info on Father that served in 17th Airborne and fought in Battle of Bulge

Hi to all from a new member.
My father was in the battle of the Bulge, flying in on a glider. He passed a couple years back and I am desiring to find out as much as I can on his military days. He spoke some of Germany country side and the French folks but not about his short time in military service to his country other than to explain how he received a scar on his nose from shrapnel. I have one picture of him in uniform just after release.
How can I best go about getting pictures of him at training and any other info?
Thank you,
Sam (jr)

 

Welcome to the forum, Sam. Have you visited this site: http://www.ww2-airborne.us/18corps/17abn/17_overview.html. There looks to be a lot of info there.

If you could tell us what research you've previously done, it will save others from replicating your efforts. Posting your fathers name/service number along with any documents such as a discharge certificate or any papers he may have brought home will be helpful. Posting his photo may provide clues from his uniform.

Other forum members will be along to fill you in regarding how to obtain his personal records from the records center in St. Louis.

Photos of him during training is probably a long shot though. Hang in there, you never know what may turn up.

Good luck.

 

I know 17th AB were based near to where i live when they were in the UK.
They were at Chiseldon before going over to mainland Europe.

http://17th-airborne-in-the-bulge.eklablog.com/camp-chiseldon-17th-a-b-p198557

 

I cannot add much to the advice you have already received here, but I do wish to welcome you to the Forum. I wish you well in your research and hope that, at some point, you will consider starting a thread to honor your father and his service in the Roll of Honor and Memories section.

 

Greetings Sam,

My uncle served with the 17th AB, 139th AEB (engineer).

Your father and my uncle served their country well. Your father was in the 193rd or the 194th Glider Regiment. At the Bulge, they were attached to Patton's command. Study the battle of Mourmelon. He was there. Also read about the horrendous battle at Flamiege. Your dad and my uncle fought side by side there.

Plenty of pictures and info at this site. Make sure you have Google translation, it is in French.

http://usairborne.be/17/17_general.htm

General info here and make sure you read about Operation Varsity.

http://www.ww2-airborne.us/18corps/17abn/17_overview.html

You have much to be proud of, your dad went through hell....

Best Regards

 

Here is where he trained at. Do some digging and you'll find a lot of info.

http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=178

 

Wow, I am humbled by all of your responses. I am starting the process to acquire his military records and look forward to reviewing all the links. I do remember his mentioning basic training in Tennessee. Will definetly post up his info in the Roll of Honor and keep all informed of my progress.

 

Sam (jr)
Hi I had just posted requesting info on the 681st GFAB and came across your post. You said your dad flew in on a glider into the Battle of the Bulge. Are you sure he flew into the Ardennes. If so he was with a medical crew not the 17th Airborne. The 17th Airborne did not go into the Ardennes in gliders. The only gliders that went into Bastogne were 61 gliders. 11 on the 26th and 50 on the 27th of Dec. They carried mostly medical staff and supplies but not the 17th Airborne division The 17th were trucked in like the 101st Airborne Division.

When the 194tth and 193rd came out of the Ardennes they were minus one Battalion and one company. The 193rd no longer existed. If he told you he flew into combat in a glider and he was with the 17th Airborne then he was probably with the 194th GIR or a unit attached to the 194th. The only glider mission they were involved in was the Rhine mission (Varsity Operation) They were taken into LZ -S near Wesel, Germany on March 24, 1945. I can give you some information about what he experienced landing in LZ-S.
Were you able to get your dad's Statement of Service?

Kind regards,
Patricia

 

Hi Sam!

Welcome to the forum! My grandfather was in the 17th--the 680th GFAB. What was your father's name? I am a member of the Scions of the 17th Airborne group, and I recently digitized the division roster that was put together by Don Pay after the war. I'd be happy to look him up and see if it lists his unit within the 17th AB Division--many of the entries in the roster have units included.

Adam

 

Adam, if your grandfather was with the 680th GFAB then it was the 439th TCG that flew him into LZ-S. Do you have the history of how bad the situation was on their landing. If you don't and would like more info let me know

Patricia

 

Adam, Do you have the names of the survey crew for the 681st GFAB? Did you see my post? Also regarding your GrandFather Was he with a battery in the 680th or another part of the Battalion?

Kind regards
Patricia

 

Hi Patricia--

I've read about the LZ-S landings, but I'd love to hear whatever you could share! I have the declassified 57-page report that the Division put together after Varsity--it has mission instructions for each component unit of the division, timetables, map overlays for all the DZs and LZs, glider landing positions, etc. Pretty cool to read. If you'd like a copy, shoot me your email in a PM and we can arrange something.

