My name is Jim Gaspero. I have finally started researching my family history during World War II, specifically my grandfather and his older brother. My grandfather was part of the 1905th in the CBI campaign. His name was Robert E. Porter from Pennsylvania. He never spoke of the war or his older brother to me and he passed away in 1998. His brother was Sgt. Raymond E. Porter, Service # 33588979 from Pennsylvania. He was part of the 81st Combat Engineers, 106th Infantry Division. I have found newspaper articles from the local paper from 1944 and 1945. According to the paper he was listed as MIA on December 21, 1944. An article from March of 1945 indicates there was a newer report of his being a POW. According to other records I have found online he is listed as having died December 24, 1944 with an indication of FOD (which I believe stands for Finding of Death). I also know he received a Purple Heart with an oak leaf cluster. I have found another website (thanks to this one) specifically about the 106th and I plan to post the information there as well. I just thought I'd take a chance that someone would still be out there that would know a little bit more of his story. I also plan on uploading photos shortly. Thank you.
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81st Combat Engineers
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08-06-2011, 05:48 PM
08-07-2011, 08:57 AM
Welcome Jim. Pleasure meeting you and thanks for joining.
Let me see what I can find too. I will get back with you, as I doing some research for an WWII engineer this morning, and making copies to send to Hawaii.
It's great you are taking time to do this. Keep up the good work!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon There's "No Bridge Too Far"
08-07-2011, 09:32 AM
I just received this. Thanks Theron!
Some links for the St Vith book:
http://www.amazon.com/St-Vith-106th-Infantry-Division/dp/0898390923
The Ardennes book:
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-8/7-8_cont.htm
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon There's "No Bridge Too Far" 
08-07-2011, 05:46 PM
Hi Jim, welcome to the forum. We`ll be happy to assist you in your research but first i`d like to have a few details since there are many Raymond E & Robert E Porters from PA, i want to make sure i`m looking at the right Porters. i`d like to have their dates of birth, parents names, hometown & county where they lived when they enlisted. And which 1905th are we looking for? There were 2 in the CBI: The 1905th Engineer Aviation Battalion, & the 1905th Quartermaster Truck Company, Aviation, part of the 301st Air Service Group.
08-07-2011, 08:00 PM
Good to have you back Larry. I missed ya!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon There's "No Bridge Too Far"
08-07-2011, 08:18 PM
It`s good to be back. The reason for needing some details is an unusal find, there were 2 different Raymond E. Porters, both from Pennsylvania, & both died on 24 Dec 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge.
08-07-2011, 09:28 PM
My God, that's hard to believe. Whew!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon There's "No Bridge Too Far" 
08-08-2011, 09:57 PM
My grandfather, Robert E. Porter was born January 6, 1925, although it was rumored he changed his birth certificate to read 1923. He was from Linwood, PA, as was his brother. Their mother was Leola Pearl Moore. The name Moore was from her second husband. Their father was Nicholas Porter. I am trying to get exact dates of when they went I to the army. I believe my grandfather was January 1943 and his brother Raymond was March 1943. My grandfather Robert was in the 1905th Engineer Aviation Battalion. I am still trying to find Raymond's date of birth. I did see that there were 2 that died at the Battle of the Bulge on December 24, 1944. My grandfather's brother was the one that held the rank of sergeant.
Thank you so much for any help you can lend to my search. I really appreciate it.
08-08-2011, 11:33 PM
Ok, thanks for the info. These should be their enlistment records: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)
Field Title Value Meaning
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 33588979
NAME PORTER#RAYMOND#E
RESIDENCE: STATE #2 Undefined Code
RESIDENCE: COUNTY 045 Undefined Code
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 3295 PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 02
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 03
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT
GRADE: CODE 8 Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION NO# No branch assignment
BRANCH: CODE 02 No branch assignment
TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life
NATIVITY 21 DELAWARE
YEAR OF BIRTH 23
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1 White, citizen
EDUCATION 4 4 years of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 905 Unskilled occupations in building transportation equipment (except automobiles and aircraft), n.e.c.
MARITAL STATUS 1 Single, with dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER # #
BOX NUMBER 0681
FILM REEL NUMBER 1.198
----------------------- ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 33479349
NAME PORTER#ROBERT#E
RESIDENCE: STATE #2 Undefined Code
RESIDENCE: COUNTY 045 Undefined Code
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 3295 PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 04
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 01
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private
GRADE: CODE 8 Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION BI# Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
BRANCH: CODE 00 Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life
NATIVITY 21 DELAWARE
YEAR OF BIRTH 23
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1 White, citizen
EDUCATION 1 1 year of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 694 Semiskilled occupations in fabrication of metal products, n.e.c.
MARITAL STATUS 6 Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER # #
BOX NUMBER 0665
FILM REEL NUMBER 1.182 ---------------------------------
The 1905th Engineer Aviation Battalion
Source: "World War II Order of Battle", Shelby L. Stanton, 1984
Formed: 2 Jun 43 Dow Field, ME (1st Bn, 924th Engineer Reg) Inactivated: 4 Jan 46 New York Port of Embarkation Locations: Dow Field, ME 2 Jun 43; New York Port of Embarkation 8 Sep 43; India 12 Oct 43; Bhamo, Burma 1944; Ledo, India Aug 45; New York Port of Embarkation 3 Jan 46
Campaigns: India-Burma, Central Burma
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Military.com, Mr. Charles Aresta
Lineage: Constituted 15 July 1942 as 1st Battalion, 924th Engineer Regiment, in the Army of the United States. Activated 1 October 1942 at Army Air Base, Richmond, Virginia. Redesignated 1905 Engineer Aviation Battalion, 2 June 1943 at Dow Field, Maine. Departed the New York Port of Embarkation 8 September 1943 and arrived in India 12 October 1943. The unit was at Ledo, India at the end of World War II (15 August 1945 location). Returned to the United States via the New York Port of Embarkation on 3 January 1946 and inactivated 4 January 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Allotted to the National Guard of California 24 May 1946; Headquarters and Headquarters and Service Company organized and Federally recognized 27 September 1948 at Alameda, California. Ordered into active military service 1 October 1950 at Alameda and reorganized 3 November 1950 as follows: 1810th Engineer Aviation Company (see ANNEX 1) redesignated Comany A. 1811th Engineer Aviation Company (see ANNEX 2) redesignated Company B. 1812th Engineer Aviation Company (see ANNEX 3) redesignated Company C.
Here is an interview of Alexander Michnewich, a member of 1st Bn, 1905th EAB. It gives most of the details on where they were, what they did.
http://www.vmi.edu/uploadedFiles/Archives/Adams_Center/MichnewichA/MichnewichA_interview.pdf
08-09-2011, 06:51 AM
Nice work once again Larry. Compliments from the "chief"!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon There's "No Bridge Too Far" |
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