88th Inf Div

[Walt's Daughter]

Found this post and responded to him through email. Am also posting the info here as usual for everyone's benefit including his.

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From: "Pat Cawrse"

 

My father fought in the North Appennines/Po Valley campaign near the wars' end. He wore both the Red Bull and 88th infantry patch. I do not know his unit.

 

Would anyone know of a Leo J. Young from Sandusky, Ohio? He has some pictures of vineyards and river crossings along with some of a destroyed railroad yard.

 

Please email me at Landdoc1@aol.com. Thank you.

[Walt's Daughter]

Hi:

 

Saw you post below and thought I would help you out.

 

There is a simply explanation for both patches, Red Bull (34th Inf Div) & the 88th Inf Div. The 88th was attached to several units and indeed was attached to the 34th Red Bulls as observers. Thus he would have both patches.

 

My dad was a 540th Combat Engineer and their unit was referred to as a "bastard" unit because they were an entity unto themselves and were never a permanent part of a division, although his unit as well an many other engineer units, were attached to or in direct support of infantry and armored units. My dad too has a Red Bull patch, along with his 540th patch. When I first began conducting research into his unit's history, I was confused by the TWO patches.

 

I have some preliminary info for you and hope that this helps you. You may already have most of this, but I thought it may help. I will post your search on my forum too, so others may run into. Someone may recognize the name. Let me know if I can do anything more and I will be in contact if I find anything else.

 

Warm regards,

 

Marion J Chard

Proud daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek

540th Combat Engineer WWII

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/

 

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http://www.88infdiv.org/wwii.html

 

http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitCreat...,100059,00.html

 

http://www.milhist.net/ordbat/88infdivus.html

 

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/OOB/88...8-Division.html

 

http://stonebooks.com/archives/980825.shtml

 

http://www.mtmestas.com/

 

http://www.wfrgames.com/armyhist/infdivs/88infdiv.htm

 

http://www.milhist.net/88/88battles.html

 

http://www.lonesentry.com/unithistory/88thinfantry/

 

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...113/ai_n6355296

[Custermen]

Pat,

 

If you don't know his unit, then are you sure he was in the 88th Division. After the end of the war, the soldiers were selected to return home based on their Points. Some replacement soldiers didn't have enough points, so they had to stay and serve as occupation forces or possibly be sent to the Pacific. Whereas, soldiers who had been in service a long time and had earned points thru awards and children, were selected to return home.

The 88th Division was kept in Italy as an occupation force, which became the TRUST Force. Soldiers with high point score, were transferred out and into another division that was selected to return to the States; such as the 85th Division and the 34th Division. Those in 34th Division with low score were transfered into the 88th Division to remain.

That is one explanation for two patches or serving in those 2 divisions.

 

If you have your Dad's uniform or a photo of it, look to see which patch is on the Left shoulder and which is on the Right. The LEFT shoulder would be the current unit and the Right would be a previous unit.

 

Here is a quote from "CUSTERMEN", a post-war news-letter of the 85th Divison:

"The 85th Division has been given a new and final mission.  Put in Category IV in the War Department's Re-deployment Program, the 85th has been assigned the job of taking back to the States men who have more that 85 points.  When the final mission is accomplished, the renowned 85th Custer Division will be in-activated.  In record-breaking time, 5000 men with less than 85 points had to say farewell to old friends as orders came thru transferring them.  The bulk of our men went to the 34th Division, while others went to the 91st Division, 10th Mountain and 423? Field Artillery Group, and other units. . . .  Simultaneously,  men with more that 85 points came into the Division from other units, principally from the 34th Division.  According to present plans, by the middle of August {1945}, the re-organized Custer Division will be on the high seas headed to Hampton Roads."

 

I'll see if I have anything or any links that might have a roster for your Dad. The unit history of the 88th Division has a Roster for everyone who earned an award---and one for everyone Killed In Action. Maybe your Dad's name is in the former list.

Steve

 

Patch of the TRUST Forces -

inspired by the 88th Divison clover leaf.

Note the fancy stitching around the patches.

[Custermen]

Leo J. Young from Sandusky, Ohio?

Here are some names from the Appendix of 'The Blue Devils in Italy' by Delaney, that lists all the names of soldiers who earned an award. The appendix is broken down by the 3 Regiments, then by the Artillery battalions, medical, ordnance, recon, and other units.

 

Lee J. Young, Pfc, PH - 350th Infantry Regiment

 

Leonard T. Young, Pvt, PH - 351st Infantry Regiment

 

(PH = Purple Heart. No companies are listed; only Regiments.)

Those were the only names that looked close. I thought "Leonard" was it. I'll check some other places.

I really wish I could say the first one, Lee, is a typo and it should have been "Leo". What do you think?

 

Steve