Forums - Thread Details
  • State Selected Answer
  • Replies 2 replies
  • Subscribers 16 subscribers
  • Views 277 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Thread Options
Options
Related

Is there any way to find out what division my great-grandfather was in while a U.S. Army soldier during World War II?

ruhland16

Hi Dave,

My great-grandfather was a U.S. Army soldier during World War II, a Corporal Technician, and in 1946 or 47 he got my german great-grandmother pregnant before returning to America. Unfortunately, no one alive today knew him or has any further information about him. His name was Joe Guy Penner.

I only have one picture of him, and I know he must have met my great-grandmother in Weißenburg, Bavaria, because she was living there at the time.

Is there any way to find out what division he was in or something else about him? You’d be uncovering a huge family mystery, and I’d be so grateful for your help.

Thanks in advance!!

Niklas Ruhland

  • +1

    If he got her pregnant in 1946 or 1947, he was probably assigned to what was known as the "US Constabulary." That's what the occupation force in Germany was called. Because most of the troops who served in the war would have been sent home and replaced by new draftees.

    The Army Center of Military History recently published an article on the Constabulary, and you can read the article here:

    https://history.army.mil/Publications/Army-History-Magazine/

    You can also request a copy of his personnel file, but there's a good chance it was destroyed in the 1973 fire.

    Are the pictures you have of him in uniform? Do they show a shoulder sleeve insignia? If you know where he's buried, is there a VA grave marker that might have his unit on it?

  • 0 in reply to Donald Hall

    Thank you very much for your response!

    Over the past few weeks, I have discovered some additional information about him and now even have a document containing his personal details.

    On an ancestry website, I found out that his name at birth was “Jose,” which he later changed to “Joe” in the draft documents.

    I will include the image and the document in this reply.