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Information on my grandfather service/unit

Discussion in 'Military Service Records & Genealogical Research' started by ktrj40, Aug 26, 2010.

  1. ktrj40

    ktrj40 recruit

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    My grandfather was Herbert L. Johnson, and according to his Report of Seperation, he was a private first class (CE and AUS) and served with Company B 313 Engineer Regiment just after the war (active service began 1 Feb 46, place of entry was Ft. Leavenworth, KS). Service outside continental U.s. and return indicates that he served overseas from June 9, 1946 (date of departure) to May 4,1947 (date of arrival back in US), with the destination stated as MTO. His military occupation was "oneer 729" (the document is damaged on the left side), he had the military qualification of M-1 Exp (I assume that means he was trained to fire an M-1), and decorations include "ny of Occupation Medal L" and a World War II Victory medal. He received an honorable discharge on April 24, 1947 (reason: PAR AR 615 365 Conv o(f?--the letter is blurred) Govt and rr 1-1.

    Can somebody explain some of this information, and if somebody knows of anybody that served in that unit, I would really like to ask some questions and such.
     
  2. WW 2 Connections

    WW 2 Connections Member

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    I could not find a "313 Engineer Reigment" [sic] activated by the US Army prior to September 2, 1945. Either the 313th was activated after September 2, 1945, or its lineage was from another unit. "MTO" generally meant Mediterranean Theater of Operation. You typed that your grandfather was overseas "to May 4, 1947." You also typed that your grandfather "received an honorable discharge on April 24, 1947." A typing error on the Discharge Documents?

    Richard V. Horrell
     
  3. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    MOS 729 means he was in a Pioneer unit, although I'm not sure what that would entail.

    He was entitled to the Army of Occupation Medal
    [​IMG]
    See this site for Criteria World War II (WWII) Army of Occupation Medal

    He also received the WW2 Victory Medal
    [​IMG]

    He also qualified as Expert on the M-1
    [​IMG]
     
  4. ktrj40

    ktrj40 recruit

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    May 7 is when he arrived back in the states, so I assume those missing days are transport days and possibly some leave time. My mother believes that he was in Italy, so that explains the MTO. I'm still not sure what he would have been doing there (clean up, rebuilding?). I should note that he lied in his paperwork and was only about 16 when he joined.
    Anyway, thanks for the info.
     
  5. ktrj40

    ktrj40 recruit

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    I went on www.newspaperarchive.com (a subscription service), and found one reference to the 313 engineer regiment--at Ft. Dodge, Iowa, from a newspaper dated April 5, 1918. I'm not sure if that means it's connected to the WWII regiment, or if the army reuses the numbers.
     
  6. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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