Looking for info on my grandpa

This is what I have but am looking for ANY more info. He did not talk about his time in the war. He died many years ago and I am trying to gather every bit of info I can on his life during this time of war. This is all I have so far:
Oran Marshall serial 35878490
He was born in Kentucky he served from Oct. 21, 1943-Nov., 24, 1945
He was with 29 Div. 115th Infantry, Company K, 3rd Battalion ( I hope I have all of this correct)
He was captured near Vire, France July 30, 1944
POW at Stalag 12A in Limburg, Germany

I'd love to find out how he was captured, what battles he was in, what other soldiers was with him, etc.

 

You could start by going to the 29th Division Historical Association website http://29infantrydivision.org/ and look up what actions were taking place then. That is a pretty good start.

 

I still don't know if he'd be here, it never says company k but it does talk about 3rd battalion and 115 infantry... http://29infantrydivision.org/WWII-Documents/29th_Division-115th_Regiment-After_Action_report-44-June.html

 

I looked in the 29th Division Historical Association website listings for MIA unfortunately this was all the info available.

MARSHALL ORAN

DATE : JULY 22, 1944
UNIT : 29TH ID - 115TH IR - 3RD BN - CO. K
RANK : PRIVATE
EVENT : FROM REPLACEMENT DEPOT TO DUTY -
SOURCE : 29TH ID - MORNING REPORT

DATE : JULY 30, 1944
UNIT : 29TH ID - 115TH IR - 3RD BN - CO. K
RANK : PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
EVENT : MISSING IN ACTION -
SOURCE : 29TH ID - MORNING REPORT

 

I found the same thing and that's as far I have got.

 

Considering he spent 8 days on the front line that might be all there is. With books on france providing a basic overview on what Company K was doing after St. Lo

 

Eight days with his company and maybe two days of battle (see excerpt). As the military would say "the situation was fluid".


Judging from the official history maps I would place the 115th Infantry between Villebaudon and Percy on 29/30 July 1944.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Breakout/maps/USA-E-Breakout-VII.jpg


http://www.unithistories.com/units_index/default.asp?file=../units_index/units.asp

***EDIT***



From this French forum a Google translate yielded an overview the 115th Infantry at Percy. The principle source seems to be

THE 115th INFANTRY REGIMENT IN WORLD WAR II


http://blue.and.gray.xooit.com/t347-Pfc-Harry-RAABE-G-Company-2nd-Battalion-115th-Infantry-R.htm

Google translate yielded this revealing passage:

 

He was a sniper. I know he saw action cause he said his buddy was next to him and he was shot in the head.

 

Great job, Earthican!

 

Thank you so much for this!

 

Now, I'm wondering who was his commanding officer during this time...also he was a POW and he did talk "some" about that. He said when they were captured they were marched to the camp so far that he had blisters all over his feet. I know growing up my grandpa hated wearing shoes. He often went bare foot and his feet were so skinny and boney. He said while prisoner mostly what they had to eat was cabbage soup. And he never could stand the smell of it even years after the war. When my grandma would make vegetable soup he would leave the house. This is what I have regarding him as a POW. I'm excited about finding all of this info on him. My mom has his medals, how do I post a pic of them on here?

Name

Oran Marshall

Ser. Number

35878490

Grade

Private

Service

Army

Arm

Infantry

First Report

07/30/1944

Last Report

06/01/1945

Race

White

Residence

Kentucky

Organization

Branch Immaterial Infantry Division Band Dental Co

Parent Unit

115

Unit Type

Group Regiment Commands System

Source

Official Sources

Status

Liberated or Repatriated

Detaining Power

Germany

Camp

Stalag 12a To 9b Limburg An Der Lahn Hes

 

This is not as specific as what Earthican found (he always seems to find the good stuff), but it may help. You can download the 29th Division's After Action Reports (including July 1944) at the Maryland Military Historical Society website.

From page 4:

There are also references to coordinates which you should be able to look up using the Coordinates Translator (French Lambert Zone 1, grid "vT"). Again, this is a Division level report, so it may not give you exactly what you are looking for, but I hope it is of some use to you.

 

If they marched them from where they were captured to Stalag 12a (Limburg, Germany), that's over 500 miles.

Do some Google searches for 12a and 9b and you will find quite a bit of info, including personal accounts.

 

So according to everything I have read, he didn't really see action til July 22, 1944. I have he went to service on Oct. 21, 1943. I'm assuming from then til July 22, 1944 he was probably in training?

 

Ok, I asked my mom about if he did march to the camp....this is what she said, like I said he didn't talk alot about it..( I don't know.He did march for days and didn't get to take his shoes off,when he did it brought the skin off with the socks,so he may have.He had trouble with his feet,especially in hot weather.) Maybe it's where he marched alot while in the infantry.

 

I just reread my post and its a bit abrupt and didn't get across what I meant. I was not questioning his story, just meant to put perspective on the distance involved. The second sentence was a completely different train of thought. Just pointing out that there's a lot of info available on those two Stalags. Sorry for not being more clear.

 

Oh, no I know what you meant. I never took it that way. 500 miles is pretty far, my mom was young when he told her about it, I always thought he marched to the camp but she said it could have walked alot anywhere during his time in the war, know one can say for sure, but it must've been alot of walking for him.

 

Yes training and then shipping overseas. Army enlistees were usually given train or bus transportation to a regional Reception Center where they were examined, tested and issued a first set of uniforms. This could take two to three weeks. From there they were transported by train to either an Infantry Replacement Training Center or Division Camp. The IRTC had a training staff of NCO's and junior officers while the numbered Infantry Divisions had a normal chain of command but called a 'cadre'. In either case basic and infantry training could take between thirteen and seventeen weeks. Individuals sent overseas as replacements would usually get one week leave at home and then report to a staging camp near Boston or New York. After several weeks of processing they would board ship for Britain -- either Liverpool or Glasgow. In England they would be billeted at a Replacement Depot and further prepared for shipment to the Continent. Another smaller field replacement camp would receive them there and forward them to the infantry divisions.

While your grandfathers combat was short it was not uncommon and reminds us all how varied the veteran experience could be. But he saw and heard a lot -- arriving on the Normandy beaches, nightly air attacks, constant thunder of artillery -- a massive machinery of war. As we near D-Day plus 70 years this a great time to learn and reflect on that experience. His time as a POW should also be honored. I suspect he had to run the gauntlet with his captors from Allied air attacks across northern France -- walking or by rail.

Thank you for sharing.

 

Thank you so much, I'm glad he didn't see alot of action as we always thought he might since he was a sniper, but I'm sure what he did see was by far enough. I'll always be looking for more about his time in the service and hopefully one day I'll even find pics...or find the names of the other members that were with him in his company and at the POW camp. We don't have any papers of his of his service, would trying to find any documents help much? I'm not sure what's out there for me to get.