My father served in the 144th Armored Signal Company in Patton's Third Army. Unfortunately, his personnel records were among those destroyed in a fire at the St. Louis site. I do know he was there from February 1945 through May 1946 (based on his discharge papers that I have) but I want to know more of where he served, what towns, etc. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Tina Welcome aboard, you'll find a lot of people in the same research boat as you are. I'm sure some of our more knowledgeable members can help out. One thing you might also want to consider is contacting your states Department of Veterans Affairs who might have some information and also the local county clerk. It was common for returning vets to file a copy of their DD214's with the clerks office. Andrew
If you can scan and post the discharge papers, we might be able to help more. According to this site, the 144th was part of the 4th Armored Division http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/941UXRA.PDF Here you will find an account of the 4th's Order of Battle and an accounting of their involvement in the Ardennes in 1944. 4th Armored Division Here is still another account of the 4th EUCMH » Blog Archive » 4th Armored Division (OOB-WW-2)
Yes I could scan them to see what shakes out. I also learned that my father's unit was transferred from 3rd to 1st Army in April 1945 so that might really find things hard to find!
Tina, I would recommend that you contact the NARA, College Park, MD, and ask if it has any unit records of the 144th Signal Company. http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/ww2-participation.pdf http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/ The cost for copies is $0.75 per page. Dave
The third Army liberated my hometown Orleans on August 16th 1944. I live 5 minutes away from a place where the thrird army crossed a small bridge. There is still a monument there. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Armored_Division_(United_States) landed at Utah Beach 11 July and entered combat 17 July. As part of the VIII Corps exploitation force for Operation Cobra, the 4th secured the Coutances area on 28 July. The division then swung south to take Nantes, cutting off the Brittany Peninsula, 12 August 1944. Turning east, it drove swiftly across France north of the Loire, smashed across the Moselle 11-13 September, flanked Nancy and captured Lunéville, 16 September. It fought several German Panzergrenadier Brigades in the Lorraine area including the SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 and SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51 at this time, defeating a larger German force through superior tactics and training. [1] After maintaining a defensive line, Chambrey to Xanrey to Hénaménil, from 27 September to 11 October, the division rested briefly before returning to combat 9 November with an attack in the vicinity of Viviers. The 4th cleared Bois de Serres, 12 November, advanced through Dieuze and crossed the Saar River, 21-22 November, to establish and expand bridgehead and took Singling and Bining before being relieved 8 December. Two days after the Germans launched their Ardennes offensive, the 4th Armored entered the fight (18 December 1944), racing northwest into Belgium, covering 150 miles in 19 hours. [2] The Division attacked the Germans at Bastogne, helping to relieve the besieged 101st Airborne Division. Six weeks later the Division jumped off from Luxembourg City in an eastward plunge that carried it across the Moselle River at Trier, south and east to Worms, and across the Rhine, 24-25 March 1945. Advancing all night, the 4th crossed the Main River the next day, south of Hanau, and continued to push on. Lauterbach fell 29 March, Creuzburg across the Werra on 1 April, Gotha on the 4th, and by 12 April the Division was across the Saale River. Pursuit of the enemy continued and by 6 May the Division had crossed into Czechoslovakia, established a bridgehead across the Otava River at Strakonice, with forward elements at Pisek. It was reassigned to the XII Corps on 30 April 1945.
