Help with my grandpa's ww2 history please!!!

Hey my grandpa passed away in 2005 and when he was alive he NEVER spoke about anything with the war (not even to my dad) he just didn't. I am dying to find out where he was stationed, and to see what he did, where he was, and get my fingers on every little detail that I can on him. Since he never spoke about it, nobody has any information about him so unfortunately the only information I have is the following.

Name: Burningham Ray Lester
Born: December 29, 1918 (Provo, Utah)
Army Serial Number: 39906469
Place of Enlistment: 9689 (Salt Lake City Utah)
Date of Enlistment: January 6, 1943
Grade Alpha Designation: PVT# (Private)
Grade Code: 8 (Private)
Branch Alpha Designation: BI# (Branch Immaterial -Warrant Officers, USA)
Branch Code: 00 (Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA)
Civilian Occupation: 580 (Mechanics and repairmen, airplane)
Component of the Army: 7 (Selectees - Enlisted Men)
Box Number: 1481
Film Reel Number: 7.52#

Please if you could help me out I would appreciate it. I don't know if any of this information is any help, but I have no idea what to do. I am desperate. I am curious to know if something happened as to why he acted to weird to even talk about what he did while being there. Thank you!

 

I'd suggest your first port of call would be to obtain his Service Records, that would tell you his unit, where served etc. The way you have set out the information though, looks as if you have obtained some if not all of that already. That should fill in some of the gaps, and then we may be able to help some more.
I think it's been explained elsewhere on this site about the Service Number first digit. a "1" indicates a volunteer, and a "3" is a conscript Service Number.

Are there no photographs of him from when he was young and perhaps in uniform? If so, if you could post them on here, I'm sure some Pal would be able to identify something about him that might help.

You'll find by reading some of the threads on here and elsewhere that it was not uncommon for servicemen and women not to talk too much about their service experiences. Firstly, most others of their age had also served, so it was just another war story to them, unless at reunions etc, or when they did swap stories with ex servicemen it was because only they could understand the deep bond with comrades that only comes with extreme danger.

So, no, they didn't talk too much, didn't think their kids would be interested and only rarely did they unburden themselves, either to grand kids, or by way of memoirs, tape recordings etc to ensure that the deeds of their fellows didn't die with them.

See if you can find anything else, or family memories. My Dad only told me the "lighter" side of things, learning to drive in the desert and hitting the only tree for miles, etc, never the "rough" stuff.

Hope it helps to talk with us!