Posting this for someone who contacted me about a week ago...
Hi,
My name is Heather Stewart, and I am working on research on my grandfather's service in WWII. Unfortunately, his records were destroyed by fire in St. Louis. Unfortunately, my family cannot be a source of much information on his service and circumstance of his passing.
His name was Garth E. Howard, TEC4, Service #37543941. Apparently he was assigned to the 1050th Engineer Construction and Repair Group, and died Nov. 26, 1943. He is interred in the U.S. military cemetery at Nettuno, Italy.
He was a resident of northwest Iowa, but enlisted or was drafted into service at a station in Minnesota. He was a farm kid, just 19-20 years old at the time he joined the Army. I wonder if it was because of his experience with equipment that he was assigned to the Engineers. I do know he was sent to training at Fort Screven, at Tybee Island, Georgia in the summer of 1942, before being sent to the European theater.
I believe that he spent a short period of time in France before August 1943, before his death in Italy in late November 1943.
I cannot find any information about the 1050th, and what type of work they were specifically doing, and the circumstances of his passing. I wonder if the 1050th was actually part of another group, and if you have any information on that. Also, do you have any other suggestions on how I might be able to find more information?
His passing was quite traumatic to my grandmother who was widowed at age 21 with a newborn daughter at the time. While she kept many momentos of him, the oral history of his service and his passing was never spoken about, mainly because her 2nd husband was extremely jealous of her posthumous affections and memories of her 1st husband, my grandfather. A tragic loss, really.
I would truly appreciate your help in piecing together whatever information can be found to paint a more complete picture.
With hopes to hear from you,
Heather Stewart
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"