Please help with discharge papers

Hello

I am writing for your help in understanding my grandfather's honorable discharge papers from his service (22 Jan 43 - 19 Nov 45) during WWII. My grandfather didn't elaborate on what he did during his time serving his country, and I am unable to get more information from NPRC due to the destruction of his records in the fire. I am trying to get as much information as possible before heading to the National Archives in DC to try and learn more - but I need a starting point.

Box four lists him as AAF and Box 5 AUS - having read through various posts I know what those are. What I am unsure of is box 6 - 473 Air Sv Gp. Is this the unit he went into when he joined or was discharged from? I have tried googling this and am unsuccessful in finding out what this Group did.

Box 30 lists him as a Medical Supply Technician 825. He mentioned he drove a medical supply truck, but he also said he was a crew chief for the P-38 and was in a plane crash.

Box 32 lists campagins - so does this mean he was serving during these campaigns or he was actively involved in these campaigns? - Ardennes, Central Europe, Northern France, Rhineland GO 33 WD 45 as amended

Box 33 lists his decorations as European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

Box 34 lists no wounds. Is it possible to be in a plane crash and walk away and not have it listed in boxes 32, 33 or 34?

I thought he had said he was a crew chief on the P38, yet that isn't listed on his discharge.

He mentioned crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary from New York to Scotland, so I googled "troop ship crossings" and found the date of departure and arrival in box 36 matched up with the Queen Mary.

He left 3 Dec 43 for ETO and arrived 9 Dec 43. His return to the States - departure 31 Oct 45 returning to the US 15 Nov 45 - I cannot find in "troop ship crossings". It took him 6 days to get from New York to Scotland, yet two weeks to return. Was it common for a long return at sea?

Box 55 shows he received a lapel button. His is listed as Inactive ERD from 22 Jan 43 to 28 Jan 43. Box 24 says 29 Jan 43. Please explain why he was in an inactive ERC (and what exactly is an ERC) from 22 - 28 Jan 43.

I would be extrememly grateful for any insight you could provide me to help me know where to start looking in the archives.

Thank you for your help!

 

While there is no confirmation that he served with the 473d ASG in combat, still does not hurt to gather information.


Intriguing location for the 473d ASG if accurate

http://forum.armyairforces.com/891st-Engineering-Air-Squadron-m120655.aspx

Veteran interview (though he was in an attached unit of the 473d ASG)
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/80300


Google searching "473rd Air Service Group" (with quotes) yielded many hits.

 

Thank you for the help and information!! There was a photo in his photo album of Templehof - interesting . . . . .

 

If you have other photos of his time in the service, it may be worth scanning and posting them. It may be possible to divine more information about his service from them.

 

Here are some pictures from his photo album. I tried uploading once and don't think I did it correctly so am trying again. Hopefully these might give some more insight. About the plane - I don't know what type it is, but would anyone know how to track down information on a plane crash using the tail number?

Thank you for the help!!

KW

 

The crashed aircraft is a P-51 Mustang that looks to have run into a truck on the ground while landing or taxiing. There might be a MACR for it but usually those are not for ground incidents.

There is a USAAF crash database but I searched June 1945 to December 1947 with no matches. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AFrptsMO.htm

 

Interesting photos, thanks for posting.

Hopefully someone will know about the crash data.

I don't know much about the Army Air Forces, but all the signs seem to point to the Ninth Air Force which had a IX Air Force Service Command of which the 473rd ASG could have been assigned. There is some mention of air service groups on this webpage but none mentioned by number.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/III/AAF-III-5.html

The 473rd ASG involvement with Tepplehof/Berlin seems to overshadow its previous record.

 

Box 34 lists no wounds. Is it possible to be in a plane crash and walk away and not have it listed in boxes 32, 33 or 34?



KW, "Wounds" in box 34 indicate wounds received in combat by the enemy. His plane may have crashed on take-off or had mechanical trouble without the intervention of the enemy. Many men died in accidents and didn't receive a Purple Heart.

 

Maintenance Ground crews can be qualified to taxi aircraft on the ground. If he was qualified for that and taxied the Mustang into the truck he could have escaped without injury. Probably would have been some disiplinary action for the accident.