As for my grandfather, he was a personnel clerk in HQ Battery for the 680th (680th makeup was A Battery, B Battery and HQ Battery, that was it). I am still not sure if he actually landed by glider with the combat units of the battalion during Varsity, or if he rode in later in the afternoon as part of the "overland tail". Still looking into that...

Lastly, no, I sadly don't have the names of the survey crew you were looking for. I did see your post, but that's not an answer I possess. Another little mystery to try and solve, I suppose!

 

Hello,
I am new to the forum, but have been an avid participant in the US Military forum (also as 17thairborne) and other sites as well. I just noticed this one and the comments about the 139th AEB. Anyone needing info on members of the 139th, go to my blog and download a pdf version of the unit history. Or just contact me via pm.

thanks

 

Patricia,
After 2 attempts I was informed my father's records were destroyed in the fire.
I only have scant memories of his talking very little, but the Rhine was mentioned and I cannot associate what glider actions he had.
Hope to determine if he was in the 193 or 194. Yes, very interested in info on LZ-S?
Adam,
My father's name is Samuel Gordon Price.

my email link is tyeriver@hotmail.com

Thank you, Sam (Jr)

 

Sam,
a copy of the book "Thunder From Heaven" by Don Pay. It is the brief history of the 17th A/B Div in WW2. Its a bit short on history, but the saving grace is the listing of about 20,000 members who walked through the ranks of the diviision in various capacities. On p. 154 is listed the following:

Price, Samuel G. 155

The book indicates that he was predominately assigned to the 155th Airborne Anti Aircraft Artillery Bn.

I also found on the NARA site ta small handful of Prices with the same first name and MI. If you indicate what state he joined the Army from I can narrow it down and email you the NARA data.

oz

 

I can also email you scans from the 17th AB yearbook which will have photos of every platoon in the 155th. You can pick him out from the lineup.

oz

 

In the interest of helping family members and veterans to identify photos of those they know, I will begin to post all of the Platoon and Company level photos from the 17th Airborne Division on my blog. Click on the link below my signature to access. Once I figure out how and where to post here without clogging up bandwidth I'll do the same on the forum. They will be posted by unit, usually 2-3 platoons per image and are scanned in 300dpi, grey scale. If you want a particular image in more detail, just ask me. For instance, this is Battery D of the 155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion.

 

Oz,

My father Samuel G. Price was drafted from Russell County Virginia.


I don't remember his speaking about anit-aircraft but will see if the library has the "thunder from heaven" book.
Those are really clear picture scans!

Couple questions:
- where on your site are the unit pictures your referenced posting?
- do you have unit pictures of the 193rd & 194th training at Camp Mackall?

Note that I have found unit pictures of Camp Forrest and am looking through those.
Thank you, Sam

 

Sam,
I have found the roster to be wrong on occasion and there are some missing names. I cannot imagine what it was like to type 20,000 names by hand and keep it in aphpabetical order without error. The book is hard to find in libraries, but Battery Press reprinted a few some years ago. I find them from time to time for around $25-45. The history portion is somewhat useful, but I have mine for the roster. It has been a help identifying men and their units. They also post some award information after the name or if the member was KIA or MIA.

The blog where I am posting the bulk photos is here:

http://castraponere.com/bloodonthetalon/

Since it takes a bit of time to scan, crop, allign and post the images, I'll do a few every now and then, and eventually get to the 194th and 193rd, which has several Battalions and Companies each. Here is the information from Price that was drafted from Abingdom, VA. It is all available online, so I'll post it here.


ARMY SERIAL NUMBER

33646922

33646922

NAME

PRICE#SAMUEL#G##########

PRICE#SAMUEL#G##########

RESIDENCE: STATE

#3

Undefined Code

RESIDENCE: COUNTY

165

Undefined Code

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT

3301

ABINGDON VIRGINIA

DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY

31

31

DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH

03

03

DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR

43

43

GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION

PVT#

Private

GRADE: CODE

8

Private

BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION

NO#

No branch assignment

BRANCH: CODE

52

Undefined Code

FIELD USE AS DESIRED

#

#

TERM OF ENLISTMENT

5

Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

LONGEVITY

###

###

SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL

0

Civil Life

NATIVITY

33

VIRGINIA

YEAR OF BIRTH

23

23

RACE AND CITIZENSHIP

1

White, citizen

EDUCATION

4

4 years of high school

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION

316

Farm hands, general farms

MARITAL STATUS

6

Single, without dependents

COMPONENT OF THE ARMY

7

Selectees (Enlisted Men)

CARD NUMBER

#

#

BOX NUMBER

0689

0689

FILM REEL NUMBER

1.206

1.206