What did a Tech 4 do in the US Army in 1943?

Dear Ms. O'Halloran,

Thank you for contacting History Hub! To assist you better, please let us know what specific Army unit your uncle was part of during WWII.

A Tech 4, was an enlisted rank. A corporal was also an E-4, but was considered a Non Commissioned Officer.

There were also Technical Sergeants during WW2. During WW2, aviation was incorporated into the Army.

During the Battle of the Bulge, he could have been doing anything to maintain unit operations during the axis

offensive. Everyone in the Army is considered a basic rifle - person, but  it may have depended on his specific military

specialty or job in a unit such as armor, infantry, signal or medical.

Usually guard duty, listening posts and observations posts on perimeter defense could be manned by any available soldier. Armor, artillery and aviation spotters were more specialized with heavy weapons, maps and grids. Recon and Patrols would be conducted by infantry and units. The Battle of the bulge was Operation Watch on the Rhine which began in 1944.

Dear Ms. O’Halloran,

Thanks for reaching out on History Hub. It is difficult to say exactly what your uncle did as a Tech 4. As Mr. Tomko lists above, there are several jobs that fall within Tech 4. You may, however, request his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) by completing a SF180 and sending it to the listed address. His OMPF can detail his specific jobs and any change in title, position, or assignment during service. Unfortunately, his service does fall within the records the most impacted by the 1973 fire and it is possible there is limited information remaining. The best way to find this out is to request his OMPF. I hope this helps you on your search!

Best,

Cara Moore Lebonick

Archives Technician

National Archives at St. Louis

Technician Fourth Grade ( T/4 or TEC4) was one of three United States Army technician ranks established on January 8, 1942, during World War II. Those who held this rank were often addressed as Sergeant. Technicians possessed specialized skills that were rewarded with a higher pay grade. These skills could be directly related to combat, such as those skills possessed by a tank driver or combat engineer, or skills possessed by those in support functions such as cooks or mechanics. Depending on his or her function, he or she might be called upon by an officer to command a group of men for a specific task. They were non-commissioned officers, as were sergeants. Initially, they shared the same insignia but on September 4, 1942, the three technician ranks were distinguished by a block "T" imprinted below the standard chevrons. Unofficial insignia using a technical specialty symbol instead of the T was used in some units.

I know it's been a long time since this question was raised, but it occurs to me that it might help either Julia or someone else to think about something. Each respondent is correct in what they said, but I would have taken a different approach. Julia, you said the following words: "I have photos when his unit liberated Buchenwald..." Maybe you aren't aware of it, but there might be a TON of clues in those photos. (Uniform patches, vehicle markings, etc.) If you see this and haven't ever received a good answer, or someone else is in a similar situation, you might consider sharing the photos you have. A high-resolution scan could tell an expert exactly how to answer your question or at least point you in a likely direction. I hope that's useful to someone  : )