Need help in reading a record

Hi,

I'm researching my GI grandfather. I submitted my father's DNA to ancestry and he has been linked to a 1st cousin. My father was born on 15th April 1945 in Wales, uk. The only name my grandmother gave my dad as to who is father was, is Robert Jones, who was an American GI stationed in pembrokeshire.

This 1st cousin on ancestry dna has been in touch with me, and he has a robert jones in his family tree. This robert jones is his mother's half brother and he served in WW2.

I requested his records under the war babes agreement and received a copy of his records. The letter accompanying the records state that he left the usa on 23 april 44, arrived in european theatre on 1st May 44. He participated in the Ardennes, Rhineland and central Europe campaigns. It states that as he was in Europe before 6 June 44 he was likely to be in the UK. He left Europe 7 August 45 and arrived back in the usa on 19th August 45. These dates don't quite match up to my dad's conception date as he was born 15th April 45,so if I'm right should have been in the UK June, July, August in order for him to have concieved my father.

On his record it has 73? Amphibian tractor battalion. I can't make out the number after the 73

I will post pictures of what I have up, in the hope that someone can help me make more sense of it, and so I can trace where he was and when.

Many thanks Cath

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/cathmorris33/embed/slideshow/"></iframe>

 

Its the 738th Amphibious Tractor Battalion, which returned from Europe arriving in Boston on 19 August 1945. The 738th was organized from the 738th Tank Battalion in Germany on 16 July 1945. The 738th Tank Battalion (Medium) was formed 1 March 1943 at Fort Benning, Georgia and was reorganized as a Tank Battalion (Special) on 19 November 1943, equipped with the Canal Defense Light (CDL). It departed for Europe from New York on 22/23 April 1944 and arrived 30 April/1 May. It deployed to the Continent on 10 November 1944, albeit without its CDL tanks. Instead, it was redesignated as a MX - Mine Exploder - battalion equipped with various roller and flail type mine exploder tanks and tankdozers (although in March it reorganized again to include one CDL and two MX platoons in each company).

So he was in England from 1 May to early November 1944.

 

Here's a link to the After Action Reports (AAR's) for the 738th Tank Bn. You can download the files: http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4013coll8/id/3599/rec/3

Does Robert's date of birth say 23 Jan or Jun?

 

Comparing it with other typed words containing "a" or "u", it seems to me to be Jun. However, it is not a very clear image so that may not be correct.

Not sure it adds much, but here is the Electronic Enlistment record for Robert L. Jones ASN 34724245.

 

The AAR is a nice find, Steve. It has maps with notations like the location of a minefield and the positions the of CDLs. And, of course, it has the dates, locations, and activities of the Companies of the 738th.

 

Found a guy on Ancestry that fits using 22 Jan 1923 (it's not the 23rd) and info from the separation report, here is his FindaGrave page: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&amp;GRid=113115299&amp;ref=acom

The following is shown for his family, it should say "Siblings" above Velma Louise Jones:


Parents

• 
  
  Ira Claire Jones
  1894–1941
  
• 
  
  Lucy Powell
  1893–1930
  

• 
  
  Velma Louise Jones
  
  1919–2000
  
• 
  
  Thomas R. Jones
  
  1926–
  

Half Siblings

• 
  
  James Jones
  
  1929–
  
• 
  
  Betty Jean Jones
  
  1933–2016
  
• 
  
  Private
  
• 
  
  Ira Claire Jones
  
• 
  
  Private
  
• 
  
  Private
  

Spouse & Children

• 
  
  Private
  
• 
  
  Private
  
• 
  
  Private
  

 

Thank you all so much for your replies and Help! I'm so excited to find out more about where he was in the UK. I'm so hoping it's pembrokeshire wales as I will have found my grandfather!

His birthday is January 23rd.

Can't wait to share with my father all this information. What a great start to 2017!!

Thank you and happy new year to you all. I will read everything you've shared with me, and get back to you!

 

Are there any reports available of when they were stationed in the UK? How would I go about finding out where they were based in the UK prior to going to Europe?

 

Can anyone help with more info on where this battalion were in the uk?

 

I just came across a listing of UK Station List of US Army/Army Air Force units as of 31 Aug 1944. It has the 738th Tank Battalion (Medium) (Special) listed as being located at Puncheston, Pembrokeshire. It also gives the coordinates as VN4553 (Modified British System). That translates to approximately 51° 56' 05'' N 4° 54' 24'' W. Keep in mind these are not precise locations. You may need to do some local history research to find exactly where the US Army units were at that time.

The information in the above referenced document appears to be from the D-Day Museum (www.ddaymuseum.co.uk).

 

Thank you so much! This is the village where my father was born. This is so amazing! I can't believe we've found who is father is after all these years?!

Thank you SO much!

 

If I was a bit more organized, I might have found that for you sooner. Here's a screen capture of the page showing the above info:

View attachment 25314

 

I literally cannot believe I've found him! I've wanted to know who my American grandfather was since I was 6 years old.

I'm a complete novice when it comes to the organisation of a battalion (as I'm sure you can tell!) Would a battalion have 'companies' and if so how would I find out which one he was in? Would the battalion have war Diaries? I've seen the Eisenhower files online, is this where I look? How do I request this info?

Apologies for so many questions!

 

I've found a message on military.com (on the 378th unit page) from the grandson of one of Roberts friends who served with him. It says he is searching for him and they were in A company 1st PLT.