43rd Infantry Division

Looking for information about Roy Lemoine, Co C 169th of the 43rd. He died August 3rd, 1943, on Munda Airfield. Information leading up to this day was informative, but it falls off after August 1st. The information infers that by this time the operation was a mopping up exercise. But I don’t have any information about what was going on. A professional researcher said that there were no details which inferred heavy fighting and mass casualties.
Anyone with any information, your help is much appreciated

 

Welcome to the forums Tom! I'm no expert in finding out information like this, but there are plenty of other members that can and do find personal info frequently, I have no doubt we will find answers for you. Is this a direct relative of yours??

 

The 3rd of August was the day when the Battle of Munda Point reached Munda Airfield proper. I don't know that it is properly classified as a "mopping up exercise", but there was still fighting going on. The Japanese were retreating, but also left delaying forces in order to slow the advance of the 43rd and 37th Divisions. See CARTWHEEL: The Reduction of Rabaul, Chapter 9.

If you don't have a copy of the History of the 43rd Infantry Division 1941-1945, you can try to get a copy through your local library. If they don't have it, they may be able to get it on loan from another library. I don't know that it will have the specificity that you want, but it may provide some good info.

If your interest is in the circumstances of Roy's being KIA, that can be difficult to determine. Checking with the local historical society of Roy's hometown or county can sometimes yield information. Families would often receive condolence letters from their son's CO which would describe the circumstances of their son's death. In the case of my great uncle, it was published in his hometown newspaper.

I would also suggest you request a copy of his IDPF (Individual Deceased Personnel File). Requesting it directly from the NARA usually is free, but can take an extraordinarily long time to get the file (from 48 weeks to a year or more). The researcher I use will provide the IDPF in a couple of weeks, but is not free. The IDPF will not describe the circumstances of he death, but it may describe the nature of his injuries.

It may be possible to offer additional suggestions if we knew what information the researcher did find for you.

 

Thanks for the information. Roy's death was pretty tragic when viewed in the light that his brother was lost in the Raid on Ploesti Oil Field August 1, 1943. The family withdrew, and there was not much information. There was a third brother in basic training that was pulled out and sent home! These boys were from a small town and there are few people still living and fewer that seem to care anymore. (mostly the offspring) Also, the town was so small that there wasn't any newspaper, and I am having difficulty locating past newspapers. Thanks for the input. Hopefully someone who has some information might see this and chime in.

 

My father served in the army 1952-54. He passed away in 2001. I am trying to find out more details about his army service - anything and everything - and was hoping you could help. I have been in contact with the VA and due to a fire in the 70's that destroyed a ton of service records, all they can provide is NA Form 13038, Certification of Military Service, with the dates he started and finished and what rank he was at discharge.

Here is what I know.

• William A. Murphy.
• Born 6/16/31 in Pawtucket, RI.
• Died 10/2/01, buried in veterans cemetery in Exeter, RI.
  
• He enlisted and served from March 25, 1952 to March 5, 1954.
• He was in 43rd Infantry Division.
• He drove a truck.
• I have a postcard he sent my mother from Camp Kilmer, NJ postmarked 8/25/52 (which is odd because I thought I remember him saying he was at Ft. Dix, NJ).
• His barracks were Kaserne Sheridan in Augsburg. I have a photo dated 4/23/53 of him outside the company barracks.
• I have a photo of him in his truck, with the inscription on back " Taken - Ingolstadt, Exercise "Grape Leaf" ", with no dates.
• I have a post card from 1953 of Wigan, England.
• I have another post card undated from Sonthofen, showing the city in the foreground and with his drawing of an arrow to show where in the photo his barracks were.
  
• He was discharged honorably as a corporal.

I would appreciate any direction or suggestions as to how I can find out more details. - Mark M