General Order 90-45

Searching for any knowledge of General Orders 90-45 (issuing command unknown):

Awarding/Authorizing "Distinguished Service Medal" ; CMH interprets as replaced by Presidential Unit Citation (Blue with gold frame).

Award of CIB to MOS 844 (Artillery);

GO 90-45 may help narrow down when/if my dad switched to Infantry from Artillery...
CMH opinion common occurrence toward end of ETO mission; less artillery, more infantry needed)

Also, after publication of WD AGO 53-55, his records also reflect OLC for Bronze Star - Bronze Star became retro-automatic with CIB

Any pointers appreciated,

John

 

John, normally after the GO 90-45 would be the unit that issued that general order. GO 90-45 is not particular to any one unit.
You will need to get a copy of GO 90-45 for the 321 Field Artillary To see if that what it pertained to.
I believe the 321st was attached to the 101 Airborne, so they were probably just as qualified as infantryman and would be called on to fight as an infantryman if the need arose.

The requirement to have an MOS as rifleman to qualify for the CIB didn't occur until after WWII, and there was also no time requirement, so if he was called on to fight as a rifleman he would be entitled to the CIB and still be in Artillary.

 

John, I looked in the book and confirmed the 321st Glider Field Artillary Bn was indeed a signed to the 101st ID.
The 321st nor the 101st was credited with Sicily.
The 101st was held in Europe after the hostilities and the 321st probably served as a transfer unit to process the troops home.
I doubt the 321st was his wartime assignment, but rather a temporary unit before going home.

Let me research what units were credited with all the campaigns listed and might be able to narrow it down a bit.

 

I didn't see your other post. It's looks like he went to North Africa and was assigned to to the 32nd FA Battalion. This unit was an organic part of the 1st Infantry Division. They were credited with all the campaigns as listed on the separation paper. The 32nd was given invasion credit for Normandy ( not sure about Sicily). He was with the 32nd when he was awarded his Bronze Star.

I haven't checked it out, but would go all in that GO 90-45 will be a 32nd FA General order.
Seems pretty clear that you should concentrate your research on the 32nd FA Bn, since it appears that's where he fought through the war.


"Trying to track down if/when/how my dad (possibly) switched from MOS 844 to Infantry(?)
Tour:
06 JUL 42 - DOE Milwaukee
AUG-SEP 42 - Ft. Bragg
29 APR 43 - Dep CONUS (where? how?)
11 MAY 43 - Arr NATO (Convoy Number?)
08 JUL 43 - Dep NATO (Unit? Naval Task Force?)
10 JUL 43 - Arr MTO( OP HUSKY - poss. KOOL Force; 32d FAB/18thRCT - no assault landing credit?)
23 OCT 43 - Dep MTO (Convoy nr?)
05 NOV 43 - Arr ETO (with 1st ID?)
06 JUN 44 - Bronze Star w/"V", Battery A, 32nd Field Artillery Battalion "...securing the beachhead at Formigny and Caumont by the end of the day..."
- General Order 86, 16 September 1944 HQ, 1st Infantry Division ( blurry photocopy O/H from Ft Knox)
16 SEP 45 - Dep ETO (from where? w/ 321st GFAB?)
27 SEP 45 - Arr CONUS
4 OCT 45 - DOS Camp Mc Coy, WI, BATRY A 321st FA BN

 

Thanks for responses...

Discovered relationship/timing between 321GFAB and 101st a while ago... (no jump records?)

Key reference point: Bronze star - GO 86-44, 16 SEP 44 32FAB/1stID - Normandy

I believe he transferred to another unit - As Infantry (regardless of MOS)...
Possibly the unit that received DSM/Presidential Unit Citation... (possibly same unit for CIB).

32FAB / 1st ID may have records of which unit he transferred to

Prior to transfer to 321GFAB - for return CONUS - 321GFAB / 101st may also have record of which unit he transferred from...

trying to timeline/geo-locate his movements

(followed most of his movements in Normandie (32FAB/18th IR)... I have also also been to - very difficult to find - 1st ID monument in Cheb (mission accomplished).

Thanks again for info/tips...

