this over on the Information sub forum. If you put info in the header that helps ID what particular info you are after you may get a faster response. For instance unit names and/or dates. Some of the Divisions and even some of the Regiments have web pages, you might want to try looking there as well. Welcome aboard by the way.
Thanks all and as an update here is what I now know I had Geoff at Goldenarrowresearch.com do some research for me and last night he had it all completed. So my Dad first appears in the 601st Tank Destroyer BN Co. B while they were in Camp Blanding Florida on March 31, 1942. From there he is also listed on a Roster the 31st of July 1942 in Indiantown Gap, Pa. getting ready to head to New York. Morning reports for Aug 1942 shows B Co. embarking aboard the HMS Queen Mary and departing New York 2nd Aug 1942 at 10:45am Arrived in Scotland on the 7th at 10pm and disembarked at midnight. Entrained to Wishaw arriving at 5:15pm. Departed the next day at 2:15 pm for England. Arriving at 6:30am the next morning. My Dad remained with B Company until April 2nd 1943 when he was transferred to A Company 601st TD Bn per SO #52 HQ, 601st TD Bn. He stayed with A Company 601st until 30 Jan 1944 when he is briefly attached to the 509th Paratrooper BN. He returns to the 601st but then again is attached on 24th May 1944 to SD Battery B 3rd Machine Gun BN. He returns to A Co 601st on 27th May. On 26th of June he is transferred out of the 601st TD BN and on the 17th July he is assigned to the 804th TDB Co. A as a gunner. It appears his MOS changed based on his actual duty, ie 610 Cannoneer to 616 Gunner. He is shown to have left the 804th on the 10th of Oct but I think he was reassigned since I know he didn't actually leave Italy until I found him on the ship manifest leaving Naples in March of 45. Now what I am trying to figure out is if he was still with the 509th during their battles at Caserno. If so he would be part of them for their PUC on Feb 29th. Also I am finding nothing about the 3rd Machine Gun Bn.
Hello, I'm coming late on this topic. Charles C. Moore, ASN 13040220 didn't serve at any time with the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion (he wasn't jump qualified, he had been trained to be a tanker, why would the army transfer him to a Parachute unit without specific qualification?). He wasn't personnaly/individually attached to the 509th, it is his own unit that actually was. In this case, here, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 601st TD Battalion was indeed attached to the 509th Prcht Inf Bn on Februray 1st, 1944. TD units were usually attached to higher level units to provide support mission for specific short times. That same day, 1st and 2nd Platoon of A/601st TD Bn were attached to the 7th Infantry Regiment. Or, for exemple, 1st Platoon, Company C, 601st TD Battalion was attached to the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment on January 29th, 1944. So, he fought along the 509th troopers for a few days, but that would be the only relationship he ever had with this Parachute unit. Charles C. Moore is credited for overseas service from August 2, 1942 to April 21st, 1945. He was honorably discharged on July 3rd, 1945 at Ft. Dix, NJ. Hope these few extra informations helped you, Cheers, Christophe
Found the record on his arrival back in the US. Actually the ship, GENERAL WILLIAM M BLACK, departed Naples on the 27 Feb 1945, arriving in New York on the 12 Mar 1945 USS General W. M. Black (AP-134) off San Francisco, CA., 4 March 1944
HMT Queen Mary, Convoy A.T.19, Queen Mary and 4 Escort. Escorts for the Queen Mary was very unusual, as normally the “Queens” (Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth) and some of the other FAST LINER’s, normally crossed the Atlantic unescorted throughout the entire war. This was do to their speed, U Boats were not able to catch them at top cruising speed. August 2 - 7, 1942 First time a complete division was carried on any ship. First Armored Infantry Division (15,125 troops, 863 crew I did a quick check, HMT Queen Mary did 33 AT Convoy’s throughout the war (AT Convoys were all from New York to England, usually Clyde, Scotland). Of the 33 AT convoys Queen Mary did, AT.19 was the first, and AT.219 (17 July 1945) was the last……..and I found the first 3 Convoys (AT 19, 22, 24) were escorted, and then all the remaining she was NOT escorted. Side Note: HMT = HIs Majesties Transport
I found AT 19 Convoy list on Ancestry, but unfortunately it only give you two pages, and just a few names of “civilians” that were on this ship
