926th signal batn

Greetings all. My first post to this forum. My dad was in Co D of the 926th signal batn. I have been all over the Web looking for info, but have come up with little. Anyone have any suggestions on sources? I do know he was operating FM repeater stations. His name was Art Kamphaus, unfortunately he passed away in 1976 before I had enough sense to sit down and get an oral history. Many thanks.

 

This is a bit of a history of the unit. Hopefully this will help some kampy605.
http://www.1stradiorelay.com/history.htm

 

Well that was just amazing. I sincerely appreciate the info. I think the signal corp is underrepresented in discussions about WWII. I have some pictures he took of their equipment and some letters but the letters were chopped up by the censors. Many thanks.

 

You're welcome kampy605. I was in a similar situation like yourself looking for help, and the people on this forum helped me a lot and gave me all the information that I needed. So I try to give back and do what I can to help others who were like me asking for help. Glad to have been a help to you! Maybe you could share some of those pictures that he took?

 

There is a unit history available for the 926th: http://www.worldcat.org/title/926th-signal-battalion-ww-ii/oclc/21222820&referer=brief_results

Take the book info (title, author, etc.) to your local library and they will be able to look it up and have a copy sent to them. When I've done this it usually takes a couple weeks to arrive and I think you can keep it for about the same time period.

There's also this book but I'm not sure if the "research center" would be part of the inter-library loan program? If not, you could probably contact them directly and see what you can work out.
http://www.worldcat.org/title/unofficial-history-of-the-926-signal-battalion-sep-in-world-war-ii/oclc/269676585&referer=brief_results

Here's a couple other sites with a little bit of info: http://www.ibiblio.org/cizewski/signalcorps/normsigunits.html

http://forum.armyairforces.com/looking-for-info-on-932-and-926-signal-bns-m141015.aspx

The 926th has some interesting history. First I've heard of an Army unit being transferred (postwar) to the Air Force.

Good luck, keep us informed with your progress. And, welcome to the forum.

Steve

 

Thanks all. I found one of these books at a library in Texas but they would not loan it out through ILL, and it would be too expensive and time consuming to duplicate. I will check through the links and see what I can come up with. Also, I will upload pictures as soon as i get time to scan them in.

 

I found Alfred DiGiacomo's memoir on hpbmarketplace, so i ordered a copy. Unfortunately, the unit history isn't available there. Many thanks.

 

My dad was a member of the 926th Signal Battalion, Co. B. His name was Harold McRae.

I also have many photos taken along his experience. I'll attempt to upload a postcard from his collection.
I have the Unofficial Biography, Copy# 2005-9 ordered from Col. John Rettig.

Kampy605, I do not see that your father attended any of the reunions. My parents went to several and I attended two, one in Birmingham, AL and the other in Florida.

 

He never attended that i know of. i attended one in Dayton in the 90's. Also, i was able to get a digital copy of the unofficial history of the 926th through interlibrary loan. I have copy saved locally, however it is to big to upload. I can email it to anyone who would like a copy.

 

Hello, I know this is a very old thread, but hopefully you can respond with some info. My father was also 926th signal but Company B. I suspect both of our father's experiences were similar and hoped you could send me the unofficial history you have. As you know, any info on the 926th is rare to find. FYI -- my father's name was John Thomas Coppedge,Jr.
Thank you

 

I have the unofficial history in digital format but it is too big to upload here.

 

I am going to try to attache a few photos of a few items found long after my father passed away, so there is no story to tell with these. At least not for me. The back of the photo notes the 926th, with the names Rubenstein, Booth and Gary from Co.B and John Shine (my father) and Goldschmitt from Co. D. My father's discharge papers say "809TH AIR ENGINEER SQUADRON, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES". Again, I cannot speak to any of that, or how it connects because no conversation of what he did, didn't do, where he was or wasn't, what he experienced or didn't, during the war ever took place.

 

This is an older sight, and I am older too, and just finding this. I just tried to attach a few photos, and I think I double clicked too many times, but they do seem to be there, in multiples. So after I added my comment and attached the photos, I went back and read all the messages again. One of my photos has the roster of the 926th at Christmas 1942, and the name of Harold J McRae is listed under Technicians - Fifth Grade.

I fixed it for you - Slipdigit

 

Thanks for posting the photos. Hopefully some of the previous posters will come back around to benefit from them. BTW, in your father's case, the 926th was probably the unit he served with during the War, and the 809th was likely the unit he was attached to when he was discharged. It is fairly common for that to be the case.

 

I will try.

 

Thank you, Slipdigit.