Where to search next?

I just learned that the Army kept a stateside "monthly personnel roster" that only existed through late July, 1943. I know my father was at Camp Barkeley, Texas through about October of 1942, then left for the AP. His trail goes cold. I've hired two separate St.Louis research companies without success. Despite my providing information of his first and last three units, and a likely fourth, they cannot find ANYTHING on him during the 25 months in the middle of his service (what
unit) that I am seeking, or anything else for that matter. They did find his name in a 1985 study of WWII hospitalizations, but the only info was March 1944, AP, diagnosis "Cicatrix" area 6 or something like that. No unit or any really helpful info. NARA gave me the "burnt" response and a useless last pay stub. I do appreciate all the effort. I was basically told they (hired researchers) didn't have time to sift through all the records??? Anyway, I have 3 questions. #1: Does anyone know where specifically the stateside "monthly personnel roster" would be located/indexed? St Louis or elsewhere?
#2 Where else could I look? Aren't there records in Maryland, or somewhere else too?
#3 Any pointers? What should I try next?

Thank you!

 

For what it's worth, pretty sure the monthly rosters go through December 1943 - at least that's what Geoff at Golden Arrow has been able to check in the past. But that was for overseas units that I was looking at. Not sure about stateside.

And those are all in St. Louis.

Maryland (NARA II) has the operational records, but you're unlikely to find your father's name listed in them. It would tell you more about where a specific unit went and what they did. Useful background, but only once you KNOW your father was in a specific unit.

 

If you know what unit he was at some time you should be able to find him in the units morning report. If they are followed through to his departure from the unit it should tell you what unit he was transferred to...and so on and so on.

 

Thanks for responding. Dad trained in Texas with a unit that went to Europe, however he ended up in the AP/CBI. I've only found general history stateside, nothing like a roster. I'll keep digging.

 

Out of curiosity, how do you know those 3-4 units? Do you have any documentation already that might have some clues?

 

Dad saved a lot of paperwork. I provided scans for the researchers in chronological order. There is a big hole (meaning no unit info) in the middle timeframe. So I don't know his main unit.

 

I have APOS on letters. I have a suspected unit. I really am surprised they have found nothing. I thought with all the info I provided, it would be easy for people who do this as a living. Please be aware I'm not bashing them. Just at a loss of what to do next.

 

I provided scans of documentation, separation papers,etc. along with this info I wrote out to make it easier for the researchers:
PERMANENT COPY

This is information I've gathered from separation and other papers dad saved.
Dad started out with a group that ended up in Europe. However he ended up in the CBI.


John H Kimzey 37 106 810
DOB 11/07/1914, Magnet Cove, Arkansas

3 1/2 months PVT INF BASIC TRAINING MOS 521
6 months SGT MACHINE GUN NCO MOS 604
25 months S/SGT FOREMAN LABOR MOS 356
7 months S/SGT MILITARY POLICEMAN 677


March 14, 1942 Entered Army @ Ind Sta Cp Joseph T Robinson, Arkansas

Camp Barkeley, Texas HQ 357th Infantry
(I have two promotion certificates)
April 16, 1942 promoted to Corporal (90th ID) Company H, 357th Regiment
October 28, 1942 promoted to Sgt (90th ID) Company H, 357th Regiment


*These dates conflict with Hawaii training video, 6 months Machine Gun NCO....perhaps he left unit to train men in Hawaii? Or be trained?

Nov 11, 1942, SPECIAL PASSPORT issued, good for 6 months
Valid for travel in India, Burma, China- Official business. Necessary countries en route
Nov 12, IRAQ
Nov 12, Egypt
Nov 13, Iran
*Nov 13, *China, can't read Chinese, is November 13 if I remember correctly
Nov 20, Trinidad & Tobago
Nov 21, Belem

Separation papers say:
November 20, 1942 departure AP
November 29, 1942 arrival

**1942 declassified video, month/s unknown, appears to be dad training Army Rangers how to use a Thompson Submachine Gun, Ft Shafter, Hawaii
"Spent Christmas (1942) in hospital (malaria?) in Karachi, Pakistan" handwritten on menu for Casual Detachment 8925 B
Also have Garrison hat with (instructor?)pin for Casual Detachment 8925 B


