I'm searching for any info related to my Great-Grandfather, William R. Riley. I have searched NARA and requested his OMPF, some of his records were in the fire but I did receive one record of his. Anything related to him or the units or battles he might have been a part of is really what I'm looking for. I don't expect to find many personal documents of his. Attached is the one document I received from his OMPF request. TIA
Hello,
You are fortunate to have received this document, as unclear as it might be. Here is a link to a short guide that may help you understand how to decipher it; plus it will, hopefully, help you understand what I am about to present below.
80thdivision.com/.../ReadingUnderstandingWWIIDischargeDocument.pdf
i am going to try my best to interpret his record/separation/discharge document. In one or more cases, i am going to offer alternative possibilities, because there is just not enough information. It's almost like trying to solve a puzzle with a lot of missing pieces. I'll offer my reasons for the information I present.
First, i could not find his draft card (if one exists) from 1940, possibly because he was already in the process of enlisting. I was able to find one from 16 July 1945, following the war, after he had been discharged.
Here is his enlistment record (for the National Guard):
Source: NARA
Based on the date of his enlistment and his enlistment in the infantry in the WV National Guard, I believe he went to Alaska with the 201st Infantry Regiment (Shown below), I'm not sure why arrived (1 Sep 41) in Alaska before the date listed below (16 Sep 41), but some elements of the regiment may have arrived earlier. His service during this period in Alaska would have made him eligible for the Asiatic-Pacific Service/Campaign Medal as shown on his record. He was likely authorized a battle star for this medal for the Aleutian Islands Campaign (3 June 42- 24 August 43).
Source: Stanton, Shelby. WWII Order of Battle. Various Editions.
His departure from Alaska earlier that the regiment could have been for any number of reasons. I can find no record of him being admitted to a hospital/evacuated for an injury or illness. He may have been sent back to the mainland USA for training, possibly for engineering, or even enrollment in the Army Specialized Training Program-see this link for details of the ASTP, in which many participants were training as engineers:
The reason I suggest engineering training is because his document has his Arm or Service as CE (Corps of Engineers) instead of Infantry; though this could have just been an artifact of him being assigned to and coming home after the war in Europe a bit earlier with the 419th EDTC rather than with the infantry regiment I believe he served in combat with in Europe (the 414th INF REG of the 104th INF DIV). He may have left Europe earlier than the regiment because he had sufficient points. Be advised that this "engineering training' is just conjecture on my part, because I have seen no documentation of what he did from May 43 to Aug 44 in the USA.
I believe that during Aug 44 he departed for France (possibly with the 104th INF DIV) and arrived on 7 Sep 44. At some point after, he was apparently, serving with the 414th INF REG, based on his Good Conduct Medal, which was authorized by that regiment's Special Order 148 in 1944. By February 45, he was definitely involved in combat as an infantryman (which was his original branch when he enlisted) based on his Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), awarded on 18 Feb 45; though there is no order number or unit given, I assume it was issued by the 414th INF REG.
Source: Stanton, Shelby. WWII Order of Battle. Various Editions.
As per his document, he was given credit for three campaigns/battle stars for his European, African, Middle Eastern Theater Service Medal: Northern Europe, Rhineland and Central Europe. Also, because he earned a CIB, he was eligible for a Bronze Star Medal based on retroactive 1947 regulations that many WWII veterans did not know about. This would not have been found on his 1945 separation document. See here:
tioh.army.mil/.../Heraldry.aspx
For more information about the 104th INF DIV during WWII, see "Timberwolf Tracks: The History of the 104th Infantry Division, 1942-1945" various editions have been published.
I hope this helps.
Dan
Hello,
You are fortunate to have received this document, as unclear as it might be. Here is a link to a short guide that may help you understand how to decipher it; plus it will, hopefully, help you understand what I am about to present below.
80thdivision.com/.../ReadingUnderstandingWWIIDischargeDocument.pdf
i am going to try my best to interpret his record/separation/discharge document. In one or more cases, i am going to offer alternative possibilities, because there is just not enough information. It's almost like trying to solve a puzzle with a lot of missing pieces. I'll offer my reasons for the information I present.
First, i could not find his draft card (if one exists) from 1940, possibly because he was already in the process of enlisting. I was able to find one from 16 July 1945, following the war, after he had been discharged.
Here is his enlistment record (for the National Guard):
Source: NARA
Based on the date of his enlistment and his enlistment in the infantry in the WV National Guard, I believe he went to Alaska with the 201st Infantry Regiment (Shown below), I'm not sure why arrived (1 Sep 41) in Alaska before the date listed below (16 Sep 41), but some elements of the regiment may have arrived earlier. His service during this period in Alaska would have made him eligible for the Asiatic-Pacific Service/Campaign Medal as shown on his record. He was likely authorized a battle star for this medal for the Aleutian Islands Campaign (3 June 42- 24 August 43).
Source: Stanton, Shelby. WWII Order of Battle. Various Editions.
His departure from Alaska earlier that the regiment could have been for any number of reasons. I can find no record of him being admitted to a hospital/evacuated for an injury or illness. He may have been sent back to the mainland USA for training, possibly for engineering, or even enrollment in the Army Specialized Training Program-see this link for details of the ASTP, in which many participants were training as engineers:
The reason I suggest engineering training is because his document has his Arm or Service as CE (Corps of Engineers) instead of Infantry; though this could have just been an artifact of him being assigned to and coming home after the war in Europe a bit earlier with the 419th EDTC rather than with the infantry regiment I believe he served in combat with in Europe (the 414th INF REG of the 104th INF DIV). He may have left Europe earlier than the regiment because he had sufficient points. Be advised that this "engineering training' is just conjecture on my part, because I have seen no documentation of what he did from May 43 to Aug 44 in the USA.
I believe that during Aug 44 he departed for France (possibly with the 104th INF DIV) and arrived on 7 Sep 44. At some point after, he was apparently, serving with the 414th INF REG, based on his Good Conduct Medal, which was authorized by that regiment's Special Order 148 in 1944. By February 45, he was definitely involved in combat as an infantryman (which was his original branch when he enlisted) based on his Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), awarded on 18 Feb 45; though there is no order number or unit given, I assume it was issued by the 414th INF REG.
Source: Stanton, Shelby. WWII Order of Battle. Various Editions.
As per his document, he was given credit for three campaigns/battle stars for his European, African, Middle Eastern Theater Service Medal: Northern Europe, Rhineland and Central Europe. Also, because he earned a CIB, he was eligible for a Bronze Star Medal based on retroactive 1947 regulations that many WWII veterans did not know about. This would not have been found on his 1945 separation document. See here:
tioh.army.mil/.../Heraldry.aspx
For more information about the 104th INF DIV during WWII, see "Timberwolf Tracks: The History of the 104th Infantry Division, 1942-1945" various editions have been published.
I hope this helps.
Dan
