Hi fellas:
I found this valuable info. (see attachment). This is the 5th Division with dates for time periods that they served under different Armies and Corps. I think this will help with more research. It looks like the 5th ID was in the 12th Corp. most of the time. They were in the 1st Army (Normandy--July 44) for a while and the 3rd Army (France, Germany) for the majority of the time. This makes sense because my grandfather did serve under Patton and was the recipient of some of the General's famous speeches during the war. He did not like Patton, but said he would not go into a battle with anyone else. (He also used a lot of cuss words whenever Patton's name came up).

http://www.history.army.mil/document...OB/5id-eto.htm

Jeff: You mentioned something that jogged my memory. You say that Company D is a machine gun and 81 mm mortar company. Would it have been possible for my grandfather to carry some type of gun on his back? He would bend over and the gun would be fired off of his back while he was bent over somehow? (I don't know if I explained that very well). My grandfather had hearing loss due to this and got disability from the Army for hearing loss and I think frozen feet. His feet were in terrible shape from the war. He had circulation problems his whole life from the freezing, I guess frost bite maybe.
Another story that may help: When he came ashore at Normandy and began the march through France one of the first things he saw (I don't know the town or place) was a dead paratrooper entangled in a tree. Were the paratroopers who missed their landing behind Utah? Utah is where the 5th landed in July 1944. He said this was the image he had in his mind throughout the war. His impression was that the paratrooper got entangled in the tree and a German climbed the tree and cut the boys throat. He was pretty detailed about this image. He said it made him so mad that it probably saved his life during the war.(?)

T.A.-I have the letters my grandfather sent to my grandmother (not with me right now--in Alabama)--Would the postal code book give me info. on his station if they are coming out of ETO to USA? I do not have any letters she sent to him. Are you thinking that I can get the base from the postal codes and then research what divisions were at that base on the date the letter was mailed? I have letters from 42-45 with stamps. Also, the letters return is : Marvin Smith, 11th Infantry, Company D. Would this be accurate or did the men use false info. on their letters home? Would this be accurate and true? If it is true then the only 11th infantry (that I have found) is in the 5th division during WW II so that would mean BINGO we have our for certain confirmation! Even though I do not have anything with his name and the association during wartime.

Tammy