103rd Infantry WWII New Georgia

Gerald. Whats his name? I'll do some checking.

 

His name is Charles E. Donnel and he enlisted in Lewiston, Maine in 1937. I have his photo from the same "yearbook" I have seen elsewhere on this site. He was a heavy (30 Cal water cooled) machine gunner. He was in the Russell Isalnds Landings and was injured at the battle for Munda Airfield. He is living (89 years old) if anyone wants me to ask him any questions.

 

Does your friend remember the ship he crossed the Pacific on. If it was the President, got his hair cut, he got it from my dad who cut hair on the back of ship. My dad told me as soon as they left port, the ship started zig zaging.

 

I will check with Buster (Charles Donnell) on the ship he was on but I am pretty sure it was the Grant. Was your Dad from Maine and if so what town? Buster was with the 103rd from Maine to Blanding to Shelby (for maneuvers) to Ft Ord to shipping out to New Zealand. He left the 103rd just ater the Munda attack and after his discharge from the hospital in New Caledonia. After Merrill's Marauders he was discharged. He came back in in 1947 and did 20+ years in the Air Force and retired as an E-8.
Is Dutch Theide still active? His website has not been updated since I first looked at it earlier this year? Jerry (Gerald)

 

My dad was from Griffin, Ga and assigned to the 103rd and later joined the newly formed 43 Cav Recon 1st platoon. Been awhile since I been in contact with Dutch. Have your tried the 43rd Winged Victory Infantry Veterans Assoc.? I left out President Grant by accident. While I thinking of it maybe its the 43rd Wing Victory Veterans Assoc.

 

Hello all. New member here--this is my first post after my introduction in the "new members" area. I found this thread in a google search for "103rd Infantry New Georgia." I was googling this unit because my late father was in the 103rd from the summer of 1941 through June of 1942. He was drafted from his home town in Maine and did his basic at Camp Wheeler in Georgia before being assigned to the 103rd at Camp Blanding, Florida. He went through the Louisiana and Carolina maneuvers and then went with the regiment to Camp Shelby in early 1942. He was a light machine gun squad leader in Company G under the same Lieutenant Carleton Fisher mentioned earlier in this thread. In June of 1942 he left the regiment to go to OCS at Fort Benning. After his commission he went on to different units, as the Army had a policy against assigning OCS grads to their original units. There was too much risk of fraternizing with your old buddies if you went back to your first regiment. I have done exhaustive research on his service and am nearing completion on a book about it. The book is now around 500 pages and contains many photographs. Dad was a semi-professional photographer even before being drafted and manged to retain his camera for most of his service, even during "basic." You'd never see that nowadays! I will be happy to provide what info I have and will very likely ask the same of others here. Thanks for this great forum!

 

I wanted to mention to all, that on June 18th 2011, the Maine Military Historical Society will be hosting a recognition day for te 103rd Inf Reg. Any former members from WW 2 and or their families are welcome to attend.

This will be held 1:00-3:00pm at the Augusta Armory in Augusta, Maine. More info will be published at www.mainemilmuseum.org. Please make sure any living members know.

 

I am looking for information on Paul and/or Martin Hikel from Maine with the 103 Inf., 43rd Div. There is a story that Paul witnessed Martin's death on July 18, 1943 and had some sort of heroic event and had a bridge named after him. Unfortunately, Paul never talked about it and he died in 1989.

 

New to this forum. My uncle was killed on Munda Is. on July 20,1943. He was 1st Lt., Co. L, 103rd Infantry Reg., 43rd Div. I have never been able to find out which ship he sailed on but figure it was the President Grant. He did spend time in New Zealand but I do not know where or how long. A girl whom he met there corresponded with my grandmother, even as late as the early 1960's. We still have letters which men from his co. wrote to my grandmother after his death. I'm not sure whether he was at Camp Shelby, Ms. I have some postcards/letters he wrote from Camp Croft, SC. Does anyone have information that might help me find out more details?? His name was William. P. Kendall (from GA altho he registered in Miami, FL)

 

I have read with interest the various posts. My father served in Company F, 103rd Infantry Regiment, from the Maine National Guard in Augusta, Maine. When he was alive, he mentioned that I had been named after a Donovan Leach who may have been an active duty officer assigned to the 103rd. That name was not on the roster of Maine soldiers in the 103rd mobilized in 1941. My father was apparently impressed with his leadership and gave me that name when I came along in 1945. The Maine Military Historical Society recently presented a recognition ceremony for the remaining survivors and the families of the deceased. It was a moving ceremony with several veterans in their 90's present. I would appreciate any leads on Donovan Leach. Many Thanks.

