Seeking Info about My Father's WWII D-Day Glider and Battle of the Bulge service

Hello,

!. The 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion (AEB) was based at Basildon Park, vic Reading, England (West of London). It is likely that the battalion and its elements would have also travelled elsewhere in England for training prior to D-Day.

2. It does not appear that Co A landed by glider on D-Day. See below:

http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_page.php?page=ann5_fo1_101

http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_page.php?page=amen1_ann5_fo1_101

https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/d-day/air-operations/serials

It is possible that Co A (or elements of it) boarded the USS Susan B Anthony on 3 June 44 to cross the English Channel. Unfortunately, this ship ended up sinking due to mine strikes off Normandy on 7 June 1944, requiring the units aboard to be evacuated. See below:

https://www.pararesearchteam.com/2023/Normandy-2023-Link-Up-Monument.html

3. The 326th AEB returned to the UK on 13 Jul 1944. For the battalion's operations during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands during 17-25 Sep 1944, see "Bridging Hell's Highway: The U.S. 326th Engineer Battalion During Operation Market Garden' by John Sliz (2011); a short read available as a paperback or Kindle.

For detailed information on the locations/movements/events of Co A, you will probably need to obtain the company Morning Reports for the dates/period of interest. See below:

https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel/morning-reports-and-unit-rosters

I have found that it is easiest and probably more cost effective to use the services of a private researcher.

Here is a summary of the 101st ABN DIV during WWII for a general overview:

4. Awards:

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Battle/Campaign Stars for the Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. A Bronze Arrowhead (for Normandy?/Market Garden?).

Good Conduct Medal

WWII Victory Medal

Distinguished Unit Badge (aka Distinguished Unit Citation- now known as the Presidential Unit Citation); I think that the Oak Leaf Cluster GO 31 HQ 3rd Army Feb 45 at the bottom of his document may refer to a second DUB/DUC, but I can't find a copy of the General Order. I believe the 326th AEB was awarded two of these during the war.

French Croix de Guerre

Belgian* Fourragerre (*not Belgium) 

Glider Badge (earned by doing required training and/or participating in glider operations). He may have landed by glider during Market Garden, but that is just a guess.

I hope this helps.

Dan

If you haven't read it, you might also want to get a copy of "Rendezvous with Destiny: A History of the 101st Airborne Division," the 101st official history of their service in the war (later editions tag on a chapter or two about their service elsewhere.

The authors are Leonard Rapport and Arthur Northwood, Jr.

It's available in paperback and hardcover from most major booksellers, and the 101st Museum at Fort Campbell, and the National World War II Museum (profits go to the museums instead of the booksellers), and you can probably pick up a used copy cheap if you shop around.

It's available on Kindle for significantly less than the printed edition, so I'd suspect somebody scanned it and OCRed it, with all the problems that usually go with that.

I'll warn you, it's over 800 pages long, and follows the division across Europe almost at the squad level at times. But that's probably what you want. No other divisional history goes into that level of detail.

Oh, and when you're searching, enter the entire title. Apparently "Rendezvous with Destiny" is a pretty popular book title . . .

Thank you for this info. I will be sure to purchase that important historical book!

Tom

Thank you for this info. I will be sure to purchase that important historical book!

Tom