Looking for any information on the 536th Amphibious Tractor Battalion on Okinawa

My Grandfather served with the 536th on Leyte and Okinawa. I've had an incredibly difficult time tracking down any substantial info on the 536th's history. I know they were joined with the 7th infantry division during the landings on Okinawa, but not much else. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Based off this Orders map http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p4013coll8/id/545/rec/1
this is where the 536th landed the troops of RCT 17 and RCT 32.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%98%89%E6%89%8B%E7%B4%8D%E5%9F%BA%E5%9C%B0/@26.3435596,127.7443902,2118m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x34e5122ea65d2aeb:0x68429450737e98a6!6m1!1e1

 

Thank you very much!

 

You may have already found some of these, but thought I'd provide links just in case:

WWII Amphibian Tank and Tractor Historical Assn. Facebook page

Harry Yeide's book Infantry's Armor has several mentions of the 536th Amphibian Tractor Bn.

The AAR of the 718th Amphibian Tractor Bn may be worth reading as they also were involved at Leyte and Okinawa.

A unit history was published in 1978, "One if by land and two if by sea: the glory and the humor of the 536th". Check out the list of libraries which are holding copies for any near you. You can also check with your local library if they can get a copy on loan.

 

What is your grandfathers name? I have some pix i found and part of a parachute that was signed by the unit my grandfather was in.

 

Reports and information on the 536 Amphibious Tractor Bn

 

Further Information

 

More training documents

 

A few more documents for you









Some of their Training runs

 

I had a great-uncle who served in this unit from approximately 1943-1945, Carlton Frederick Wallace. While on Okinawa, he had the good fortune to come across his brother (my grandfather), who was in the Seabees and apparently was involved in airfield construction. There has been some confusion about where the attached photo was taken (see below), but I have my granddad's enlistment papers, which show he enlisted in early 1945. Anyways, that's Carlton on the left and my grandfather Robert on the right.

I'm hoping to meet up with Carlton's son later this month to see the yearbook talked about up above, and hopefully a few other mementos.

Per Carlton's son (like I said, I think the Guadalcanal info is not quite correct)

"Carlton was in the 536th Armored Tractor Battalion. Was in the Philippines Battle of Guadalcanal where he met up with your grandfather. Battle of Letye Gulf Stationed in the Philippines for 1 year then spent 20 Months on Okinawa shipped home to Long Beach in January 46. Got off the Train in Redlands walked over to Redlands Feed Got a job I thought the photo of the two was on Guadalcanal Your Dad told me He ran a roller for the Sea Bees Building the Runway there I have a yearbook with all the places the 536th went during the War pretty detailed

My Dad went to every reunion they had for Most of his life until he fell over dead.

When I stopped in Weiser, Idaho in 2010 your granddad went into detail how my dad had Cholora and your dad got food for him he said the Army guys were given horrible rations where the Navy Guys Got Good Food and he nursed his brother back to health

I have his uniform and a Japanese Rifle he captured and some Japanese dog tags"

and

"When I visited Uncle Robert He told me it was on Guadalcanal and he was operating a Roller to build the Runway there for the Sea Bees and they were using that Steel Matting as the Landing Surface. Wherever it was it was on an Island in the Pacific Theater. I haven’t looked at that Yearbook on the 536th Amphibious Tractor Division in years. My Dad said he drove one of those Higgins Landing Craft and operated a Sherman Tank. He said they would drive the Tank through the back of Phillipino Houses and wait in Ambush for Japanese to pass. I tried to find the Japanese Dog Tags to have a Girlfriend who is a Descendant of a Japanese Girl and her America Service Man Father Interpret the Tags to possibly return them to Family in Japan. But couldn’t find them I’m sure They’re here somewhere. My Dad told me the Story of how he captured the Japanese Rifle I could tell it bothered him that the Japanese Soldier was in a Fox Hole and spoke English and said don’t shoot”

 

Appreciate it, thank you! I'm just starting to dig into all of this history of my great-uncle and grandfather, so every bit helps.

 

Than

Thank you!