 

HEY! My girlfriend's Great uncle was also in the 103rd Infantry Regiment and landed on New Georgia (his first encounter of the war). I'm barely in the process of interviewing him and and getting all the times/names/facts in order. I know he went to auckland New Zealand on March 2nd 1944 (i believe) afterward and then to New guinea and then the Philippines. If Any of you want to keep in touch with me My email is JRamsey5087@yahoo.com. I'd like to hear more. His name was Staff Sergeant Ruben Platero. He mentioned names like Lt. Killgore (killer joe), Colonel Baron(berring) [not sure of exact name] Johnson, Desslinger, Baum, davis (auckland).

 

HEY! My girlfriend's Great uncle was also in the 103rd Infantry Regiment and landed on New Georgia (his first encounter of the war). I'm barely in the process of interviewing him and and getting all the times/names/facts in order. I know he went to auckland New Zealand on March 2nd 1944 (i believe) afterward and then to New guinea and then the Philippines. If Any of you want to keep in touch with me My email is JRamsey5087@yahoo.com. I'd like to hear more. His name was Staff Sergeant Ruben Platero. He mentioned names like Lt. Killgore (killer joe), Colonel Baron(berring) [not sure of exact name] Johnson, Desslinger, Baum, davis (auckland).

 

MDJ696
Hi, Great job being so helpful, I'm sure many family members now and future will appreciate your help, ^5.

I'd like a bit of that kindness, please. My father, Alfred A Shuryan S. Sgt Company H. 103rd Reg. 43rd Inf. Heavy Machine Gunner with a georgous head of hair, LOL.
I bet if your old man cut my old man found him, he really took care of it. Could you see if you have any pics, Info... Thank You. and Bless you.

 

Bump

This thread still has some potential for helping the relatives of veterans

 

Scribd.com has The History of the 43d Infantry Division available for download in 3 parts:

43d Infantry Division - Part I

43d Infantry Division - Part II

43d Infantry Division - Part III


Since unit histories tend to be difficult to find and expensive when you do find one, this is a nice alternative. (Having said that, several unit histories have been republished by Battery Press and are available online. This may be one, but I haven't checked.)

 

Couldn't find your dad in Co H. Been away from forum during back surgery #5. I'll keep looking. Found photo of back of President Grant where my dad cut hair for 25 cnets for officer and 50 cents for officers. He cut hair through out his time with the 43rd. He even cut my hair with the same hand operated hair clippers he had in the army.

 

Greetings,
My name is Gregory Rogers and I am from St. Francis, South Dakota, home of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.
I have been researching my great uncle PFC Stanley C. Rogers, Co. A, 103rd Inf. Reg., 43rd Inf. Div., KIA on Jan. 10, 1945 Luzon, Philippines. He is buried in the Manilla American Cemetary. Manilla, Philippines.
I have not been able to retrieve any of his military records other then his "Report Of Death", due to the fire in St. Louis in 1973. What I am trying to find out is, how long was he with this outfit? He enlisted in the US Army on Nov. 11, 1942 and was KIA on Jan. 10, 1945, he was 20 years old. Where was he between these years? Any help would be appreciated. My email is g.rogers61@yahoo.com. Thank you.

 

Welcome to the Forum, Gregory. First, I encourage you to introduce yourself over in our New Members section.

Army personnel records can be difficult, if not impossible, to piece together. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to download the 43rd Division history (post #56 above). Since you know he was in Company A of the 103rd, you can get a pretty good idea of where he was at various points. If you are looking for a more day-to-day account of where your great uncle was, pretty much your only option would be to hire a researcher to check unit rosters and morning reports. This may provide a good account of his whereabouts, but it can be rather expensive. The NARA has a list of private researchers. They are not endorsed by NARA nor does WW2F.com endorse any particular researcher. The researchers on the NARA list have varied specialties and not all involve WWII or personnel records.

If you are a bit more ambitious, you can try doing the research yourself. However, that would require a well planned trip to Saint Louis, MO.

 

My dad drove a scout car with the 43rd Cav Recon. Their gunner Fred Halverson (dads best friend) I learned he passed aay some time ago, was wondering if he was related to mentioned Halversons, he was from Rhode Island. Been off site awhile, had my 5th back surgery. I'll look up names in my dads Camp Shelby book. Sergeant on his scout car was Bill Cronin. Before my dad passed away in 2005, I had found Bill Cronin in Florida. Asked my dad if he would like to talk to him, my dad said I didn't have anything to say to him back then, I don't kno why I would want to talk to him now. Apparently no love lost.