Update on research.

Megan has sent for personal file from NARA, St Louis and we are awaiting results.

Thanks to Marion`s information from Ft Leonard Wood, we have a lot on the 1289th ECB.

Still trying to find info on the 3939th Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. We know they were under the 306th QM Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Co. assigned to the 1st Engineer Special Brigade and landed on Utah Beach 6-7 June `44. Movements after the invasion are unknown, but i think the unit may have been placed under control of ADSEC, Advance Section, Com-Z, Base Section.

Here`s what we have so far:

William H. Cox

Born: 15 August 1924, West Chester, Pennsylvania

Died: 09 September 1992 Kennett Square, Chester, Pennsylvania

Enlistment Record & Report of Separation Data:

ASN 33588811

Enlistment Date: 01 March 1943

Place of Enlistment: Philadelphia, PA.

Date of Entry to Active Service: 08 March 1943

Place of Entry: New Cumberland, PA.

Organization: CO B 1289th Engineer Comb BN

MOS: Truck Driver Light 345

Highest Grade Held: PFC

Battles & Campaigns: GO 33 & 40 WD 45 Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes

Decorations and Citations: Good Conduct Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal;

European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal With 3 Bronze Stars; WWII Victory Medal

Service outside Continental US and Return:

Date of Departure Destination Date of Arrival

6 Nov 43 Scotland 17 Nov 43

10 Dec 45 US 26 Dec 45

Date of Separation 09 January 1946 at Unit A SEP CTR 45 IGMRPA, Indiantown Gap, PA.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

On a page of "separation qualification record". it says

"truck driver light; truck driver light with the 3939th Quartermaster. Used truck to haul gasoline from and to the various installations as required and where needed. Did night driving made emergency road repairs. Served overseas 24 months in England, France and the Phillipines."

That is the only place on his records that mentions the 3939th QM. His official organization on discharge papers is 1289th combat engineers.

__________________________________________

1st Engineer Special Brigade assigned troops and attached units

This is the unit composition while on Utah Beach.

Units Assigned to the 1st ESB

1st Engineer Special Brigade, HQ & HQ Company

531st Engineer Shore Regiment (see note 1)

– 3 shore battalions (see note 1)

24th Amphibian Truck Battalion, HQ & HQ Detachment

– 462nd Amphibian Truck Company

– 478th Amph Trk Co

– 479th Amph Trk Co

306th Quartermaster Battalion HQ & HQ Company

– 556th Quartermaster Railhead Company

– 562nd QM Railhead Co (see note 2)

– 3939th QM Gas Supply Co

191st Ordnance Battalion HQ & HQ Detachment

– 3497th Ordnance MAM co

– 625th Ordnance Amm Co

– 161st Ordnance Platoon

577th Quartermaster Battalion HQ & HQ detachment

– 363rd Quartermaster Service Company (see note 3)

– 3207th QM Service Co

– 4144th QM Service Co

261st Medical Battalion (Amphibious), HQ & HQ Company

– 3 Medical Companies (Amphibious)

449th Military Police Company

286th Joint Assault Signal Company

33rd Chemical Decontamination Company

Units Attached to the 1st ESB

2nd Naval Beach Battalion

38th Engineer GS Regiment, HQ & H & S Company

– 2nd Engineer GS Bns

467th Engineer Maintenance Company, 1st Platoon

440th Engineer Depot Company, 1st Platoon

1605th Engineer Map Section

1217th Engineer FF [fire fighting?] Platoon

1218th Engineer FF Platoon

62nd Quartermaster Battalion, HQ & HQ Detachment

– 4061st Quartermaster Service Company

– 4083rd QM Serv Co

– 4088th QM Serv Co

– 4090th QM Serv Co

– 4092nd QM Serv Co

– 4190th QM Serv Co

244th Quartermaster Battalion, HQ & HQ Detachment

– 552nd QM Railhead Co

– 3878th QM Gas Supply Co

308th QM Railhead Company (attached to the 306th QM Bn)

3877th QM Gas Supply Company (attached to the 306th Qm Bn)

4132nd QM Service Company (attached to the 577th QM Bn)

