27th Inf. Div. on Okinawa

Very good summary, Lou.

Though, I think you may have been burned by the "auto-complete" feature, Lou. Should be "Combat Infantryman's Badge".

 

Over the years I have been able to discover a few published memoirs written by 27th veterans.

"Operation Leap Frog" by Leigh Trowbridge

"Grenades, Guitars, Guts & Glory" by Ronold Ray

"Memoirs of Garry O'Callaghan: My 1,462 days in World Ward II" by Garry O'Callaghan

"You OK Chappy?" by Wayne R. Rood

Anyone know of any other memoirs?

I cannot go in and edit my old posts, but my email address has changed since starting this thread. If you want to compare notes or just talk 27th ID shoot me an email at pto1945@gmail.com. I traveled to the battlefields of Okinawa in 2010 for the 65th with veterans of the 96th ID....heading this week to Guadalcanal for the 75th with some of the last living Marine Raiders.

 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread over the years!

 

I really cannot add any information except that this book, which I have, "Okinawa 1945" by Dr. T. M. Huber, published in 2003 by Compendium Press, is still available through Amazon. It mentions briefly, the 27th Infantry Division.

 

Hi Lou,
I'm wondering if I can look up my Dad the same way you just did above? My Dad was part of the 193rd I believe but later trained with the 27th and may have joined them on April 9, From what I understand he may have been among the floating replacements? Also, I do have some documentation that may help others from the 27th who earned Purple Hearts. The date on the letter appears to be one day before Buckner was KIA and is from Griner. These guys in this award letter were some of the bravest fellows in the war and I'm wondering if anyone is left. After reading this thread I understand now how some of this was lost in a fire.

 

Hi Lou,

I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier. I joined Fold3 and still could not locate my Dad. Its puzzling because I know a few years ago something was on ancestry which is no longer there?

I've been doing a lot of researching since I first read this thread and maybe I should go back over it now that I understand it more. I've also been reading things my Dad wrote (he passed away in 2014) trying to put the pieces together. He was a very humble guy and I had no idea he was in this particularly bloody battle and in some things I've read they seem to pass right over Ryukus?

I located a book which my Dad jotted down training with the 27th and was part of the floating replacements. My Dad was a mechanic prior to entering service and after coming out. He was part of the 193rd tank bn (Co A) but somewhere down the line went into a lot of extra training right before being deployed in the Pacific.

My Dad told us the guys had to do repairs on the tanks on-the-fly in the middle of action to get across enemy lines. I know his tank was wiped out on the ridge because of a map he drew out for someone he was trying to correspond with who was apparently also on the ridge. (I don't know if he had to abandon it there but I think so.) The documentation I have is a 5 pg letter by command of Gen Griner and signed by R P Ovenshine (and one other I don't recall) listing names and decorations (including Purple Hearts) for men serving with the 27th (my Dad was among them). At that top of the letter is scrawled my Dad's normal group (183rd tank Bn) but what also appears to be a 17. I'm not quite sure what that means as this was written on tyewritten on behalf of the 27th. Could he have served also in the 17th?

I'm writing to get my Dad's military records and would like to use appropriate channels if there's something missing. I'm sure everyone on the list received the same letter as my Dad did but may not have saved it 72 years like Mom did.

God Bless the guys who served on Ryukus and their families and thank God for the ones who were able to come home.

 

I once interviewed a veteran, who was a engineer Captain in a unit attached to the 7th Division (XXIV Corps) on Leyte and Okinawa. This was some years ago but it was quite fascinating.

 

There's a very good discussion on what happened in this action at the Axis History Forum: The Destruction of the 193rd Tank Battalion

The "183rd" must be a typo. There was no 183rd Tank Battalion in the US Army. There was a 17th Tank Battalion of the 7th Armored Division, but they fought in the ETO. It could be a reference to the 17th Infantry Regiment, of the 7th ID, but without seeing the exact context, there is no way to know what the number 17 means. It could have nothing to do with identifying a particular unit. If you could post a scan or picture of the document, that would be helpful.

