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531st Engineer Shore Regiment & 3053rd Engineer Combat Batallion

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by sandy1369, Sep 14, 2009.

  1. Natman

    Natman Member

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    randall52-Thanks for continuing to check this thread and helping other members with their research. Information about smaller units can be hard to come by and every source is valuable.
     
  2. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    Yes Don he is,serial no.37251187..Dad was in the following campaigns-Algeria-French Morocco;Tunisia;Sicily;Naples-Foggia;Normandy;Northern France;Rhineland andreceived the EAME Theater Ribbon w/7 Bronze Stars,each representing a different campaign.I know Dad was at Utah Beach and I hope this is helpful.Any information you have about their experiences,I would love to know.Your Father is listed just as you have it.Joseph G. Lower,Cpl.
     
  3. Terry A. Davis

    Terry A. Davis New Member

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    Randall, My father landed on Utah Beach on D-Day. His name is Glenn Allen Davis. I believe he was a junior officer. He was with the Corps of Engineers, possibly the 531st . My father served in North Africa and Sicily. He was shot by a sniper on the beach in Sicily and received a purple heart. He served over 30 years in the Army. We were both "Boots on the Ground" Vietnam 1970. Eager to hear if you have any information about his military service.
     
  4. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    Hello Terry,thank you and your Father for your service to our country,but I don't find your Dads name on this document.Of course,as I've stated in other posts,there are only about 300 names of Officers and enlisted men ,but if your father enlisted with relatives there are the names of Miles J. Davis,Joseph Davis and Norman L. Davis.Could these be members of your family?.Dad was in the following campaigns-Algeria-French Morocco;Tunisia;Sicily;Naples-Foggia;Normandy;Northern France;Rhineland and received the EAME Theater Ribbon w/7 Bronze Stars,each representing a different campaign.If your Fathers wound was serious,he probably wasn't involved in the Italy invasion.Hope this is helpful.My Dad told me some great stories about the war,but none of them about his role in any combat situations,but I heard some from relatives.At the Sicily Invasion he was in charge of a 30.caliber,water-cooled machine gun crew during the enemy counter-attack,and after exhausting their ammo directed the small arms fire that helped his crew retreat safely until he was literally blown out of his machine gun position by enemy mortar fire.He was awarded the Silver Star for this action,so forgive me for letting my pride show a little bit.
     
  5. Terry A. Davis

    Terry A. Davis New Member

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    Thank you for the quick reply. Do you know how many soldiers in the 531st stormed Utah Beach on D-Day? My father and mother are buried at Arlington Cemetery. Today, would be his 98th birthday. I found his DD214. Our fathers may have crossed paths. Dad was in the following campaigns: SICILY (AR), NAPLES-FOGGIA, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ROME-ARNO, RHINELAND, CENTRAL EUROPE, 1ST UN COUNTER OFFENSIVE, CCF SPRING OFFENSIVE, CCF INTERVENTION, EUROPEAN AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN. My father didn't talk much about combat. I asked him about the WW2 German Dagger in his study. He said he took it off a dead German Officer.Dad received a purple because he was shot in the head by a sniper while sitting on his helmet on the beach waiting for transportation to leave Sicily. He commented I might not be here if he was wearing his helmet because the helmet might have deflected the bullet into his head rather than the bullet ricochetting off his skull. Dad had to draw his 45 while commanding the landing craft that made it to Utah Beach. They were under heavy fire and the boat pilot wanted to turn around and head back. Dad told him he would shoot him dead if he didn't stay on coarse. Dad was responsible for building a road for Patton's tanks in N.Africa. Patton pulled up along side my Dad and asked him "Captain will this road be ready for me tomorrow?" Dad responded, "YES SIR"! He later served two years in Korea and one year in Vietnam. Then, five years on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon. Retired as a Colonel.
     
  6. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    I'm sure the number of soldiers from the 531st at Utah Beach could be found easily on the internet.Colonel Davis sounds like a very interesting man.The idea that he and Dad may have crossed paths is very possible.Dad was infantry but seemed to be everywhere Patton was during the war.He told me stories like being in a landing craft on seas that were so rough the waves would lift the craft up and the enemy would fire under them and when it went down they would fire over their heads.He was never specific about the locations.I have Dads Silver Star,dog-tags,canteen,some campaign pins,a 531st shouler patch ,a Khaki cap and discharge papers.This list of names are OFF. and EM awarded the Bronze Service Arrowhead "for having participated in the assault which secured the initial Normandy Beacheads,having then been members of the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment,1st Engineer Special Brigade."The quote is from GENERAL ORDER NUMBER 2 dated 29 May 1945.I'm sure there's one just like it with your Fathers name on it!Good luck with your search and I would love for you to keep me posted on anything you discover.Thank You Terry.
     
  7. Terry A. Davis

    Terry A. Davis New Member

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    Bedford, Virginia, is home of the National D-Day Memorial. The primary reason the town of Bedford lost more residents per capita in the Normandy landings than any other American community. There are at least 100 plaques commemorating various events and WW2 leaders. Among them are two plaques that mention the activities of the US Army Corps of Engineers. One talks about the First Engineer Special Brigade at Utah Beach. The plaque mentions the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment - it says it served with the 1st Engineer Special Brigade in the North West Africa and Sicily landings, then went to England in 1943...that is where my Dad met my English mother who was serving in the British Royal Observer Corps. The 1st Engineering Special Brigade expanded to 15,000 troops by D-Day, trained and equipped to destroy enemy obstacles in the surf on invasion beaches, the unit would also clear minefields and support the movement of military forces inland as they landed.
     