January 1943 sporadic through 1944
Letters home all from APO 628 (Ramgarh Training Center) India
ADDRESS ALL VARIATIONS OF: APO 628,HQ HQ DET, INF, CT CC, RTC
I'm assuming abbreviations stand for Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, Infantry, Chinese Training, Chinese Command, Ramgarh Training Center

Sept. 1, 1943 & Oct. 4, 1943:
Club Ding Teek, Ramgarh, Bihar, India, NCO membership cards


*Date unknown: Attended 6 week school at Ramgarh, India in the Chinese language. Learned limited speaking and writing

Per Research Company #1:
"March, 1944 Area -6 Asiatic Hospital for diagnosis Cicatrix." I Googled definition, says has to do with wound scarring yet separation papers say no wound and a Purple Heart is not listed. This info was found in a study done sometime in the 80's. Researchers found nothing else and said they didn't have time to "sift through" paperwork.

April 3, 1944 Club Ding Teek, Ramgarh, Bihar, India, NCO membership card

Aug. 8, 1944 Motor Vehicle Operator's Permit
R.T.C.
Type vehicles: Trucks
1/2-1 1/2 ton
2 ton & larger


*Separation papers:
Dec 9, 1944, depart (AP) for US
Feb 1, 1945, arrive US
*payment book has one entry: Jan. 6, 1945 @ APO 923 (Brisbane, Australia)

March 1945
Paperwork says: Fol EM ASF reld unasgd Co 2 1817 SCU this sta (Hot Springs, Arkansas) and trfd in gr to orgns San Antonio, Texas
WP o/a 19 March 45 EDCMR 22 March 45 AGNA
1831 SCU MP DET
*John H Kimzey s/Sgt. MCO 010 MOS 356/677 ATF
* in charge
(MP San Antonio, Texas, train guard NCO)



Military Policeman, was a train guard keeping order among military personnel., Did town car patrol work in San Antonio, Texas, keeping order, was car commander and operated two way radios


October 22, 1945 Separation Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Honorable discharge Staff SGT, 1857th Service Command

Oct 22 Train stub home

 

Casual Detachment 8925-B were the instructors at Ramgarh (which I'm sure you already knew). Do you mean you're looking for a more specific unit than that? Or during a different time once he left Ramgarh?

If you're looking for a more specific unit, did you have any luck with the morning reports from the 357th? Did they show him transferring to his next unit?

 

Any chance that's your dad spelled with an "s" as "Kimsey" on page 1?

The Bull Sheet - February 12, 1944 - CBI Theater of World War II

It looks like it might be, based on his photo from FindAGrave. Maybe it's worth digging through the rest of the newsletters, in case you find a mention of him and his unit.

THE BULL SHEET - Ramgarh Training Center - China-Burma-India Theater of World War II

 

Yes, it is common for people to misspell our name with an s. Thank you for the link to his picture. I knew it existed, but had lost the link. I went through all the Bull Sheets I could find. Only came up with baseball statistics. LOL He was also in the Old Casuals and they were a winning team. According to one of the Bull Sheet articles, casual detachment 8925-b was ALL the people who went and set up Ramgarh, a pool of men. All books specifically say, "instructors." Also, men were placed in this group after Myitkyina, etc. In other words, he could have been in the Casual Det long term or simply a short period. I don't know. There is no documentation he was in it, except that I have his Garrison hat with the Ramgarh pin on it. They haven't found him in ANY rosters. I just spoke with research company #2 last night. They have not given up yet. Also, casual DET 8925-b does not have credit in the India-Burma GO. It must be listed as something else. I do have letters with APO address variations for Ramgarh:
APO 628,HQ HQ DET, INF, CT CC, RTC
I'm assuming abbreviations stand for Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, Infantry, Chinese Training, Chinese Command, Ramgarh Training Center

 

I can not, for the life of me, figure out what unit he was in, that was listed in the India-Burma GO. It's been a while since I looked. I lay one clue down, then pick up another, hoping for leads. Thanks!

 

I have not personally looked through the morning reports. The first research company found zip. They are well known/respected/often mentioned here. That's why I chose them. Again, not bashing them. I'm sure they do great work. I just haven't had any luck with them. I think CBI might be more difficult to follow than ETO? Sighs.....