90th company k infantry ww11? Any info on these men?

Question

My gf was in the 359th infantry division, company K and he seen actual combat in WW11 and I&rsquo;m sure he then went into the 90th division in June 1944 or possibly March of 1944, he was in the European Theater and Rhineland, and others as well. I&rsquo;m trying to figure out how to determine exactly his role and did he get put into another platoon? I&rsquo;m at dead end

Donald Hall · Accepted Answer

The 359th Infantry was one of the three infantry regiments assigned to the 90th Infantry Division in World War II. It wasn't that your Grandfather moved from the regiment to the 90th Division, he was in the 90th Division from the day he was first assigned to the regiment. 
 The regiment was called to active service in March 1942 (it was a reserve unit) trained until it went overseas with the Division in March of 1944, and landed on Utah Beach on 6 June 1944, and participated in five campaigns: Normandy, with Arrowhead representing the combat assault on D-Day; Northern France, which was the breakout and pursuit; the Rhineland Campaign, which was the approach to the German Border; Ardennes-Alsace, which was the Battle of the Bulge; and Central Europe, which was the final defeat and occupation of Germany itself. 
 The Regiment was also awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and the French Croix de Guerre. 
 Unless he was severely injured, he probably spent his entire time in the same Regiment, and probably in the same company. And, although he might have had a different specialty, the two most common specialties within an infantry regiment were infantryman and medic. And if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on infantryman, simply because about 85-90% of the men in an infantry regiment were in that specialty. 
 You say he moved to the 90th Infantry Division--is that because you have mail with a different address, or because you have photos of him with the 90th Infantry Division patch on? If you have letters that show he moved to a different unit--say, the division headquarters, for example--it might indicate that he was a different specialty. Or it could have been that he was a really good typist, artist, or German interpreter, and got swiped by higher headquarters as "borrowed military manpower." 
 Hope that helps. 
 If you check online, you'll probably find a history of the 359th. I know there are histories of the 90th Infantry Division, which would include the 359th in them. Just get one that is an overall discussion of Division Operations. The Division had a lot of trouble with leadership at the general officer level (OK, they had a revolving door for division commanders for a while)--don't get one of those books, it won't tell you what you want.

AmyR · Answer

In my opinion from what I&rsquo;ve gathered I&rsquo;d say he was a sniper or some special operations. But like I said I don&rsquo;t know and that is only things I have to go off of.

Textual Reference Branch, Archives II · Answer

AmyR 
 Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! 
 
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 General orders, as referenced above, do include information about the official bestowal of medals on individual service personnel. However, these records are arranged by unit, thereunder by date and thereunder by general order number. We would need this information in order to search our records. If you have a copy of his discharge certificate, this information might be included therein. 
 
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Donald Hall · Answer

Just to set expectations and avoid disappointment--if his discharge papers say "European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars," those are small bronze stars worn on the ribbon of that medal to indicate that he participated in two named campaigns in the war. If it says two Bronze Star Medals, it's what we today commonly refer to as the Bronze Star. 
 SS Rifle is "Sharpshooter Badge-Rifle." You can qualify on your assigned weapon at three levels--Marksman, Sharpshooter, or Expert. Sharpshooter is in the middle. 
 ?? Infantrybadge is Combat Infantry Badge (CIB), awarded to infantrymen assigned to an infantry regiment or smaller organization who actually engaged with enemy forces. As badges go in the Army, it's probably the most prestigious (along with the Combat Medical Badge), because you have to get shot at to get it. 
 Now, because he has the CIB, you will receive a Bronze Star Medal. In 1947 the Army awarded a Bronze Star Medal to everyone who had received the CIB or the CMB--but you had to a) know about it and b) ask for it, and many veterans never did, and it wouldn't show up on his discharge papers. 
 If he was awarded 2 Bronze Star Medals, and he'd never applied for the 1947 blanket award, don't be surprised if you receive a Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters on it. 
 He should have also received the World War II Victory Medal, probably received the Good Conduct Medal, and then any awards for valor, or the Purple Heart. He might have qualified for other service medals, such as the American Campaign Medal. 
 If he was with the 359th for the entire war (not wounded and evacuated), he would be authorized the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Arrowhead and Five Bronze Stars. If he didn't land at Normandy, he wouldn't get the arrowhead, if he got evacuated, perhaps because of his frostbite, he might have missed one of the campaigns (probably Central Europe, as the frostbite probably happened during the Battle of the Bulge).

90th company k infantry ww11? Any info on these men?

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