My father will be 91 June 19th. He has requested that I would write a brief bio about his life for an event that has been planned for him. He served from January 24 1943 to January 12 1946. He was in CO C 1871ST ENGR AVN BN. His name is Hubert P. Rivens and he was out of Fort Bragg NC. Is there anyone out there who remembers him? He told me he was a Heavy Truck Driver.
Has your father tried to obtain his service file? It might help you to put together information. There is some information here http://www.ww2f.com/military-servic...esting-copies-military-personnel-records.html regarding the process for requestion the file. Good Luck!
I'll look and see what I can find tonight or this weekend. Unfortunatley, the smaller units are more difficult to find good hard information about, but you can get lucky sometimes. Could you post his story here when you complete it? We would be honored. Please extend thanks from my family for his service during those times.
Here is some generic information on Engineer Aviation Battalions Factsheets : Engineer Aviation Battalions I'm hoping I can at least find what theater the 1871st was in. Edit: This article mentions the 1871st - the August 24, 1945 entry. The author is in the Philippines, (see August 3 entry) in or near Manila.
I've found this on "Hyperwar"; 31 Hist. 839th EAB; Col. Mayo's summary of visit to 842d EAB, 5 June 1945; Hist. 857th EAB, 12944; Hist 872d Airborne EAB, 1944; Hist. 821st EAB; Hist. Summary, 839th EAB, Dec. 1944; Hist. 1871st EAB, Mar. 1945; Hist. 867th EAB, Mar. 1945. Wish your father a Happy Birthday and a Big Thank You. I haven't found a specific mention of the 1871st but there is a lot of reading at these links. Hopefully with your father's help and information you can narrow in on where he was. Good Luck. HyperWar: Army Air Forces in WWII: Volume VII: Services Around the World [Chapter 10] Employment of Negro Troops
I forgot to say Hi and Welcome to the WW2f. Just found another 'tidbit' and maybe your father might remember or knew the following soldier. Included is a list of some of the areas the 1871st were. (hopefully the right 1871st. ) EVANS 38 201 636 T5G US ARMY Co C 1871st Eng. Btln. 8 Sep 1942 Tyler, TX 15 Dec 1945 Ft. Sam Houston, TX Motor Equipment Mechanic, Sharpshooter Rifle New Guinea, Southern Philippines, Luzon Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/3 Bronze Stars, American Theater Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon w/1 Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Ribbon, 1 Service Stripe, 3 Overseas Service Bars, Lapel Button re: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/trinity/military/ww2/ww2disb3s11.txt
Let me add my thanks to him as well. Besides wartime circumstances, he had to deal with racism from those who should have welcomed him as a fellow soldier in the war against totalitarianism.
Here is all I can find. Official title: 1871st Engineer Aviation Battalion (Colored) 1 Feb 1943 Activated Greenville Army Airbase, SC 11 Dec 1943 Departed San Francisco Port of Embarkation 29 Dec 1943 Arrived Australia 3 Jan 1944 Arrived New Guinea 10 Nov 1944 Arrived Philippines 16 Jun 1946 Inactivated Philippines Was in Manila Aug 1945 Credited with Leyte, Luzon and New Guinea Campaigns.
I also looked last night, but it was very difficult to find much about the 1871st. Did he ever mention postings outside of the US? Perhaps if he did and you post those, we can find a search combination that will give us better information.
