Need help identifying Dad's uniform insignia

National Personnel Record Center reports that all of Dad's service records were destroyed in the big fire of '73, so I'm reaching out to other WWII veterans to help me piece together the details of his service. Other than the basic start/end service dates, can you help me to identify the insignia on his uniform?

Walter Davis
Houston, TX

 

1) Hi Walter The caduce insignia is the one used by medics and pharmacists. Was a he a doctor or a nurse?




2) the cap insignia shows he was infantry

3) He is wearing what I think is a French red fouragere ( the cord worn by units who were awarded the Legion of Honor) which makes me think he was possibly part of a higly decorated unit that served in France in 1944-1945.

4) the single chevron show he was a private (rank)

 

Thanks Skipper!

I remember my Texas Dad talking about being initially stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX and at some point in his career working as a medic. He also told stories of being sent to Battle Creek, Michigan to learn to snow-ski in order to then train the rest of his troop. While there in 1944 he lost his leg and was honorably discharged from the Army as a 'technician fourth grade'. I've been very curious to learn more about his ski-instructor experience but truly have no idea where to look.

To my knowledge, he didn't personally ever serve overseas, which makes the fourragere curious.

Can you glean anything from his other lapel insignia? (see exploded photo below)

Walter Davis
Houston, TX

 

I will look for the insignia tomorrow.

Regarding the fouragere, it's an honorary award that was also awarded to a unit, so any member of this unit is allowed to wear it , for instance at commemorations . The fact that he was not in Europe makes me think this picture was taken around 1942 and that he was incorporated in a unit that had already received the fouragere in a previous war (even though he did not personnaly serve then)

 

Thanks a ton Skipper... I look forward to your next installment!

I'm also checking out Wikipedia's listing of fourragere winners in WWI and WWII to see which might have been stationed at Fort Sam Houston during my Dad's tenure of 1940-1944.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourragere

Walter Davis
Houston, TX

 

Just a little more info to add and to tweak what Skipper offered. The cap device is the US Army logo, not infantry. The lapel device is for the 9th Infantry Regiment, which was assigned to the 2nd US Infantry Division. The 2 ID saw heavy action in Northern France and Belgium, and was awarded the fourragere as a result. Also, to match what you said about not thinking your dad went overseas during the war, the 2nd ID was awarded the French Fourragere in WW1 as well, which would entitle him and everyone else in the unit to do so as well. From what I see in the picture, your dad was a medic, not a doctor or nurse. There were no male nurses in the army back then, and few if any in the civilian medical establishment either. And Fort Sam Houston, Texas is the home of the Army's medical corps, where obviously he took his medical training.

 

Thanks for the additional input, especially for specifying the medic position (Ididn't know about the nurse thing, but he learning everday too, hein ?). I also checked the 9th, and yes, it was awarded the Legion fouragère in both conflicts, and soldiers are entitled to wear it at special occasions (even nowadays) to honor their unit. In this case it miust be the WWI awarded one.

 

Gentlemen,

Thanks a TON for all the great information and the speed with which you responded. I did some quick reading on the 9th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Infantry Division and found the following writeup that helps clear up that they were indeed at Fort Sam Houston in Oct/1940 when my Dad joined up, and explains that they were sent to Wisconsin for winter warfare training which is undoubtedly where my Dad learned to snow ski. I wish I could find more details about his time at Camp McCoy.

Thanks again, and have a great weekend!
Walter Davis
Houston, TX

 

Thanks for te confirmation Jeff. It all makes sense , including the medic training in Texas and the skiing traing in Wisconsin.