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Would an older man have seen any combat?

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by Ryan112390, Dec 8, 2012.

  1. Ryan112390

    Ryan112390 Member

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    A relative of mine (Grand-Uncle) was born in August 1911 and he enlisted in March 1945 and was discharged in November 1946. I'm curious, being that he was almost 34 years old when he joined, would he have seen any combat, or would the Army have had him to a non-combat role? How would he have gotten in despite being in his mid 30s? Isn't that considered sort of "old" even now in the Military?
    I don't know anything about the unit or organization he was attached with, just his dates of enlistment and discharge.
     
    Ryan112390, Dec 8, 2012
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  2. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    GRW, Dec 8, 2012
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  3. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    He wouldn't have been in time for any combat in Europe I suspect. Was he navy, army, marine, or coast guard? I suspect that even in the Pacfic he wouldn't have been likely to see combat the exception being if he was a flyer. Good chance he saw occupation duty though.
     
    lwd, Dec 8, 2012
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  4. DaveBj

    DaveBj Member

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    My father was only one year younger. He was drafted in 1942 (age 30), landed in the first wave on Omaha, was wounded in the Bulge, was reassigned after convalescence to the 3rd Army, and had fought his way to Pilsen at the end of the war. So, yes, someone born in 1911 would probably have seen combat, if he was fit.

    DaveBj
     
    DaveBj, Dec 9, 2012
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    lwd likes this.
  5. Ryan112390

    Ryan112390 Member

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    Army. Joined 16th March 1945. That's all it says on the Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS death file on Ancestry.com
     
    Ryan112390, Dec 10, 2012
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  6. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    It would help if you could get his service records. That would probably require one of his children or if she is still alive his wife to request them. It will give a lot more detail. Some records are starting to reach the point of no longer being protected by the privacy act so there may be a chance even if the above isn't accurate. There's a good how to in the information request forum.
     
    lwd, Dec 10, 2012
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  7. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    My grandfather was drafted late in the war and trained as a mortarman. He was 28 at the time and there was a man in his training company that was 35. The older man was from Georgia and had six children. When training was completed, they moved to Seattle to wait for shipping space. In route, the bombs were dropped and by the time they were to board ship, the surrender had been signed by the Japanese. Before my grandfather's group left the states, the man from Georgia was pulled out and sent home, since with the war over, they apparently didn't think a man of that age and household size should be sent overseas.

    I don't know if the older man would have ever seen combat, but to my grandfather, he certainly looked like he was going to.
     
    Slipdigit, Dec 10, 2012
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  8. mcoffee

    mcoffee Son-of-a-Gun(ner)

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    According to his enlistment record, the tail gunner on my father's crew was born in 1905, so he was 39 during their tour of duty in 1944.

    If your uncle enlisted in March 1945, he probably didn't complete training before the end of hostilities.

    You should be able to find his enlistment record here:
    NARA - AAD - List of Series - Wars/ International Relations: World War II
     
    mcoffee, Dec 10, 2012
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