Searching for any info on 531 Engineers in WW2

My father, Henry F. Cavanaugh served in the 531 Engineers during WW2 and I am looking for any and all information about the history of the 531st during WW2 especially anything about my father. Thanks!

 

Hamnitup--You may find something interesting and useful on this thread.

531st Engineer Shore Regiment & 3053rd Engineer Combat Batallion

 

Thank you for the information. I will follow it up.

 

I notice a ton of folks trying to pull up info on individuals like this. Unit histories are very very useful in situations like this as far as filling in the broad picture, but they are not going to show you when your individual veteran joined or left a particular unit, nor what part he took in the action that this particular unit was involved in. The only way to access this information, and I can't stress enough that this info can be accessed, is by way of the personnel center in St. Louis. You can ride out there yourself or you can hire a military research specialist to look the stuff up for you. Daily, unit morning reports and unit rosters are on microfilm.These records document the comings and goings of men through different army units among a whole host of other things. By using resources like this you can actually trace your dad's footsteps through the war. This process is absolutely essential to understanding the experiences of combat veterans, especially during WWII and the Korean War. I feel like it is a real shame that folks so often simply give up after, for instance, they find their loved one's records were burned in the '73 fire. The story of these veterans is still out there-and I am talking individual veterans at the company/battalion level.

 

Do you know which Company he was in? I have rosters and might be able to look him up. Thank you.

 

Henry f cavanaugh is my grate grampa and I have his dog tags I got them from my grandma who is in the Devo family and I would also like to know more about him.