Looking for INFO 125th Combat Engineers of the 14th Armored Division

[mepaw]

I am looking for information on (the Discharge Papers state) Headquarters Company 125th Armored Engineer Batallion. My father served between 1941 and 1945. I believe he drove fuel trucks and worked with heavy machinery. I would appreciate any help you can offer.

[SonofaMP]

Hello Kate and welcome to the forum you`ve certainly came to the right place, i`m sure our vets & members can dig up alot of info for you.

Larry

Just takin a quick look, the 125th Armored Engineer Batallion was attached to the 14th Armored Division.

 

Heres an Order of Battle for 14th Armored:

Order of Battla, 14th Amored

 

14th Armored home page

http://www.14tharmoreddivision.org/menu.htm

[SonofaMP]

Here is a contact for the 125th Armor Engr Bn (14th Armored Div) Assoc.

 

Mrs Marie I Harrington 315-343-9608

5 Gregory St

Oswego, NY 13126-1741

[Walt's Daughter]

Good work SonafaMP. Thanks for jumping in and giving her a great helping hand.

 

I'll see what I can come up with too. See our Research Section for further contacts for engineer units.

[Jeeper704]

Would be great of Kate can post some information on her father's service here.

And even add a picture.

 

I'll see what I can find regarding the 14th Armored Division and the 125th Armored Engineer Battalion.

 

Erwin

[kate]

Would be great of Kate can post some information on her father's service here.

And even add a picture.

 

I'll see what I can find regarding the 14th Armored Division and the 125th Armored Engineer Battalion.

 

Erwin

 

 

Hi Erwin

Thank you all who are giving me such great information to start with.

What I know is this, my father served in Algeria france Morrocco Tunisia Sicily Naple Foggia Rome arno Southern France Rhineland and Central Europe. He received a Good conduct medal, american defense medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Ribbon with one bronze arrowhead and that he was a technician fifth grade I will try to post a picture soon Thanks again

[Jeeper704]

Hi Kate,

 

No problem, we're here to help each other.

Thanks for the additonal information on your father.

You know you can ask for his military record in Missouri (National Personnel Records Center)?

 

A bronze arrowhead denotes he participated in an amphibious assault. As the 14th Armored Division landed at Marseille, France, on 29 October 1944, your father probably was with another unit before that date as he was in

Algeria france Morrocco Tunisia Sicily Naple Foggia Rome arno

. His military record will reveal what units he was in.

I think he might have been transferred to the 14th Armored Division either around the end of 1944 or at war's end.

Maybe he didn't have enough points to return with his former unit to the US and had to stay on occupational duty in 1945 (The 14th Armored Division was inactivated on 16 September 1945.).

 

Some little bits of information regarding your father's unit and the 14th Armored Division:

 

January 1, 1945 — In the Seventh Army area in southern France, the Germans launched Operation Northwind, an attack designed to take advantage of Third Army's turn to the north toward Bastogne in support of First Army. The attack began several hours before midnight on 31 December 1944. The 1st Battalion, 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, assembled at Baerenthal, France, organizing as infantry to help meet the enemy advance into its area. Companies B and C stood in the main line with a cavalry reconnaissance squadron and an armored infantry battalion. Two platoons of Company A assaulted German positions to open a path for isolated elements of the 125th Armored Engineer Battalion.

Engineers 1945

 

14th Armored Division - order of battle & staff

 

14th AD - Wikipedia

 

14th AD Combat History

 

Hopefully, this helps a little.

 

Erwin

[Jeeper704]

Dug out some more stuff to read on the 14th AD ....

 

Moosburg

 

Third Reich in Ruins

Nice then & now photos!

 

Memories

Eventhough sold out here, it might be worth looking for it.

 

In March 1945, the 761st led a successful task force, which cracked the Siegfried Line at Klingenmunster and forced the Germans to withdraw across the upper Rhine. The entire 14th Armored Division was then passed through to exploit a breakthrough that had been accomplished by this one tank battalion and a battalion of infantry from the 103rd Infantry Division.

A very famous unit of black soldiers (761st Tank Battalion). They sure did a hell of a job!

 

Erwin

[kate]

Hi Kate,

 

No problem, we're here to help each other.

Thanks for the additonal information on your father.

You know you can ask for his military record in Missouri (National Personnel Records Center)?

 

A bronze arrowhead denotes he participated in an amphibious assault. As the 14th Armored Division landed at Marseille, France, on 29 October 1944, your father probably was with another unit before that date as he was in . His military record will reveal what units he was in.

I think he might have been transferred to the 14th Armored Division either around the end of 1944 or at war's end.

Maybe he didn't have enough points to return with his former unit to the US and had to stay on occupational duty in 1945 (The 14th Armored Division was inactivated on 16 September 1945.).

 

Some little bits of information regarding your father's unit and the 14th Armored Division:

Engineers 1945

 

14th Armored Division - order of battle & staff

 

14th AD - Wikipedia

 

14th AD Combat History

 

Hopefully, this helps a little.

 

Erwin

Hi all

This information helps a lot I did not know what the bronze arrowhead denoted and now that you say that my father spoke a tiny bit about a beach landing but and forgive me I may be completely confused because I was very young I thought he had said something about normandy and paratroopers coming in with them. Thats the only thing I remember,again he could have been speaking of something he was not part of. I have a couple questions if anyone has an answer Is a report of seperation the same as discharge papers? When an honorable discharge says government conveniencewhat does that mean and finally I would love to post pictures is this the appropriate place to do that? Sorry for so many questions I am just very new to all of this

Kate

[Walt's Daughter]

Kate:

 

Questions are always VERY welcome here, so ask away...

 

===============

 

DD Form 214, Discharge Papers and Separation Documents

 

A Report of Separation is generally issued when a service member performs active duty or at least 90 consecutive days of active duty training. The Report of Separation contains information normally needed to verify military service for benefits, retirement, employment, and membership in veterans' organizations. Information shown on the Report of Separation may include the service member's:

 

Date and place of entry into active duty

Home address at time of entry

Date and place of release from active duty

Home address after separation

Last duty assignment and rank

Military job specialty

Military education

Decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign awards

Total creditable service

Foreign service credited

Separation information (type of separation, character of service, authority and reason for separation, separation and reenlistment eligibility codes)

 

Before January 1, 1950, several similar forms were used by the military services, including the WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD, and the NAVCG 553.

 

To get copies of DD Form 214, Discharge Papers or Separation Documents:

 

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-...d-form-180.html

 

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html

 

As you may know, many records were destroyed in the great fire of 1973, but records are generally available through your dad's local VA. That is how I acquired my dad's records. I wrote to the state VA office and within two weeks, had the copy in my hands.