Attached is a letter from my dad to his mom dated May 20, 1943 in which he writes that he was in 3 battles: Kasserine, Berzita and Gasfa...some misspellings there...(plus requests for Colgate tooth powder, tooth brush, flash light, gum, cigarettes and chocolate candy matches...ha!). An interesting nugget in there about his unit assigned to protect FDR "and all the big shots" in Casablanca!
There is another letter written after his being wounded, but he does not say where or how it happened so I did not take a picture of it. The handwriting on it is different from the attached letter, which makes me think that it was dictated. He did have a shrapnel wound to his leg is all I can say. Also attached is something I found that confirms that he was assigned to the Medical Department. I do have a memory of him saying that he drove an ambulance.
Looks like he meant Kasserine, Bizerte and Gafsa. The above website states "On 24 April, Company B of the 20th Engineers was attached to the Free French Corps Franc d'Afrique and conducted the regiment's first assault. The attack went well." Pretty much in line with what his letter says.
I have to wonder since he was wounded in early June that maybe he was wounded while assisting the removal of mines which is what they did following the German surrender in North Africa. I am inclined to believe that maybe he never got back to the unit following his being wounded and was later assigned to another Engineer unit... the 292nd. No evidence for this as of yet.
Gary
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group