607th Qm Graves Registration Co, 4th Platoon (attached to the 577th QM Bn)

537th Quartermaster Battalion HQ & HQ Detachment

– 3692nd QM Truck Co

– 3683rd QM Truck Co

– 3684th QM Truck Co

– 4002nd QM Truck Co

– 4041st QM Truck Co

815th Amphibious Truck Company

816th Amphibious Truck Company

817th Amphibious Truck Company (attached to the 24th Amph Trk Bn)

818th Amphibious Truck Company

3615th Ornance MAM Company (attached 191st Ord Bn)

23rd Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad (attached 191st Ord Bn)

175th Sig Repair Company, Detachment

215th Sig Repair Company, Det

999th Sig Sv Company, Det

3111th Sig Sv Company, Det

165th Sig Photo Company, Det

1st Medical Company2nd Section Advance Medical Platoon

3rd Aux Surgical Group

301st MP Escort Guard Company

595th MP Escort Guard Company

Company "D," 383rd MP Battalion

52nd Finance Dispursing Section

Det 8th AF Intransit Depot Group

490th Port Battalion

– 226th Port Company

– 227th Port Co

– 228th Port Co

– 229th Port Co

518th Port Battalion

– 278th Port Company

– 281st Port Co

– 298th Port Co

– 299th Port Co

– 300th Port Co

– 301st Port Co

519th Port Battalion

– 280th Port Company

– 279th Port Co

– 302nd Port Co

– 303rd Port Co

– 304th Port Co

– 305th Port Co

Notes:

1. After the Utah Beach Operations closed in the fall of 1944 these units were reorganized as Engineer Combat Group with three Engineer Combat Battalions. They joined the US 9th Army in the Netherlands.

2. This unit substituted for the 557th QM Railhead Company which lost the major part of its personnel by enemy action during Exercise Tiger, the rehearsal for the Normandy invasion.

3. This unit substituted for the 3206th QM Service Company which lost the major part of its personnel by enemy action during Exercise Tiger, the rehearsal for the Normandy invasion.

Thanks again Larry. This post is turning out to be a great source of information.

Yes! As soon as I get word about the NARA records I will let you know. I did speak with a gentlemen about records from Eisenhower museum? And he did find some as well, They charge for reproductions so as soon as I get that $$ to him and they mail the copies I will let you all know. I've been so busy here, volunteering and working and everything It's been pretty hectic! Will keep in touch though!

Well had problems with one of the files I had posted a couple of years ago, however, look what I just ran across!!!

William A Monroe - Oral History

Hello, everyone. I am beginning my research on my grandfather, Claud Liles "C.L." Burke, who was a member of the 1289th Combat Engineers. He was from Cullman, AL and entered the Army in 1942. He was honorably discharged in December 1945 at Ft. McPherson, GA as a PFC. I know that he was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and Remagen, but very little else. I am open to any pointers or tips that anyone has. Many thanks. Liles Burke

Welcome Liles, enjoyed chatting with you via email. I think you've come to the right place.

Hi. I'm a PhD student in New York, working on a dissertation on demobilization at the end of WWII. I have notes on a couple of letters from members of the 1289th to Senator LaFollette in Wisconsin. This thread helped me to positively place elements of the 1289th in Manila, so I'm just writing to say thanks!

Received this email and some files a few months ago. Am posting today...

Hi Marion,

I googled 128th Combat Engineers. My dad TEC/5 Ervin J. Lochowicz was I a member of the 1289th Combat Engineers. I saw CombatGirl grandfather was in the same unit and looking for information. My dad has a 37 point diary on the moves the unit made.

My uncle Pfc. Eugene E. Lochowicz is MIA from WWII. He was in the 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. I belong to the Yahoo group for the 8th and member of Fields of Honor. My uncle is posted in the Fields of Honor Database.

Thanks

Ken

 

Dad Army Diary.pdf

Ervin J. Lochowicz.pdf

John_Howes_Imformation.pdf

Pfc._Eugene_Lochowicz_search_history_2016.pdf

Souvenir_Edition_Bilge.pdf