  8. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    Very interesting.Dad was born just across the state line in Kentucky.He also told me about going ashore to set up reflectors for the landing craft.so they were obviously right in the thick of things.
     
  9. Devon

    Devon New Member

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    Randall,
    I am helping my father do research on his father, my grandfather Carl D Everingham and I was wondering if Carl is named on your list? Carl passed away in 1988. We have a few documents with some information, my dad was doing research thru the govt but was told there was a fire that destroyed documents pertaining to my grandfathers service in the Army. We know he was a 1st Lieutenant in the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment, 1st Engineer Special Brigade, D Company. He served in North Africa, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, N. France, Rome-Arno, Central Europe, and Rhineland. He did not speak of his time in the war much, I have heard a story that he was next to his best friend when his friend was shot in the head and killed as they were landing at Utah beach and that a scar on his back was from a German bayonet, but that is about it. I do have a few pictures from his time in North Africa, England, France, and Germany and a French map but wanted to find more information to help my dad in his research. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time!
     
  10. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    Hello Devon,I'm sorry but I don;t find your Grandfathers name on this list!As I've said in earlier posts,there are only about 300 names on this list and just 14 1st Lieutenants.Dad was in the following campaigns-Algeria-French Morocco;Tunisia;Sicily;Naples-Foggia;Normandy;Northern France;Rhineland and received the EAME Theater Ribbon w/7 Bronze Stars,each representing a different campaign.Looks like Dad and Lieutenant Everingham were in some of the same campaigns.Wish I could have been more help.Good Luck with your search!
     
  11. Don Lambert

    Don Lambert New Member

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    I am trying to find any information about my uncle Tommy F. Lambert, who served with the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in Operation Torch in Oran, Algeria, then in Operation Husky in Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Italy, and Operatiion Overlord at Utah Beach in Normandy. Then later with the 9th US Army in the Battle of the Bulge. Is his name on the list of 300 names that you have? Any information would be helpful. Thank you.
     
  12. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    Hello Don,I don't find your Uncles name on this list,but the campaigns he was in match my Father's exactly,except for the Battle of the Bulge.I'm not sure if Dad was there or not.He would never really tell me very much about the War.I do have his canteen,Silver Star,dog tags,a khaki cap,some pins,a 531st shoulder patch and some French money they were given,in case they needed it,I guess.You may know more about their journey than I do,so any interesting tidbits you might provide would be appreciated.Good luck with your search.Let me add,the men who landed on all four major beacheads in the ETO,were real heroes.Do you know if your Uncle was part of the combat engineers who went with Darby's Rangers at the invasion of Sicily?I think Dad may have been.
     
  13. Keith Nelson

    Keith Nelson New Member

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    Good afternoon, My father, Stanley O. Nelson, served in the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, entering service in Jan of 42, and separating in Oct 45, he served (according to his discharge papers) in Sicily, Naples Foggia, Normandy, Northern Europe and finally Ryukyus. He did not speak much of his service, other than that he was at Normandy in + days. He passed away in 95, but I'd like to learn more of he and his comrades went through.

    Thank you.
     
  14. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    You'll probably get a good answer anyway but you might want to consider a new thread including his unit (and nationality of same) and name in the title. Likely to get a faster response that way and not get things mixed up with responses to others.
     
  15. Keith Nelson

    Keith Nelson New Member

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    Thank you, obvious newbie!
     
  16. Donlower

    Donlower recruit

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    Randall, thank you very much for your response! I am going to Utah Beach this summer, and expect to stand in my father's footsteps at the 1St ESB monument. Like most men of his time, he did not speak much of his time in service. I believe he missed the Africa landings but took part in the same campaigns as your father. He said the Germans were good soldiers, and it was a good thing we ran them out of materials. He confirmed that most of the German defenders at Utah Beach were either very young or old men. He did comment that there were a few soldiers who got into some wine with finely ground glass in it. He also talked about how his CO in early December 1944 said "Boys, we'll be home for Christmas" We all know how that turned out. He said he had never been so cold in his whole life as he had been that winter. Joe in Normandy.gif Joe in Normandy.gif Joe in France.gif Joe in France.gif
     
  17. Donlower

    Donlower recruit

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    Last edited: Dec 22, 2018
  18. Donlower

    Donlower recruit

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    Randall, any possibility of getting a copy /pdf of this document? I would be grateful. donlower25@yahoo.com
     
  19. randall52

    randall52 New Member

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    You're welcome sir,this document is literally in tatters,and I don't have it on pdf.Maybe I can copy it on a laser printer.If so I'll try to get you a copy.Sorry.Dad loved to talk about things he saw in the war but never about combat.Like coming to a destroyed farm house and finding a bucket full of potatoes and a can of lard.Best meal he ever had.
     
  20. Donlower

    Donlower recruit

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    Thanks Randall, if you have a smart phone, maybe you could take photo(s) and save as .jpg file.
    Wow, what a great story about your dad. It's always the little things.
     

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