 

Hi, I just joined this forum as there seemed to be some recent interest in the 27th Division on Okinawa. My Grandfather fought on Okinawa in the 105th, 3rd Battalion, Company I. I have a few things that he brought back from Okinawa that may be of interest. He left a roster of his platoon where he served as Technical Sergeant that lists the squad members. You can see where several of the squad members are marked "wounded" or in a couple cases "dead". The platoon leader Lt. Braly is marked dead which is described in the book "The 27th Infantry Division in WWII" during a battle on Tsugen Jima - an island off the coast of Okinawa taken completely by the 105th 3rd. I have pasted the names here in order for anyone looking for friends or relatives to be able to find them.

Platoon Ldr

1st lt. Braly dead


Platoon Sgt.

T/Sgt. McDonald


Platoon Gde.

S/Sgt Robinson


Runners & Radio

PFC Wagoner

PFC Marquez

PFC Neiomoyer


Bazooka

PFC Osborne

PFC Wise, S


1st Squad

S/Sgt Copply furlough

PFC Pondillo

PFC Dyke BAR

PFC Garcia ASS'T wounded

PFC Ikes BAR

Pvt Duhon Ass't

PFC Hillyard wounded

Sgt. Lodes wounded


3rd Squad (First Squad)

S/Sgt Faulkner

PFC Huffman

PFC Fassinger BAR

PFC Mederios Ass't wounded

PFC Bigness C Co.

PFC DenHarto wounded

Pvt King ASS'T

PFC Fallsgraff dead

Sgt Dobrowolski



2nd Squad

S/Sgt Tilley

PFC Dobson

PFC Anderson

PFC Collins BAR wounded

PFC Barnette Ass't wounded

PFC Lindemeyer wounded

PFC Grady BAR

PFC Rusinko Ass't

Dyke BAR

PFC Meickenbaum

Sgt Gobin wounded

Sgt Geer


Men not on duty

S/Sgt Copply on furlough

PFC Bigness with C Co.

PFC Kovocovich Temporary Duty


3rd Squad

Pimentel (sp?)

Blackwell

Reed

Frankenfield (sp?)

Elliot

Montagna

Sgt Massoth (sp?)


Hopefully this is of interest to some on this forum (or doing internet searches as I was)

 

Hello, I am new to the forum. I am researching a relative's Army Service. My father-in-law served with the Co B 762d Tank Bn during WW2. He passed away in 1977 before I graduated HS or even met his daughter and my wife of 34 years now. He was quiet and never spoke of his service. His unit served in Saipan and the 762d provisional tank bn fell under the 27 ID. From letters to his future wife, He was transferred to the 4582d QM SVC CO on 9 Apr 1945 as a truck driver. This is near the arrival date for the battle of Okinowa. He was discharged 9 Oct 45 at Jefferson Barracks, St Louis MO. I have searched for this QM unit of 27th ID and I have found nothing on the internet. I was in the Army for 7 yrs. A Paratrooper Signal Corps with the 82d Sig BN 1983-1987 and stationed from 1987-1990 at Torii Station, Okinowa. I visited the Peace Memorial Gardens and the Shuri Line and am familiar with the island. I would greatly appreciate any information on the unit's history on Okinowa. My email is gmfrisbie@gmail.com.

 

My father, Leroy Hand who passed away several years ago, volunteered with a Kansas unit, but joined the 27th in Hawaii. I have a picture of several solders just relaxing. My dad wrote the names of each person. They were Roach, Riley, Stamford, Hand, Kelly, Foley and Murray. I’m looking for any information about his service with the 27th.

 

Some added information on Leroy Hand. He volunteered to join the 27th Division after he was stationed in Hawaii. He toook judo lessons there and taught other soldiers. He then went to Saipan, Tenien and Okinawa, but I don’t know what unit he was in. His stories seemed to indicate that he did scouting or reconnaissance activities.

 

anyone have pictures or family that was in the 27th div 249th field artillery?

 

Hello - my grandfather, Robert Shimer, was also a member of the 27th division, 106th division, First Sergeant. As you know, information about the army infantry in Okinawa is not as readily available as recounts focused on the USMC. I respectfully request a copy of your document as I am trying to piece together more information about my Pap’s time in the war. My Pap also did not ever discuss the war but would tell me small anecdotes during long car rides. I can see some elements of his stories echoed even in the small sample you have posted. There were a lot of stories that involved oversized helmets! I would be ever so grateful if you are able to send the document to: amygshimer@gmail.com

Thank you so much for your consideration.

Kindly,
Amy Shimer