How can I find WWII info on what Company and Division my grandfather was in?

That was very impressive, detailed information!

By putting letters in Chronological order, I "see" every place you mentioned except one, Ft. Sam Houston. From Bullis (and he does hate it there-talks about continually being bit by chiggers in the sand), he went back to Ft. Bliss, promoted to Corporal then sent to Camp Wolters (best est. date 5-19-1941). I laughed at you saying, "couldn't shoot" because he actually was a rifle instructor there. Then was promoted to Sergeant and re-enlistment notes say (Expert) MM & MM1. He was able to furlough but was right back at Camp Wolters (abt. Feb 1942). He was then promoted again to Tech Sergeant. I have no letters proving he was at Camp Fannin except his father's Obit (1943) mentions that location. (Abt. April 1944) I know he was at Camp Blanding, FL, Co. F, 192nd Training Bn. Addresses then change showing Ft. George Mead, Maryland. Co F, 4th Battalion, 1st Regiment - also shows AFG (Army ground Force) Replacement Depot   (RD 1) 2 II. 

I have not been able to fill on the blanks from 6-4-1944 to 7-13-1944 other than "on a ship", "moving again" and is speaking of money /coin in England so I absolutely know he was transferred in England. **I have found so much more that I am not trying too hard. 

A letter he mailed the following year - (after war ends) explains he was first in 3rd Army, then 9th Army and in December 1944, sent to 1st Army. I do know my grandfather tells my grandmother he wasn't currently in Patton's 3rd Army but was now in a "new" truck company and later reveals "Red Ball Express". Had I known that piece of info, his letters would have made better sense. I'm now re-reading all of them presently and noticing his "hints" within the letters. 

Sometime, late September-early October he says he's back with his regular trucking Company. Until a letter dated December 1944 saying he was transferred to 1st Army and apparently clueless of the days to follow because he's states he hopes they feed them as good on Christmas as they did on Thanksgiving. Poor guy, little did he know. 

So, we know he was in Fort Sill, in 1935-1939, his truck license says "quartermaster", then apparently was a rifle instructor. At Camp Wolters, he mentions the name "Simpson" a few times which meant nothing until it did... I know his guys who trained under my granddaddy in Replacement Depot or 65th HQ-IRTC, wrote many cards and letters thanking him for training them. 

So he was in Patton's 3rd army, assigned to Red Ball Express Truck Company, then to 9th (original Quartermaster Truck Co 4267th), then was 1st Army for Batstone/Bulge.

The worse thing I've read in mail or letters he wrote or typed (and only typed 3 letters from 1944-1945), he talks about coming upon a farm which the Germans had burned people alive. Estimated 2400, but says they couldn't fit them all in the barn (which was full of hay, soaked in gas) those people were lined up, poured gas on them and burned them with a flame gun. I searched the web to see if I could piece together where he may have been. His V-Mail was mailed April 17, 1945. GARDELEGEN MASSACRE. They found 3 prisoners who lived and "we're damn hard to look at, they probably wish they had died". He writes he and many guys were ill and that smell haunted him a long time. Tells that the Germans soldiers made their “own German townsfolk” watch as it happened and then made them “bury” them all. It is sad because letters following this disclosed nightmares and sleepless nights.

I know he stayed after war ended and one thing we always knew factual, and part of 1st Army; from early May to middle of May 1945 (dates he mentions in letters) he wouldn't be able to write for a few weeks-he was leaving on a "fieldtrip" helping gather "stuff" Germans stole. LOL. Now I understand. He sent a few things from Goering’s "raid" (I don't want to divulge what) and saw some really (pricey) nice things. **so 1st Army accompanied Monument Men to Goering's hiding place.  It is nice to be able to put that part together so perfectly. 

They (QM 4267th) continue driving for the next several months. Toward the end, he transported prisoners to Berlin then left and repeated that pattern. One thing he says repeatedly; the Russians would hold up their convoy, abuse the prisoners, especially the women, says raped them, in plain sight, took their clothes and even shoes, and if they ran, shot on site. His letters become very disturbing-a big change from his prior "somewhere in" letters. They are now very graphic.

The more I find out, the sadder I become. I now know why we were never supposed to ask my granddaddy ANYTHING about the war.

He finally made it home on the Sea Owl, at the port of Boston. He signed his Separation papers at Ft Chaffee, Arkansas. After his return to the states, and to his hometown, Enid, OK, he reenlisted with the USAF - "then" Enid Air Force Field, now Vance AFB. From there he served time in Alaska (1953-1955) and built a "road" through Alaska. **I'm still not to those years of history yet but I'm very interested! I know he was back at Vance Air Force Base as a Master Sergeant and a issued a commendation, which stated, if he chose to stay, he would be promoted to a Senior Master Sergeant (which I've been told by Vance AFB historian, was only used a short time). At Vance, he helped closing down the Base Hospital and then was transferred to be in charge of their Truck Maintenance & Supply area. By 1961, he was only in AF Reserve and moved to California where he worked with Security, guarding the Apollo 11 module at North American Rockwell- Space & Aviation Division. 

I know this is a lot of info but I have these things which are "solid & proved" and have hopes that someone/anyone may recognize anything I’ve written and have more in-depth information to provide.

I am so happy, and blessed, to have this group of such knowledgeable experts to help guide me. I have become obsessed with each piece I am able to fit in this grand (father's) military carreer puzzle. If I don't document all of this, I fear the next generation will not even be interested. I am the last of the (his) Hardgrave line so I feel its MY DUTY to record and document the awesome man he was.

