Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Please and Thank you

Discussion in '☆☆ New Recruits ☆☆' started by Frankjourney, Mar 24, 2015.

Tags:
  1. Frankjourney

    Frankjourney New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hello,
    I am working on my wife's father's war history fighting in Italy.

    Background: My wife and I have been married for ten years. Over the years her family told me what they knew about his time in Italy but said their father didn't talk alot about his experiences. He died in 1992 and the family did not have any "paperwork" to give clues about what he went through. I was in the Navy in late 70's and remembered we were told to make our DD214 public record at the courthouse. My wife and I went to her father's hometown and was able to get a copy of his DD214. A wealth of information...but also more questions. We sent away for his awards thinking they would be the "paper documentation" but received just the medals. We were really appreciative for the medals and it left us wanting more information.
    If I may ask…anyone know how we can find out what happened when he received his Purple Heart?

    Date of PH… 6 Nov 44
    338th Company A
    We have a million request but will not flood the gates just yet.

    THANK YOU!!!!!
     
    Frankjourney, Mar 24, 2015
    #1
  2. KJ Jr

    KJ Jr Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2014
    Messages:
    3,148
    Likes Received:
    359
    Location:
    New England
    Welcome to the forum and good luck.
     
    KJ Jr, Mar 24, 2015
    #2
  3. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2003
    Messages:
    20,831
    Likes Received:
    3,055
    Location:
    Stirling, Scotland
    Welcome to the forums!
     
    GRW, Mar 24, 2015
    #3
  4. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2006
    Messages:
    24,984
    Likes Received:
    2,386
    Hello Frank, we'd need more information to help you out. 338th, but which Army, which Theatre?
     
    Skipper, Mar 24, 2015
    #4
  5. Frankjourney

    Frankjourney New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Darn...I knew, just thought everyone else knew...isn't there only one! he-he

    Italy...5th Army 85th Infantry Division, 338th CO A. (Information from his DD214) Frank's MOS (My name is Mike) was Clerk Typist 405.
    Frank was wounded on 6NOV44. (Side note: his daughter (my wife) remembers her father saying he received the injury while running communication cables across a bridge) Durning my research I have seen where CO A was 2nd (and) also 3rd Battalion...do you know which one it is?
    .
    I have Frank arriving in Italy on 8APR44 (per DD214) would he have gone "right to work" or was there a "get acquainted time before going to the front?

    I'm trying to keep my questions below 100 per post...MY WIFE IS SO THRILLED!!! I'm not letting her see any of my work as of yet.

    Thank you
     
    Frankjourney, Mar 24, 2015
    #5
  6. Smiley 2.0

    Smiley 2.0 Smiles

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    Messages:
    1,450
    Likes Received:
    180
    Location:
    The Land of the Noble Steed
    Welcome to this forum :cheers:!
     
    Smiley 2.0, Mar 24, 2015
    #6
  7. lwd

    lwd Ace

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2007
    Messages:
    12,322
    Likes Received:
    1,245
    Location:
    Michigan
    If you post a request over in the information subforum, especially if you put things like "Italy", "US Army", and "85th Division" in the title you may get a faster response. A number of the more helpful members on this forum have areas where they are especially knowledgeable and if they see those pop up in a header they are likely to respond quite quickly. Some of the don't frequent this subforum either.

    Welcome aboard by the way. Of all the forums I've seen on the net this is probably the best for help with this sort of question.

    It's also worth noteing that one of our WWII vets fought in Italy and another one of our more prolific posters lives there.
     
    lwd, Mar 24, 2015
    #7
  8. jeansamsmom

    jeansamsmom New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Kentucky
    I'm also looking for information on my dad (Thomas Osbourn) who was in 338th Engineer but he was Company C. He was in Naples, Rome, No Appennines and PO Valley. He was an AA Machine Gunner with the #597 after that. Not sure what that means. I only have his discharge papers. Arrived in Italy either May 12, 1943 or September 9, 1943 and left in 1945. Hoping someone who served with him, or knows someone who served with him, will see this. He was from Kentucky
     
    jeansamsmom, Mar 25, 2015
    #8
  9. McCabe

    McCabe Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2013
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    53
    Location:
    Virginia
    Highly unlikely. Your best bet is to create a new thread and request research assistance.
     
    McCabe, Mar 25, 2015
    #9
    jeansamsmom likes this.
  10. McCabe

    McCabe Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2013
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    53
    Location:
    Virginia
    McCabe, Mar 25, 2015
    #10
  11. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,291
    Likes Received:
    2,609
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    This doesn't help much, but it's something.




    Activated in 1942 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, the 338th Infantry Regiment was the core infantry regiment of the 85th Infantry or "Custer" Division. Though the regiment was not used in combat in France in 1918, it's World War II heraldry would be very different. The 338th Infantry saw active combat through 1944 beginning at Minturno, Santa Marie Infante (the Gustav Line offensive), Terracina, the Arno River, Mount Altuzzo (the Gothic Line offensive), North Apennines, and into the Po Valley in 1945.

    It was at Mount Altuzzo that the 338th Infantry proved its mettle. A significant point of defense in the German Gothic Line, the 3,000-foot peak overlooked the eastern flank of the Il Giogo Pass through the mountains north of Florence. At H-Hour on September 13, 1944, the 338th Infantry attacked the height. Despite heavy losses and a desperate enemy defense, the 338th Infantry made significant gains against enemy positions on the western slope and overran the mountain's lower defenses. By September 18, the regiment had secured most of the height and the breach in the Gothic Line was impossible for the weakened German units to retake. Combined with the fall of Mount Monticelli to the 91st Infantry Division on the western flank of the pass, the important breach of the Gothic Line gave Fifth Army passage into the North Apennines Mountains and Firenzoula. The Custermen of the 338th broke the back of German resistance at the pass. Veterans of Combat Team 8 returned to Mount Altuzzo on September 20, 1987, to dedicate a monument where the regiment fought.

    The 338th Regimental Combat Team, "Combat Team 8", included the 338th Infantry, 329th Field Artillery, Company B, 310th Engineer Battalion, and Company B, 310th Medical Battalion.

    The motto of the regiment is "Marchons" or "March On!".

    http://user.pa.net/~cjheiser/ct8/338main.htm
     
    LRusso216, Mar 25, 2015
    #11
  12. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2011
    Messages:
    7,217
    Likes Received:
    1,270
    Location:
    The Land of 10,000 Loons
    Welcome to the Forum, Mike. First, Company A would have been in the 1st Battalion. In WWII, the infantry companies were assigned as follows: A thru D, 1st Bn.; E thru H, 2nd Bn.; I, K, L, M were 3rd Bn.

    Regarding your first question in post #1, I presume you are wanting to know how he was wounded. First, you do have his account which might be as specific an answer as you can get. Presumably the date of the PH refers to the date he was wounded. You can check the unit histories of the 85th Division (available in reprint) or the 338th (harder to come by) to see what was transpiring on or around that date. It helps that you know he was in Company A. That allows you to focus in on the 1st Battalion of the 338th.

    Here's a Facebook group on the 338th. It may be worth a try for 338th specific info.
     
    TD-Tommy776, Mar 25, 2015
    #12
    McCabe likes this.
  13. Frankjourney

    Frankjourney New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thank you to all the above responses...I was out for a day or two and will be busy following up on the leads.
     
    Frankjourney, Mar 26, 2015
    #13

Share This Page