Hello, I'm a new member, so first want to say what a great site this is.A wealth of information like this must require lots of time and work.The discharge
and separation papers of my Dad state that he served in the Pacific theater in a company called the 1937th Engineer Composite Co.I have not been able
to find much on the internet, just a couple of obits for other soldiers who were in same company.I am new to this subject, and my Dad never would talk
much about it. I was hoping that someone who has been doing research for a while might know something.Dad's name was Johnnie F. Lee, service number
38 369 911. Separation papers say that he was inducted Jan 15,1943 in Abilene, Tx..Active service date Jan 22, 1943. His departure date was June 15, 1943
and arrived in Australia July 19, 1943. Dad was a heavy equipment operator. The 1947th was not formed until sometime in 1944, but at it's formation was attached to the 5th Army Air Force for the duration of the war.The company name changed a couple times to 1947th Engineer Service Co., and then to 1937th Engineer
Aviation Utilities Co. Since this company was not formed until 1944, Dad was in Australia for some time before that. Doing what for whom I have not a clue, tho
I could guess he was working on landing strips. I sent a query to the Center for Military History, and the reply I got will follow. That is about all the hard facts that I have
for the moment,but I will continue. Thanks for your time, Frank Lee.
Mr. Lee -- We're sorry about your loss. This Center doesn't maintain
operational records or unit rosters, but information available indicates
that the 1937th Engineer Composite Company was activated 15 August 1944 in
New Guinea. It would appear as if the unit supported the Fifth Air Force
while in New Guinea, and the unit remained there until mid-October 1944 when
it moved to the Philippines. On 7 January 1945, the unit redesignated as
the 1937th Engineer Service Company and on 6 March 1945 as the 1937th
Engineer Aviation Utilities Company. The company remained in the
Philippines until 30 June 1945, when it moved to Okinawa by 9 July 1945. The
company left Okinawa and arrived in Japan on 5 September 1945, where it
inactivated 21 July 1946 (it would appear as if the company was still
assigned to support the Fifth Air Force up through this time). For its
World War II service, the company earned campaign participation credit for
New Guinea, Luzon, and Leyte, as well as a Philippine Presidential Unit
Citation. More detailed information about the company's service may be
available in the unit's operational records which may be in the custody of
the National Archives and Records Administration.
