Morning Reports - Company B attached to the 184th

I have two documents that were attached to the MR's I received that indicate along with a lot of other guys from Co B, my Grandfather was placed on DS (detached service?) with ISC CM on July 4th 1945 and relieved from DS on July 23rd 1945.

The only abbreviations I can find that match are:
ISC – Infantry Section Carrier CM - Career Manager
What is ISC CM?

 

I think it is ISCOM(Island Command)...

 

I can't read the APO to look it up. You may already know. But what numbers? Can't tell if 531 or something....

 

As best I can tell, it says, “The following named Officers and Enlisted Men are placed on DS with ISCOM, APO-331, 3 July 45 Per VOOG.”

Thanks Takao - Island Command - A.P.O. 331 Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyus

Any ideas what the purpose of their (DS) detached service would have been?

 

I am going to copy and paste what I found on google. Looks like you can get your answer in this book. However, the link didn't work. Maybe you can find the book elsewhere on line:

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend: Okinawan Identity and Military ...
Google Books › books
Courtney A. Short - 2008
Primarily, the document established short term policies aimed to provide the units with just enough ... of the assault, the military government teams were to be reassigned to Island Command (IsCom) under Major General ...

 

It seems it is a thesis paper. Here's a link to a PDF of the paper on the UNC website: The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend: Okinawan Identity...

 

Thank you for that. I've been reading it during my lunch time at work. Fascinating information.

 

I appreciate the link. Thank you.

 

I’m trying to read the Record of Events from this morning report but can’t make out the handwriting. I can't complain too much. Out of 184 pages (2 MR/pg) so far, this is the first MR that I've had trouble reading.

I know that Co B is leaving Okinawa, at anchor aboard the USS Geneva (APA-86). The only part I can make out is “Record of Events: 4 Sept 45 – APA 86 This is…..” Any ideas?

 

This is what I think I see : This is (I007?) last morning report (leaving, having, heavy?) (?) it this station. Departing for (?) station.

 

It says, "This is the last Morning Report being submitted at this station. Departing for new station."

 

Thank you for helping read the handwriting KMZgirl and Natman. I would have never figured it out. ;-)

 

With your assistance, I’m learning a lot from these MR’s. Because my Grandfather’s discharge paper indicates he was with Co B 17th Infantry, and that he arrived (I assume somewhere in the Pacific) on 28 Feb 1945, I had always assumed he was with the 17th Infantry on April 1st, 1945 when we invaded Okinawa. But one of the attached documents (dated May 16, 1945) with the MR’s, indicates that he wasn’t assigned to the 17th Infantry until April 26, 1945, after the invasion.

As I’ve been reading the history of the battles on Okinawa, any time Co B was mentioned I’ve wrongly interpreted that my Grandfather had to be there. However, this doesn’t appear to be the case at all. I now understand how important these MR’s are to having a more accurate picture of a soldier’s actual service. I’m grateful to be corrected in my understanding.

Now that I understand that my Grandfather wasn’t in combat on Okinawa until at least April 26th 1945, now I wonder what he was doing from the time he arrived (28 Feb 1945) until the time he was assigned (26 Apr 1945). Was he at a replacement depot receiving more training? Where was the 7th Infantry Divisions replacement depot during this period? I’m still making the assumption that because he received his CIB that he must have had some combat experience. Is that assumption correct? Would it be accurate to assume any battles that Co B, 17th Infantry was involved in on Okinawa that occurred after April 26th 1945, my Grandfather was likely involved?

Another question: On the Special Order (excerpt attached) where a list of men were assigned to the 17th Infantry, next to their names it says “MJO” then a number, then “MOS” and another number. What is MJO and MOS? What are the significance of the numbers?

 

I think it may actually be MCO, and I believe MCO means Main Civilian Occupation.

Check this thread for more info: Help with Morning Reports 320th Regt Co. K

 

There should be a Morning Report that corresponds with the replacements joining Company B. That MR will usually indicate from which unit they were assigned.

 

Ah.... I think I found it. Thank you. That particular MR is a little hard to read. It was the MR just before the special order. Would you have a look at the attachment and see if I'm interpreting it correctly? I think it indicates he was joined to the Co B 17th on 12 May 45?

 

"Asgd Jd" means "Assigned and Joined", so he was actually present with B Company on 12 May 1945. Unfortunately, it doesn't indicate from which unit they were transferred. I suppose it's possible that they were transferred to the Division first, perhaps because of the logistics of their being on Okinawa. That might be able to be confirmed or discounted with some research. The 7th ID history may have some clues.

 

I have provided a MOS link. It means military occupational specialty. MOS 745 means rifleman. You can have more than one specialty. US Army World War II Military Occupational Specialties (By Job Area)

 

CIB means he was in battle. It also means he is entitled to a bronze star even if it is not on his separation papers.

 

The Battle of Okinawa lasted 82 days, ending on 22 June 1945. It would be surprising if he was not in combat during that time. To add to what KMZgirl posted, in 1947 the US Army retroactively awarded the Bronze Star Medal to any soldier who had been awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

"As a result of a study conducted in 1947, the policy was implemented that authorized the retroactive award of the Bronze Star Medal to soldiers who had received the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge during World War II. The basis for doing this was that the badges were awarded only to soldiers who had borne the hardships which resulted in General Marshall’s support of the Bronze Star Medal. Both badges required a recommendation by the commander and a citation in orders."
from: TIOH - Bronze Star Medal​

Some recommended reading:
Okinawa: The Last Battle; from the US Army in World War II series ("The Green Books")

Though they are from a Marine's perspective, these books will give a sense of what it was like on Okinawa:
With the Old Breed, by E.B. Sledge
Battleground Pacific, by Sterling Mace

You may also find this interesting. It is a series of videos by a 17th Infantry veteran, Roland Glenn.