Need help piecing my Grandpa's WWII story - 39th Combat Engr

[theron]

GO 33 WD  Means general Orders #33, War Department.  These orders were the 'authority' by which the credits were granted.

The arrowhead, signifies an assault landing.  The Good conduct Medal was earned by not getting into any major legal difficulty with the Code of Military Justice during his time in service.  

According to the Depart of the Army's UNIT CITATION AND CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT REGISTER  Pamphlet# 672-1, 

--Anzio is listed separately for credit

--No separate listing for Salerno.

--North Apennines, Sicily, Rome-Arno,  Naples-Foggia and Po Valley are separate campaigns.   According to the Register, the 643rd received credit for Naples-Foggia, Po Valley and Rome-Arno.   It also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation dated 8 June 1945. 

The 39th Engineer Combat Regiment received credit for:  Anzio, Naples-Foggia, North Apennines, Rome-Arno, and Sicily. It also received assault credit for Gela,  Sicily. (the arrowhead.) 

Hope this helps.

 

Theron P. Snell, Ph.D

 

[buk2112]

2 hours ago, theron said:

GO 33 WD  Means general Orders #33, War Department.  These orders were the 'authority' by which the credits were granted.

The arrowhead, signifies an assault landing.  The Good conduct Medal was earned by not getting into any major legal difficulty with the Code of Military Justice during his time in service.  

According to the Depart of the Army's UNIT CITATION AND CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT REGISTER  Pamphlet# 672-1, 

--Anzio is listed separately for credit

--No separate listing for Salerno.

--North Apennines, Sicily, Rome-Arno,  Naples-Foggia and Po Valley are separate campaigns.   According to the Register, the 643rd received credit for Naples-Foggia, Po Valley and Rome-Arno.   It also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation dated 8 June 1945. 

The 39th Engineer Combat Regiment received credit for:  Anzio, Naples-Foggia, North Apennines, Rome-Arno, and Sicily. It also received assault credit for Gela,  Sicily. (the arrowhead.) 

Hope this helps.

 

Theron P. Snell, Ph.D

 

 

Well done sir !

[Weston497]

Theron, thank you for the explanation.  I figured as much about the "good conduct medal".  Your comment about that Anzio would have been given separate credit begs more questions.  As I mentioned previously, the 39th Combat Engineers 2nd Battalion was renamed/re-organized into the 643rd.  I have read a newspaper clipping indicating my Grandpa was part of the 39th which then goes on to recap all the activities of the 39th (from both battalions).   Based on stories my Grandpa told me and timing of the reorg to the 643rd, I am sure he was at Anzio.  Is there any other possibility?  Do you know of a way to find out which battalion / company my Grandpa served in before the re-org?  Would the 2nd battalion have earned the bronze arrowhead if they weren't part of the initial wave?

Sorry my thanks is so late, I forgot to refresh this page even though it was open.   :o

 

[Walt's Daughter]

You can read the entire history of the 39th on the main site. The 39th were at Anzio. There is no doubt about that.

I think you may have misunderstood, Theron. He is saying that Anzio is listed as a credit. 

There full and actual credits were:

 

39th Engineer Combat Regiment 
D-Day Landings

Gela Sicily
Naples-Salerno
Anzio Italy

Campaign Credits

Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Po Valley
North Apennines

And please note, that the 39th did not change designations until two months before war's end. They were known as the 39th throughout the war. Again, please read the history from the page referenced above. The 39th's history is taken directly from archives, books and from direct stories and articles written by the men, one of them included is Col. Stanley W. Dziuban, a noted historian for the unit.

Lineage and History

[Walt's Daughter]

Quote

Do you know of a way to find out which battalion / company my Grandpa served in before the re-org?  Would the 2nd battalion have earned the bronze arrowhead if they weren't part of the initial wave?

Hi: You will have to refer back to your original post and the suggestions that were given to you previously regarding the acquisition of records. :-)  The archived records will include rosters.

The unit as a whole received the bronze arrowhead. If he participated in the landing, then he would have been entitled to it. 

[Weston497]

Thanks again.  I reached out to the National Archives in Maryland, but with the emailed reply was they were furloughed as part of the government shut down.

[Walt's Daughter]

Oh yes, unfortunately you will have to wait a little longer.  :unsure:

[Walt's Daughter]

I've combined your most recent post with this one. Makes it less confusing and easier to keep track of for everyone.  ;)

[Weston497]

The research from the Maryland National Archives is back at work and responded.  There are a couple different available reports listed  - histories, Opn Rpt (I assume Operations Reports), Jnl (journals?), General Orders, and G-3 Periodics.  Which is most likely to mention people by name?

I already have the morning reports for the 39th regiment, 2nd Battalion, company E and F for Sept 1943.  

[Walt's Daughter]

That's a tough thing to answer. When I contacted a private researcher, i had her get me whatever she could. Each collection of records, filled in more blanks. You can take a look at my 540th records on the main site, to give you an idea.