Thanks, JW.

I have pieced together that his Illinois National Guard unit was the 129th, 2nd Battalion, Co. F and the record shows him enlisting as a Corporal in the Army in '41 and shipped to Camp Forrest. It seems strange to me (and I'm not a WWll historian) that he would not be shipped overseas until December 1944.

I guess there was a need to have some fresh outfits in reserve.

Where would he have landed in Europe on December 9 in order to be combat ready by the 16th?

I did find a Weser River story of Private Willy James of the 413th, who received a Medal of Honor for his actions there.

Thanks again. Jerry