393rd Special Services/General Services

[Big Pete]

Hello all,

 

A friend of mine - Bob - has obtained an Ike jacket from a GI who was in an engineer unit.

He found following information:

 

Thomas J. Shepherd

ASN: 32204839

Good Conduct Medal

American Campaign Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars

World War II Victory Medal

 

393rd. Engineer Regiment, Headquarters 1206th. SCU, C Company, 38th. Engineers

 

What does SCU stand for?

And has anyone information on the unit?

What Army, Corps, Division was it assigned to?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

Erwin

[Walt's Daughter]

SLU and SCU were special liason units. They handled receipt and transmission of messages.

 

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

 

On 15 March 1944 General Marshall, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, sent to General Eisenhower a letter which set forth the basis upon which German Ultra intelligence was to be made available to U.S. Army field commands in the European Theatre of Operations. The following paragraphs are taken from the letter:

 

"7.D. The receipt and distribution, at the field commands, of messages containing or relating to Ultra intelligence, is handled by Special Liaison Units furnished and controlled by the Director General, G.C. & C.S. The personnel of these units includes American officers attached to MID, War Department, London.

 

"7.F. One or more American officers assigned to MID, War Department, London, will be detailed to each American field command which receives Ultra intelligence. These officers will be subject to the administration and discipline of the commands to which they are detailed. They will work under the control of the G-2 or A-2 of the command as part of his staff. They will have had a period of training at G.C. & C.S., and, if possible, with operational commands in the Mediterranean Theatre, and this training will be directed toward equipping them to use Ultra intelligence effectively and securely. Their primary responsibility will be to evaluate Ultra intelligence, present it in useable form to the Commanding Officer and to such of his senior staff officers as are authorized Ultra recipients, assist in fusing Ultra intelligence with intelligence derived from other sources, and give advice in connection with making operational use of Ultra intelligence in such fashion that the security of the source is not endangered. If at any time the flow of Ultra intelligence is not sufficient to occupy fully the time of these officers, they may be used for other related intelligence assignments."

 

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

The SLU/SCU detachments were composed largely of British officers and other ranks, although a number of American officers participated in the work and, in a few cases, commanded the detachments. The detachments were controlled by SLU 8, at SHAEF, and were attached to the U.S. field commands. Most of the detachments served the G-2 (or A-2) section but their anomalous administrative position led to a repeated and important recommendation for an organizational change.

 

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

 

For more information on this subject, visit this link:

 

http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/ultra/army-1.html

[Walt's Daughter]

There are two listings for the 393rd. One is a General Service Regiment, the other a Special Service Regiment, which in this case would make more sense, as it would appear to go along with the special liason info that I provided above.

 

If that is the case, the 393rd was with the 2nd Ranger Battalion and would have been at Normandy at one point.

 

http://www.rangerfamily.org/History/Histor...20Bn/second.htm

[Jeeper704]

Wow, that's quite some information.

Thank you, I knew I could rely on you.

 

If you have any other info either on the unit or on Thomas Shepard, it would be much appreciated.

 

Erwin

[Walt's Daughter]

EXTREMELY WELCOME! I'll keep ya posted...

[SonofaMP]

The only reference i found for to the 393rd Eng GS Reg. was found here:

Historic Context for the African American Military Experience: Section 9, Part III

 

393rd Engineer General Service Regiment- Activated at Camp Clairborne, Louisiana, and returned after a short stay at Camp Robinson. Staged at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.

 

 

The 38th Engineer General Service Regiment is listed as a non-divisional unit for the Normandy invasion.

 

38th Eng Reg WWII Timeline

1 October l933 organized as the 38th Engineers (General Service) Regiment.

 

13 January 1941 the 38th Engineers (General Service) Regiment was re-designated as the

38th Engineers (Combat) Regiment.

 

28 May 1941 activated as such at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Participated in the

Carolina Maneuvers, September - November 1941.

 

14 March 1942 departed Charleston, South Carolina.

 

30 March 1942 arrived on Ascension Island and began construction of an airfield.

 

19 August 1942 departed Ascension Island.

 

23 August 1942 landed at Pointe Norie, West Africa.

 

30 December 1942 first increment moved to Dakar, Africa

 

17 February 1943 second increment moved to Dakar, Africa

 

29 May 1943 the 38th Engineers (Combat) Regiment was re-designated as the 38th Engineer Combat Regiment.

 

8 December 1943 departed Africa.

 

1 January 1944 the 38th Engineer (Combat) Regiment was re-designated as the

38th Engineer General Service Regiment.

 

4 January 1944 arrived in England

 

9 June 1944 landed in France and was assigned to the Normandy Base Section.

 

13 March 1946 arrived New York.

 

14 March 1946 deactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

[SonofaMP]

Just for the heck of it i googled Mr Shepard`s serial No. It brought up 2 posts by a Daniel Wagner who had the jacket in 2005

 

Post found on www.koreanwar.org

 

Entry: 53110 2nd Engineer Special Brigade Thomas J SHepherd

 

Daniel Wagner wrote on 2005-09-12 00:00:00.0

 

 

Comments: I am looking for any information on a private Thomas J. Shepherd from Kings County New York. Joined in January of 1942 and was trained at Fort Dix New Jersey. His army serial number is 32204839. I have his original Eisenhower jacket which has Seahorse patch and Meritorius Unit Patch if that helps any. Please email me with any info you may have.

 

ANOTHER POST ON GRUNTS.COM FORUM:

 

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject: Help ID the patches on this WWII Ike Jacket

Hi guys, great forum here. Was hoping someone could help me ID these patches on this WWII Ike Jacket. It belonged to a Thomas Shepherd from Kings County New York Service number 32204839. I believe it's a 2nd Engineers Special Brigade. The pics can be found in my photo gallery.

 

Thanks,

Dan

-------------------------

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: Re: Help ID the patches on this WWII Ike Jacket

 

The big blue one is the Army Amphibian Forces Patch.

 

The Seahorse is the Army Engineer Special Brigade Patch.

[Jeeper704]

Thanks for the info.

I'll pass it on to my friend.

 

Erwin

[Walt's Daughter]

Here's some photos on the 393rd:

 

http://www.campclaiborne.org/galleries/393rd_B_Co.php

[Jeeper704]

Thanks again, Marion.

I'll pass it on to my friend.

 

Erwin