Looking for military record info

Hello,

I am new here so please bear with me.

I like many are looking for military record info. In my case, it is for my dad (grandfather but they adopted me)

Here is the info that I know since i do have his original discharge papers.

He was in Company H 129th Infantry as a heavy mortar crewman 1607 and combat infantryman (badge MM Rifle) which is on his papers.

Shows he was in the battles/campaigns - Northern Solomons Southern Phillippines (Liberation)

Decorations where Good conduct Ribbion, American Defense service ribbon, asiatic pacific theater ribbon with 2 bronze battle stars, bronze service arrowhead, phillippine liberation ribbon with 1 bronze battle star.


I know, alot of info. I would like to find out details of what he did. I am going to look up the campaigin once I am done here.

But in the meantime, does anyone know anyplace i might go to for more info. I know there are some pages dedicated to regiments. Any out there for the one he was in.

Thanks in advance.

 

Here's something to get you started with. Hopefully as you go along, you will learn more about your grandpaw and to appreciate what he did in the war.

Information here is taken from World War II Order of Battle: Shelby Stanton. Paraphrasing of course....

The 129th Infantry Regiment (Illinois National Guard) was assigned to the 37th Infantry Division. Here is the divisional order of battle as deployed (major units only).

US 37th Infantry Division

129th Infantry Regt (Ill NG)
145th Infantry Regt (Oh NG)
148th Infantry Regt (Oh NG)

HHB Divarty
6th Field Artillery Bn (105 mm - RA)
135th Field Artillery Bn (105 mm - Oh NG)
136th Field Artillery Bn (155 mm - Oh NG)
140th Field Artillery Bn (105 mm - Oh NG)

37th Reconaissance Troop, Mechanized
117th Combat Engineer Bn

The 37th Infantry Division was inducted into Federal service at Columbus, Ohio 15 Oct 40, then moved to Camp Shelby, Ms for training. Departed San Francisco, Ca 26 May 42, arrived Fiji Islands 11 Jun 42. From there, the division moved to Guadalcanal to continue training prior to entering combat in the PTO.

I will concentrate on the 129th Infantry Regiment now.

The 129th landed on Boganville on 13 Nov 43, and conducted combat operations there until 11 Oct 44. After Boganville was declared secure, the 129th Inf and the rest of 37th ID conducted training for the Philippine Campaign. The 129th Inf went in at the Lingayen Gulf on 9 Jan 45 and conducted combat operations on the island of Luzon, including the Battle of Manila through 26 Mar 45. After that point, mopping up operations were conducted in the area.

The 129th Inf was detached from the 37th ID and attached to the 33rd ID for operations around Bauang for the period of 26 Mar - 10 Apr 45. After re-joining the 37th ID, the 129th Inf continued combat operations on Luzon until 30 Jun 45. It continued with mopping up operations and processing of Japanese POWs when the war ended.

The 37th ID re-deployed to the US and arrived at Los Angeles, Ca on 18 Dec 45, and was de-activated same date.

Hope this helps.

 

Just to add: In WWII, a standard infantry regiment was made up of Regimental Headquarters Company and three battalions. 1st Battalion: Battalion HQ, Company A,B,C,& D. 2nd Battalion: Battalion HQ, Company E,F,G,& H. 3rd Battalion: Battalion HQ, Company I,K,L,& M. Companies D,H,& M were heavy weapons Companies made up of company HQ, 2-.30 cal. water cooled Browning heavy machine gun platoons, and 1-81mm mortar platoon. The machine gun platoon had two sections comprised of two squads with one .30 cal. machine gun per squad (8-machine guns per company). The mortar platoon was made up of three sections of 2 squads each, with one mortar per squad (6-mortars per company). Your granddad would have served in a 81mm mortar squad of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 129th Infantry. Company H would have been parcelled out to support 2nd Battalion rifle companies (E,F,G) in an attack with machine guns and/or mortars as needed. Heavy weapons companies were seldom mentioned in regimental After Action Reports, but knowing that your granddad's company belonged to 2nd Battalion will making your reading more clear. Hope this helps.

Greg C.

 

Thanks for all the info. I am going to make copies of his discharge papers and give it to a former boss of mine who likes researching stuff like this.

I am also hoping to get his medals replaced. They burnt up in a fire before I was born. My mom (grandma) was allways hoping to get them replaced but never did. (She died in 01)

From those papers, can one find out just exactly what specifics he did or just general info about the battles?

Thanks again guys, once I find out more I will post.

 

Get someone to post what you find for us to see when you can. Once you locate those discharge papers, you should be able to determine what decorations your grandpa was awarded and replace them. Good luck, and keep us informed of your search.

 

I could scan his discharge papers and post those. To be honest, I would like to have his full military records. I have allways been curious as to what he did during the war.

I had asked him at one time but he would never talk about it. If posting those copies would not be a problem let me know. I am going to scan them today and give them to my old boss to see if she can find out any info.

I have a friend who is in the Ill NG and going to see if he can get me any info on replacing those medals.

 

Post them, and whatever else you find. Nobody here will complain.