New here and searching

I don't see you email add and it wouldn't let me send you a PM. Not sure why. Here is my email add..... hemimike at bellsouth dot net Thanks buddy.

 

Thank you. I'll check it out now.

 

Shame about the fire in St. Louis, My grandfathers papers was in the fire as well. I'm lucky to have found his release papers. That was very interesting reading.

 

I cannot confirm the existence of a 936th MP Company. In WWII infantry divisions, first, had an MP company and, later, an MP platoon, both part of division headquarters. Both, probably, known as 1st Infantry Division Military Police.

I suspect the 936th might be a hospital. It makes sense if they knew he was not going to return to his unit then they issue the Purple Heart rather than his combat unit.

I noticed his unit at discharge is the 1447th SCU (Service Command Unit) these were regional commands that oversaw such facilities as hospitals. I suspect he was assigned to the MP detachment to recover from his wounds after release from the hospital but before discharge.

Now the question is, was he trained as an MP and volunteered for the Infantry and after being wounded was assigned back to the MP's because of previous training?

OR

Was he always Infantry and only assigned as an MP when he was recovering from his wounds and it was not likely he going to return to active service? If so, then the CMP (Corps of Military Police) was an error.

I hate to say it but with 6 years of grammar school he was likely always in the Infantry.

In any case it should be possible to track down his company assignment and other information. The 1st Infantry Division and the 18th Infantry Regiment are well documented on the web and in museums. While not in the first wave, the 18th Infantry, and, likely, your great grandfather, stood on Omaha Beach on June the 6th 1944.

And I just noticed his last wound date of 27 July 1944 was in the middle of Operation COBRA, the breakout from Normandy.

 

If you look at who issued his Oak Leaf Clusters you'll see the two received in Tunisia and Algeria were issued by the 18th infantry Regiment, 1st ID. His OLC issued for his wounds in Normandy on 27 July, 44 (Operation COBRA) was issued by Hq. 936th, which, as erthican said, is the 936th forward Surgical Team.

Acording to Cir #69, Hq ETOUSA, 13 June 44, a soldier that required hospitalization was actually transferred from his unit to the hospital, which is why his last OLC for the Purple Heart was issued by Hq of the 936th.

The 18th Infantry Regiment was credited with Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe after Normandy. Mr. Sloan missed these campaigns because (I believe) he was in the hospital. He was credited with N.France because he was there--even if he was in the hospital.

Like Mike said, he may have been transferred to the MP Detachment because his wounds prevented him from any more combat--or he may have been transferred to that MP unit from the hospital for transfer back to the states. Without any other records, it's impossible to know for sure.

It looks like he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal the original way. He would also be eligible for one because of his CIB.
Would this entitle him to an Oak Leaf Cluster for the Bronze Star? I ran across several vets that was actually awarded a Bronze Star for some particular event and also had the CIB but have never found an answer to this.

Dave

 

You are correct. Its my understanding he was always in the Infantry and was put in the MP because of his wounds being to bad to return to combat. Man I have learned more on this site in the last couple of days than I could have even thought about. Thanks. You guys are giving great information.

 

This is where I am kinda getting confused. (1st inf. and the 18th inf.) So it could be the 1st Infantry Division and 18th inf. Regiment?

 

Yes the 18th Infantry Regiment (by tradition often shorten to 18th Infantry) was part of the 1st Infantry Division (nicknamed "The Big Red One" for its shoulder patch). There were three infantry regiments in each infantry division (other regiments of the 1st ID were the 16th and 26th Infantry).

There were three battalions in each infantry regiment. Each battalion had three rifle companies and one heavy weapons company. The companies were "lettered" across the regiment. So companies A, B, C were rifle companies of the 1st battalion while D company was the heavy weapons company. The 2d battalion would have rifle companies E, F, G and heavy weapons company H. The 3d battalion would have rifle companies I, K, L and heavy weapons company M.

 

Thank you for clearing that up. I appreciate everyones help. Perfect.

 

Mike,
I did a bit of research on the 18th Infantry Regiment. Your grandfather appears to have been with them from the invasion of N.Africa until he was wounded at Normandy. You need to check with NARA to be sure, but this is a pretty good guess at the awards and medals he should be entitled to.

American Defense Service Medal--for service prior to Pearl Harbor (Dec 7th 1941)
American Campaign Medal--For service within the American sector.
European, African, Middle East Campaign W/ 1 Silver Battle Star-- indicating 5 major campaigns.
Bronze Star Medal--Need records to indicate why this was awarded--could be for receiving the CIB.
Purple Heart W 2 Oak Leaf Clusters- wounded in combat against an armed enemy three times.
Good Conduct Medal--for exemplary conduct.
WWII Victory Medal--for serving at least one day during the war.
Distinguished Unit Citation W/ OLC-- Awarded for action in Tunisia and Normandy
French Croix de Guerre--awarded twice to the 18th IR by France for action at Kasserine and Normandy
French Medalle Militaire--Allows soldier to wear the French Fourregere (shoulder braid)

Very impressive,
Dave

 

I got to learn to look better before I start writing--he was wounded on July 27th 44 and shipped home on 24 October 44.
That's only three months and he went home before the war was over. Looks like he spent enough time in the hospital to get well enough to send home. I believe the MP unit was a transfer unit only.

 

I would not underestimate how long it could take to recover from a serious wound. I think it was more likely that he was shipped home under medical care and to a military hospital near his home. I would not be surprised if he was flown back to the US.

One example, this site is being updated and seems to have a number of broken links but for future reference. This soldier spent three months being treated in Italy before being sent home for more treatment and rehabilitation.

(roll your cursor over these links and your browser status bar [lower left] will show the complete address}

?


Second example but with the loss of a limb is less relevant to our case, still interesting though.

Blank


Both sites are by members of this forum who shared their family stories.

 

Dave THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE..........Thank you. I was also able to contact the historian in the 1st division museum. He told me to send him what i had and he would give me some answers i was looking for. Very nice guy. Some of those medals I know my grandfather never recieved. I was told there is a pic. of him somewhere being carried off a ship from his last wounding on a stretcher. So i think he came back to the states pretty quick after he was wounded the last time.

 

I should also pay more attention to what the documents say.

Left Europe (probably Britain) on 24 Oct 1944, arrived US on 7 Nov 1944, those dates highly suggest he returned by ship.


I'll point out how "lucky" we were that he was wounded and had the Letters from the 18th Infantry for his Purple Hearts. So many veterans have their "transfer units" or the Service Command Unit on their discharge papers and their families never learn about their service.

Please let us know what you hear from the museum. This is an amazing story. Good Luck!

 

Thanks guys. I owe this to my grandfather. I'm very excited about this. I stumbled across his name on a ship in 1942. Can't remember I left it at work but i'll post what it was. I also was able to get his enlist papers online so I hoping thats a good sign that I'll be able to track his records down and they were not in the fire in St. Louis. With this and searching online for gear to add to his shadow box I'm getting to where i can't even sleep.....lol Thanks guys, i'll keep you posted.

 

OK, I found him on a ship headed to sea on the U.S.S. Heywood Jan. 9 1942.

 

Something doesn't add up. The 1st ID arrived in England on 7 Aug 1942 as your grandfather's discharge document indicates.

1st INFANTRY DIVISION


The 9 Jan 1942 date on the Heywood (AP-12) might be one of the many amphibious training exercises conducted by the 1st ID. Even his pre-combat days were interesting.

 

You could be right on that being just an excercise. But we neat seeing his name on the muster list. I'm starting to learn more and more about things and places to search. But finding out his actual company would help i'm sure.