Seeking records of 215th Glider Field Artillery Battalion

Alisa,

Do you have any additional information pertaining to your relative. DOB, place of birth. Many individuals here have access to third party websites.

Thanks,

Elliot Schneider

Hi Alisa, for the 82nd Airborne, I believe there were only two GFAB units, the 319th and the 320th, both active in Europe throughout WWII. The 101st had the 321st GFAB and I think the 907th; not sure if there were other units. There was also the 17th Airborne, which included the 680th and 681st GFAB.  Transfers between units were not uncommon. And towards the end of WWII, men were often transferred to new units based on their service points. I know this from looking into my dad's service; he was in the 320th GFAB of the 82nd and trained at Fort Bragg.

There are a number of groups on social media for veterans or their descendants for the various Airborne units. There is also the 82nd Airborne Division Museum at Fort Bragg which might be worth a try. Not for individual service records, but for general information on the glider field artillery units. I'm assuming you already tried to request his service records from the National Archives. If his records were destroyed, there might be other information, such as a final pay voucher. Hope this is of some help. joan

Hi Elliot,

I do have personal biographical information about my grandfather, including his Serial Number. How can I use this information to find more on his military service? Thanks.

Alisa

Thanks for the information. I will try the museum at Ft. Bragg and see if they can help.

Alisa

Alisa,

The reason I ask for additional information is because there are other ways to look for his records. Mentioned already that you have tried reaching out to NPRC and received a no records response.

1. Additional information would help us here to help you find additional information pertaining to your relative. There are numerous sites that many of us use to help others out.

2. Most soldiers when they came back from WWII had a copy of their discharge papers registered the county recorders office. Additionally, many state veterans service office can help you to obtain. This is because a soilder was able to apply for state benefits and stipends that were paid upon discharge by the State that they lived in.

3. So try reaching out to local and state level veterans service office. They may have their own paperwork for you to fill out. But you may end up with something very beneficial.

Thanks,

Elliot Schneider

Hi Elliot,

I do, in fact, have my grandfather's discharge papers. The problem is apparently they don't reflect his service. My grandfather told my father that his papers reflect the actions of the unit he was sent home with, which was not the unit he was attached to during the war. He never sought to correct the paperwork and was just glad to be done with it all. The papers are also faded to almost illegible. Yet another stumbling block in my search. Thank you for your reply.

Alisa

Hi Alisa, my dad spent most of the war in the 320th GFAB/82nd Airborne. And I had always known that he was in the 82nd. But his separation papers listed the 681st of the 17th Airborne. When I began looking into his service, I thought it was a mistake. But he was transferred just before the end of the war and then home. I found his original unit by working backwards from his separation date.  And an organization for the 681st helped me to figure it out. Would you consider posting a copy of your grandfather's separation papers?  joan

Alisa, I contacted one of the 17th Airborne descendants groups. They had the following information on the 215th. Hope it is of some help in your search. joan

According to Stanton’s “Order of Battle” (the definitive source for info on US Army ground forces units during World War II), the 215th Glider Field Artillery Battalion was formed on 17 October 1942, and was converted to a “leg” unit (meaning non-Airborne, “regular” FAB, and henceforth known as the 215th Field Artillery Battalion) at Ft Bragg in January of 1944. At that point they switched from 75mm pack howitzers to larger, tractor-towed 155mm howitzers. 

They were a non-divisional unit, so they weren’t assigned to one particular division but rather would have reported directly to a higher authority like a Corps artillery command, supporting the movements of more than one division in their areas of operations. 

They arrived in England on 1 Oct 1944 and entered combat in the ETO 10 December 1944.  They are credited with three campaign participation credits: Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe and Rhineland. 

In August of 1945 they ended their ETO duties in Branau, Germany, and they returned to the US to the Hampton Roads Point of Embarkation on 28 Oct 1945.

Hi Joan,

I was mistaken about the separation papers. What I have is only three pages, begins sometime during 1944, and is mostly illegible. My grandfather was Jack Rosen, born September 23, 1918 in NYC. His serial number was 32095593. Family history says he was one of the early paratroopers who volunteered from a calvary unit. I've also been told he landed in Tunisia and was dropped into Sicily, was at the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of Buchenwald, and the Eagle's Nest. He served with the 82nd and 101st (we have shoulder patches from both). From photograph and documentary records I know he was at Ft. Bragg at various times in 1941, 1942, and 1943. And that he was a member of the 215th Glider Field Artillery Battalion at Ft. Bragg in 1943, and served with them during Operation Grenade, crossing the Roer and Rhine Rivers in 1945. Any insight you gained about doing this kind of search would be helpful. Thanks for taking the time.

Alisa

Hi Alisa, the papers you attached are a bit difficult to read (flickering for some reason), but these do not look like separation papers. Possibly part of a battalion diary? I'm guessing it's for the 215th FA, since it describes crossing the Roer River in Feb 1945. And being attached to several divisions (79th, 8th 75th). The 215th went were it was needed. The 82nd (AA shoulder patch) was at North Africa, Italy/Sicily, Normandy, Holland, the Ardennes, and finally Germany and the liberation of Wobbelin.  The GFAB of the 82nd traveled by air (glider or plane), rail, or truck. Eagle's nest I believe was the 101st (Eagle shoulder patch).

Separation papers are a single sheet (white paper) with boxed information, listing enlistment and separation dates (including when they left and returned to the US), any awards, military occupation, etc. You might try your local county or state VA services. Some servicemen registered their separation papers with VA services for benefits. From the NARA online enlistment records, your grandfather enlisted 17 June 1941. He may have been artillery for the duration; l'm not sure paratroopers would have been transferred to glider or ground artillery units. All required special training.

When I researched my dad's service, the best source of information I found was unit morning reports. They describe daily activities of the unit (personnel transfers, sick lists, location of camps, etc.). These are at the St. Louis archives, but I don't think you can request them. I ended up going to the Archives. If you know your grandfather was in the 215th FA when he left service, that would be the place to start, looking backwards through morning reports. Or start with 1943 (if he was definitely with the 215th that year) and work forward. Also see if the Archives can reconstruct his records (usually final pay voucher). Unfortunately, the Archives remain closed right now, so it might take some time.

I hope this is of some help. If I find anything specific to your grandfather, I will post.  joan