Sincere thanks to everyone!

Angela

Dear AngelaHudson 

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub. 

Assigned units are contained in the veteran's personnel record. We suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs for officers and enlisted personnel of the U.S. Army who were separated from the service after October 1912 and before October 2002 are in the custody of NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. 

In many cases where personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. Archival OMPFs may also be requested by visiting the Archival Research Room at the National Archives at St. Louis. Please see the linked web pages for more information.  Please email stlarr.archives@nara.gov for further assistance prior to making an appointment. 

Please complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. See eVetRecs Help for instructions.

For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests. 

We hope this information is helpful. 

Don't know if this could help or not, but my dad was in world war II and served in many of the same places as the person you're looking for. He was in the Army his paperwork states that it was Company G, 13th infantry. My dad was a PFC Rifleman / Messenger between battalion headquarters and his company headquarters. He is listed as being in Battle of the Bulge, as well as in the campaigns or points of interest that you had mentioned in your letter. Additional places he was mentiond being were Luxembourg and into Germany. I really don't know my infantries from battalions or how they were divided and chosen to mention for whatever reason, But I thought I would at least let you know those possibilities. I'm just beginning my search for more information regarding What must have been part of my dad's experiences with company G and the 13th infantry in those places:

Since my dad was in a few of the same places as this other gentleman's relative I thought I would forward this information to him thinking it might be helpful in his search. But I sent more information to the national archives in order to obtain my father's discharge papers which I have papers of separation but I don't know if they're the right ones that I need.

In any case I wanted to add more information about my dad in this letter since it might be the only one some will be able to reference for information about him.

Name: Ralph George Bell

Army s/n: 33 393 731

Grade: PFC

ARM OF SERVICE: Inf

Component: AES (middle letter is unclear could be a C)

Entered into Active service in and sent overseas in 1943

Return home in late 1945

Separation point: St Francis ????? Wyoming

Battles and campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Battle of the Bulge, Central France, some place with a  German sounding name. can't make it out. ( And these are probably not in chronological order)

Is also noted that he spent time in Belgium and Luxembourg In addition to the above locations. 

Hope that helps. 

The component was probably "AUS," for "Army of the United States."

Thanks much

Actually I hit reply but I thought that might be just the first step in replying and it would erase what I wrote but I think I think it actually sent it If that's true and you didn't get this for example let me know that you get you got the my reply the long-winded one and the original thanks much. Lol okay Again thanks much

Your post concerning the 4267th Quartermaster Truck Company popped up given I too am interested in learning more about that outfit.  Are you familiar with a booklet dated August 1945 entitled, "Home-Addresses of the Officers and Enlisted Men of 4267th Quartermaster Truck Company Heavy"?  If not, I can email a scanned copy of the 16 pages which provides the names, rank, town, and state of the men who served in the company at that time.  It was published in Germany, so everything is tied to the date stated.  I also have other scanned materials that appear related to the truck company (e.g., photographs of both men and trucks) that I'd be willing to share if there is any interest.  And if you are really digging, I donated the originals plus other paraphernalia my dad had collected during his WWII service to the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, several years ago. I'm sure you can get more information there.    

FYI, my dad, Virgil G. Cyr, was part of the 58th Armored Field Artillery Battalion in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy.  He was wounded outside St. Lo after which he spent several months in England in recovery.  He was released in November 1944 and appears to have been assigned to the 4267th at that point.  That unit appears to have been active in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe given the battle credits and points he received. 

First of all....I have pictures of your dad!

I would be more than happy to share EVERYTHING I have found out in the last 3 months! I just spent last  Friday & Saturday at the WWII Museum in New Orleans but the research center is only open Tues-Thursday. I am trying to get an appointment for Dec 6th or 7th. I am waiting on a response on the appointment. I have praying for months to find ANYONE I could speak to for more information.

I will say information was very hard to find info UNTIL...I fell into a rabbit hole and found they were assigned to ADSEC-HQ and were called QM Service Co = QM SvCo HQ. After my grandfather drove for Red Ball Express, they (4267th) attached to ADSEC and actually drove then for XYZ TC (truck co). They also were tied to many other "assignments". Monument Men assignments, transporting concentration camp prisoners and at the end, they hauled US's Prisoneres of War back to their own countries.

I have an endless amout of information I could give you to prove all of this. Apparently, your dad and my grandfather were friends. My grandpa was in charge of the 4276th. I am so excited! I will go pull the pictures back out and see if I can find them. Virgil Cyr is a name I've had in my notebook for a while. There were certain names on the back of pictures that are repeated often. 

If you're interested, let me know and I will figure out a way we can get emails traded without posting it on here.

Thanks for your info above. I just printed it and I will look it up when I get home. :-) I'm so happy you reached out! Thank you! I knew God wanted me to tell their story!

Angela

Sorry, I must have missed this. Camp Bullis was (and still is) a sub-installation of Fort Sam Houston. Both are in, or on the outskirts of in the 1940s, San Antonio. Texas. Of course "The Regiment" moving to Fort Sam Houston and "all the companies in the regiment" moving to Fort Sam Houston are two entirely different things, so it's quite possible that the regimental headquarters moved to Fort Sam and your grandfather's company stayed at Camp Bullis.

And, having spent several years as an instructor at Fort Sam in the 1980s and 1990s, I can tell you the chiggers were just as bad then as they were in the 1940s.

I populated my profile with my email address.