Beth`s search for her father`s service shows the importance of looking at and understanding ALL the information on a the DD-214 discharge document. Especially if the soldiers service records were destroyed in the `73 fire at NPRC.
Beth did not have a scanner but she sent me the info in the boxes of the doc that she was able to read.
1. Phillips, Ernest J. 3. PFC 4. C E 5. AUS
6. Co. C 204th Eng Bn.
7. Nov 45
8. Sep Pt Cp Edwards Massachusetts
22. 17 Nov 42 or 43? 24. 1 Dec 42 or 43? 25. Boston, MA 30. Truck Driver
31. Combat Inf Badge SS Rifle
32. Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe
33. European African Middle Eastern w/4 stars, Good conduct, Bronze Star
36. Depart: 7 Apr 44, 16 Oct 45
Destination: HTO USA
Arrive: 16 Apr 44 26 Oct 45
40. Conv of the Govt AR Demobilization
Most of the rest is very difficult to read. Thank you very much for your help.
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Well if you look at boxes 32 & 36 the campaigns & travel dates match that of the 204th ECB, so it would seem to the 204th was his unit.,
BUT
A "red flag" comes up in box 31 that lists a C.I.B.
So i asked her to look closer where the awards & medals are listed to see if if there were any dates & numbers or letters next to them., She wrote back:
"On re-examination, the separation form has a few very faded and tough to read
numbers....Box 33: Good Conduct: S O #81 31 inf 24 May 44
Bronze Star: # 173 79 inf 1 Aug 45..
...There's a dark black line running down the page, so, I cannot tell if there may be another number before or after the " 31 "
On the 'final payment worksheet,' in the box that reads, "previous organization (or place), handwritten is : 3hq 204th Engr C Bn., cp Hilmer (Kilmer?), NJ. Oct 27/45"
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So now this tells us the Bronze Star Medal was issued by GO # 173, 79th Infantry Division and the Good Conduct was issued by the 31_? Infantry regiment. ( regiments of the 79th In were 313, 314, & 315 ). The C.I.B. would also have been awarded by the reg.
After searching for records of the 79th Infantry Division, i found his name on a roster of the 313th Inf Reg on page 194 of "History of the 313th infantry in World War II, by ... . Wood, Sterling A."
http://babel.hathitr...ge/173/mode/1up
On page 173 it states that while on occupation duty in the area of Miltenberg, Germany between Sept 15 & Nov 18 45 virtualy all the old personnel who fought with the regiment were transfered to other units to shipped home. This would have been when Mr Phillips joined the 204th ECB., shipped home with & was discharged from the 204thECB. so that was the organization that was listed in box 6 on the discharge doc.
There are a lot of co-incidences between the 79th Inf & the 204th that can be confusing. Same 4 campaigns, almost same travel dates, parts the 204th leaving the US on 6 April 44, the 79th on 7 April 44, probably jioned up with the same troop convoy.
The bottom line is the organization shown in box 6 may not be the unit the soldier served with his entire time of service. Sometimes it just lists the LAST unit he was with.