How My Father Served During World War II

My father, Charles Everett Weeks, served during WWII as a Staff Sergeant with the 102nd Infantry Division, 927th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery B. Then, before he received a Honorable Discharge on February 7, 1946, he served as a First Sergeant 844 (gun crewman, light artillery) in Company K, 302D Infantry in Rhineland, Central Europe. Off and on since 2008 I have been trying to locate any information I can regarding the histories of both infantry divisions he served in. I already have the book entitled "With the 102nd Infantry Division through Germany" that has one photo of him with the 927th Field Artillery Battalion. However; I do not have any other photos of him with his units, and I'm wondering if there are any other photos or any historical information, additional books, websites, or anything that would possibly give me more information about my father and his service time. I have done some research on his duties as a First Sergeant 844-gun crewman, enough to know that this was a very, very important job with a lot of responsibilities. I'm very proud of my father, and what little I have learned about him so far in his service to our country during WWII, but I would really like to learn more if possible, or have contact with someone who may have known him in either infantry division above?? I realize it may be impossible to even find anybody still alive that would have served with him, but I'm willing to try and see if there is, or at least a relative of someone that may have served alongside my father and knew him?? My father died in 1995, and when I went through his personal belongings after his death, I found NO photos of his time during WWII, or any other papers--only thing I DO have is his "Enlisted Recod and Report of Separation-Honorable Dischage" document that has a lot of information on it. Any help anyone could give me, I would sure appreciate it. Thank you.

Mrs. Donna Weeks Duty
110 Angora Court
Cary, North Carolina 27513

Admin Edit: Changed Dishonorable to Honorable in second sentence.

 

Dishonorable Discharge or Honorable Discharge....you use both terms in your description

 

Have you contacted the chap listed on the 102nd Div website who deals with enquiries into the artillery ?
http://www.ozarks102id.org/coordin.php
Richard Dunning, Coordinator, 213 Crestmont Dr., Newfoundland, PA 18445

 

My father had an Honorable Discharge...sorry for the error on my part....was typing too fast. I have contacted Richard Dunning back in 2008, but I will attempt to contact again to see if he perhaps has any new information regarding my father. Thanks!

 

Since my father, Charles Everett Weeks also served in the 302nd Division, Company "K", does anyone know how I can perhaps contact the coordinator of that battalion/division?? Is there a website with information?

 

There was no 302 Division in US Army.
302d Infantry Regiment were part of 94th Division, here a link that may help.
http://www.94thinfdiv.com/

 

I do appreciate all the comments and suggestions related to my post regarding my father, Charles Everett Weeks. Lou has suggested that I post my father's separation document; however, when I tried to scan and post (just one page!), I got an error message saying the document was too large to attach. Daggone it!!! So, the only thing left for me to do now is to type out all the info on his separation document in this post. Yes, it will take a while but I'm willing to do it, IF it will help someone provide valuable information and help to me in my research. So here goes.....whoever reads this please respond with suggestions on how I can further my research to find out any info regarding my father, records, photos, books, etc. Donna Weeks Duty

ENLISTED RECORD AND REPORT OF SEPARATION - HONORABLE DISCHARGE

CHARLES WEEKS
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER: 34 475 667
GRADE: 1ST SGT

 

Oh no!!!! I hit a wrong key and it sent the post before I was finished with all the information on my father's separation document!! So, I'll continue here now (I'm leaving out some of his personal information like height, weight, pay info, as didn't think that was necessary to share) Any help anyone could provide after reading this separation document info would be most appreciated! Mrs. Donna Weeks Duty, Cary, North Carolina

