Son of a 393d Engineer S.S. vet

[itsnotyou]

I have applied for Dad's full military record. These are the things we do have. Dad's DD214, a portrait of lieutenant Colonel James J. Kinsella addressed to my Dad or Grandfather (the name on the envelope did not specify SR or JR) I think he may have been a personal friend of dad's. Dad grew up in the San Diego Mission De Acala's "Nazareth House" known originally as "The Orphanage" after his mother passed away in 1928. My wife went to Catholic school with James Kinsella's grandchildren and they confirmed that they have the same portrait of their grandfather. They only know he drown in the early 50's during a military dive. A search I did came up with a James J. Kinsella from San Diego that was a WW II & Korea decorated flying Ace. The other picture is one of the only pictures we have of dad in his uniform. Dad should have been 19 to 21 when this picture was taken. The patches posted are the same as the ones mom had in dad's things. The "Black Cat" patch was in with them but I do not know if it had anything to do with the military. I remember about 1970 dad took some patches to the VFW 2082 post because people were trying to identify all the different patches the military had. One he put up on the board he stated "No one can guess this one because only eighty men ever had it" I cannot remember what that patch looked like. It may have been the cat patch? There were other patches that I remember when I was a child as I find pictures, I will post copies of them.

Jim Phillips DD214.pdf

[itsnotyou]

These are similar patches I seem to remember playing with when I was small. They were kept in dads bottom dresser drawer and he would let us look at them if we asked. I do not know what happened to them.

I remember always thinking the one was a cannon with a lighting bolt but I see it is a tank track. I do not remember the number on it.

I am pretty positive of the other one also. There were a couple more but I am having a hard time recalling them.

 

Jack

[Walt's Daughter]

The 393rd would have been an independent or "bastard" unit, as they called them in WWII. Simply put, the unit acted on its own and was NOT part of a division. There were many units like this during the war, including my dad's, 540th Engineer Combat Regiment. They were often assigned to other units, such as the 3rd, 36th, and 45th Inf Divs. Sometimes they were simply under the COMMAND of VI Corps or the 5th or 7th Armies.

 

Other engineer units were permanently part a division or ORGANIC to that unit. To give you an example, the 10th Engineers were organic to the 3rd Infantry Division.

 

As with my dad, he had other patches due to the fact they were attached to infantry, tank or airborne units. Hope that helps.