Regards,

John

P.S. finding records of transfer from 45thID - HUSKY/Sicily - to 1st ID/32FAB, prior to OVERLORD/Normandie, may be another deep dive...

 

I believe that the reason 32FAB no landing credit for HUSKY: attached to 18th RCT - part of Force KOOL (reserve off Licata/Gela).

John

 

If you are trying to put together a timeline and track his movements, I suggest you contact a researcher and have them trace his service through unit Morning Reports. Most MRs will not only give the name the location of the Company/Battery, but will also give grid coordinates on a daily basis. It is also possible to DIY if you have the time and ability to travel to the NARA in Saint Louis. The NARA does not take requests for MRs which is why you would have to go yourself or hire someone.

 

thank you...
MRs vs. AARs
any recommendations on locating researchers and costs?
John

 

http://www.goldenarrowresearch.com/

 

Not likely. Zaloga's book shows 100% carbines for EMs in Feb 44 GFAB T/O&E. At time of enlistment, no carbines had yet been made, so not surprising to see a rifle qual in an artilleryman's record. A good guess is that he trained initially on M1917 or M1903 rather than the Garand.

ETO developed a program to retrain GIs from various specialties as rifleman replacements. May have been brief, maybe inadequate, but it wouldn't do any good to hand a GI a rifle and say "Go get 'em" when he had received no training in infantry tactics. The MRs will tell the tale if such reclassification happened and was omitted on the discharge.

Stanton shows 321GFAB deactivated in Germany in Nov 45 (along with the division), so doesn't appear it was a temp assignment for trip home. Did the firing batteries come home and the HQ Battery stay in Germany for deactivation? (Stanton only shows dates for unit HQ). Don't know, but the way it happened seems odd.

Maybe some of your questions will be answered here in July:

http://www.amazon.com/Screaming-Eagle-Gliders-Artillery-Battalion/dp/0811717569

 

I'm sorry, but I fail to get the connection between what weapons a soldier was qualified with and if he was ordered to pick up his rifle and stand opposed as infantry. Every soldier is originally trained as infantry (basic infantry training) in the case this need arises. If an Artillary position is in threat of being overrun I'm pretty sure they didn't say "oh goodness, the're too close for Artillary and we arn't assigned as infantry, so let's take a break until they back up a little bit".

There were 22 deactivation locations setup in Europe to process the men back home. These locations were run by various military units where the men were transferred while being processed. I don't know if the 321st was one of the units, but they were not one of the units that were selected to go home immediately after VE Day . When a unit otherwise doesn't make sense on a separation paper, this May be the reason It's there- just an option to check out.

 

Infantry is a specialty, it's not Cowboys and Indians. With no BARs, no .30 cal. MGs, no rifles, no mortars, no unit training in infantry maneuver, and a minimal small arms ammo supply, a GFAB was pretty much in 'every man for himself' territory if approached by an organized enemy force. That's self defense, not cohesive unit action. Though armed similarly to regular field artillery, GFABs were much more exposed during the chaos right after landing. With zero long range weapons (except for their howitzers), a GFAB couldn't stand for long. Their job was to save the guns - if they could. The point to all of this remains: unless there was a major clerical error, our GI here never served as infantry. He went home fairly early after V-E Day because he tons of points. How that happened organizationally is yet to be determined.

If you hunt up a GFAB FM, I'd be pleased to learn what it has to say about organizing for ground combat with personal weapons. FM6-20 for regular field artillery makes no mention of it.

 

Morning Reports, as I mentioned earlier, are usually company/battery level reports. Their main purpose is to record the status of the personnel in a particular unit. They can be used to determine when a soldier joins a unit and when he leaves. The will give you the "when & where" of your father's service.

AARs are narrative reports covering a specified period of time. Most are battalion level and higher. The AARs will not mention your father. However, they will tell you what his unit was doing while he was assigned to it. So, between the MRs and the AARs, you will get a pretty good idea of what he did and went through during WWII.

As far as researchers, the NARA does provide a list of researchers. One caution is to look closely at what they specialize in. Not all specialize in WWII or even veteran research.

McCabe provided you with a link to Golden Arrow Research which is one that several Forum members have used. They have different levels of research, so the price can vary. Geoff at GAR is easy to work with and will should give you an estimate if requested.