ARM OF SERVICE: INF
COMPONENT: AUS
ORGANIZATION: CO "K" 302D INF
DATE OF SEPARATION: 7 FEB 46
PLACE OF SEPARATION: SEP CEN CP SHELBY MISS
PERMANENT ADDRESS FOR MAILING PURPOSES: HOLLANDALE WASHINGTON MISS
DATE OF BIRTH 18 DEC 21
PLACE OF BIRTH: CATCHINGS MISS
WHITE
SINGLE
MILITARY HISTORY: DATE OF INDUCTION: 30 OCT 42
DATE OF ENTRY INTO ACTIVE SERVICE: 13 NOV 42
PLACE OF ENTRY INTO SERVICE: CP SHELBY MISS
SELECTIVE SERVICE DATA: REGISTERED: YES, LOCAL S.S. NO. 1
COUNTY AND STATE: COPIAH MISS
HOME ADDRESS AT TIME OF ENTRY INTO SERVICE: HAZLEHURST COPIAH MISS
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY AND NO.: FIRST SERGEANT 844
MILITARY QUALIFICATIONS AND DATE: S R JAN 44
BATTLE AND CAMPAIGNS: RHINELAND, CENTRAL EUROPE
DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: GOOD CONDUCT MED; ATO MED; EAMETO MED; WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL
WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION: NONE
HIGHEST GRADE HELD: 1ST SERGEANT
DATE OF SEPARATION: 12 SEP 44 EAMETO 23 SEP 44
21 JAN 46 US 1 FEB 46
PRIOR SERVICE: NONE
REASON AND AUTHORITY FOR SEPARATION: AR 615-365 CONVN OF GOVT RR1-1 (DEMOBILIZATION)
SERVICE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: NONE
REMARKS: NO TIME LOST UNDER AW 107
LAPEL BUTTON ISSUED
ASR (2 SEP 45) 56
SIGNED BY MY FATHER: CHARLES WEEKS
PERSONNEL OFFICE SIGNATURE: AVA P. LEATHERMAN, 1ST LT WAC

 

Lou, thanks for providing my father's enlistment record from NARA - I actually found that earlier today in some searching I was doing. Regarding your question to me in previous post: "This is his enlistment record from NARA. Are you sure of the dates? The record shows his enlistment in the FA after the war was over. Do you have any details of his service before that?"

I'm afraid I don't have any dates of his service for the war. Only dates I have are from his Report of Separation, which state:
SERVICE OUTSIDE CONTINENTAL US AND RETURN: DATE OF DEPARTURE: 12 SEP 44 DESTINATION: EAMETO DATE OF ARRIVAL 23 SEP 44
DATE OF DEPARTURE: 21 JAN 46 DESTINATION: US DATE OF ARRIVAL 1 FEB 46
PAY DATA: LONGEVITY FOR PAY PURPOSES: 3 YEARS, 3 MONTHS, 8 DAYS

 

Lou, I do remember my father telling me that he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, so that would have been in Rhineland, Central Europe, just as it is listed on his Report of Separation.

 

His discharge has the date of separation as Feb 46. The electronic enlistment record has him enlisting as a First Sgt. in May 45. I wonder if he re-enlisted 3 months after his discharge. Then the re-enlistment information replaced his original enlistment info. That might explain the discrepancy.

 

I think Jeff has that about right. The shuffling of soldiers from one unit to another was common at the end of the war in Europe.

It does appear that the 102nd was slated to go to the Pacific, and had a large number of men redeployed home on points (source: Ozark History). Unfortunately, this source doesn't mention the 94th or any other division. I'll see if I can find something more definitive.

 

Thanks to you all for all the information you are finding out and providing for me regarding my father's time in WWII. I have wondered why he was in two different units, and the shifting around to different units seems to be a logical explanation. I also think it's quite possible that he did re-enlist at some point after the war?? I seem to remember that he made a brief mention to me of re-enlisting at some point, but I was not able to get any details on it...he just wouldn't talk about it very much with me at all. I'm sure some of his memories were not good and he more than likely suffered PTSD like so many other soldiers from WWII. One positive thing I did hear him say is that he loved Europe, and would have liked to have lived there. So he did spend some time in Europe during the war and possibly afterwards when he re-enlisted?? All of this is very interesting to me, it helps me know my father better. I just wish so much that I had some pictures and a diary or something from him. When he died there was a shed in his backyard that I wish now that I had taken the time to go through...it was so cluttered and messy looking, I just didn't want to deal with it. Think it mainly had yard tools and other kinds of carpentry tools in it, but I've often wondered if it also had some momentos of his time in the war in there as well?? I'll never know.