Greetings from Wisconsin! I am newly retired and began researching my dad's millitary history since January 2014. My father passed away in his forties so my brother and I do not have much information--just bits and pieces and a few photos. In the past months, I was able to discover quite a few interesting items. He enlisted in Jan. 1942, was in the 4th Service Command, a Tech 5, completed training for the Medical Corps at Camp Grant, Il., was sent to Hawaii and then to the island of Tongareva sometime mid or late 1942. There the Corps of Engineers were building an air strip as this island was one of a chain to be an alternate route for men and supplies from the U.S. and Hawaii to Australia. They also built a radar tower and water distillery and an infirmary, dispensary,and mess hall. They lived in huts with thatched roofs and woven mats forming the sides. Sometime in Nov. or Dec. 1943, he contracted a serious tropical disease and ended up in a California hospital and then at Camp Gordon, GA. There he worked as a dental assistant or lab assistant until the end of the war. My mother had mentioned that he had an assumed name and checked mail and backgrounds, etc. I was fortunate to make contact with a woman whose grandfather was the Army doctor on Tongareva and we shared information and photos. My dad's records were destroyed in "73 fire and all I was able to obtain is his final pay voucher. I have also contacted Veterans Affairs and they said my dad's medical records were at another Federal Archive and there would be a delay. So far I have been waiting for two months. I am hoping to learn what disease he had and I hope his medical records will confirm my tentative timeline and possibly some additional information. On his final pay voucher in the Army Component box there is AUS 9 D ( Division, Detachment?) Right under his name and serial no. is ASF F WM6 and in the Previous Organization or Place is 1456 S C U followed by what could be a 7 (photocopy is very poor quality). In the Discharge box it looks like AR G15-355 RR 1-1 and in Credit Box it looks like 30 S# 446 620 or 44G G20. Any input as to the meaning of these numbers and abbreviations would be much appreciated! Thanks, Gail
Normally, the Final Pay Voucher has little helpful info in researching WWII service history. Having said that, I believe the "1456 S C U" refers to the 1456th Service Command Unit, which was probably the unit he was in at Camp Gordon (today known as Fort Gordon). This might be TMI, but here's some info on Service Commands from the volume, "The Organization and Roll of the Army Service Forces".