I finally found my fathers bag of WWII things. First, I think this is the patch from his unit- the 1251st Battalion Combat Engineers
I'd love some help on this one....The one on the righr, there are two of them
He also has an expert rifle pin and two, count em two, good conduct medals. When I tell people who knew my father that, the laugh. The opinion is that he stole those....
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
He also had a couple of trophys. Some kind of a hat band, a belt buckle and this pin...hope you can read it.
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
HOW EXCITING! Good for you!
The ribbons are as follows:
European Theatre
American Theatre
Good Conduct
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I do not know what that pin is. I defer to someone else....
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
He had a second ribbon that matched the one you identified as good conduct, so apparently he really did receive two good conducts.... very suprising.
What do the three little stars mean? Are they campaign markers?
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
the 3 bronze stars are "ribbon devices" for participation in major campaigns.
three stars on an ETO ribbon means that he served in 3 campaigns in the European Theater of Operations. If a vet was in more than 5 campaigns - the bronze stars would've been replaced by one silver star.
Yes, and if there was an arrowhead, it would indicate a beachhead landing.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
That pin is a party pin of the NSDAP aka nazi party (I refuse to write it with a capital).
Sort of party day (remembrance) pin of 1934.
Erwin
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/
The first shoulder patch is an Engineer Amphibious Forces Special Brigades Shoulder Patch. This was the patch worn by the engineers that cleared beaches during Amphibious Operations and Assaults.
Larry
"I'm proud to be an American, Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died, Who gave that right to me."
God bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
Would the amphibious forces patch be given for rivers too? They werent involved in any beach landings.
(the other option is that on the days he wasn't working on his two good conduct medals, he lifted it off another soldier...)
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
the 3 bronze stars are "ribbon devices" for participation in major campaigns.three stars on an ETO ribbon means that he served in 3 campaigns in the European Theater of Operations. If a vet was in more than 5 campaigns - the bronze stars would've been replaced by one silver star.
Sorry,,but the star on the campaign ribbon is not a device.
it means participation. I have 4. You don't get one for
river crossings or I would have 4. Rapido 1, Volturno 3 rocky
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
"Would the amphibious forces patch be given for rivers too?"
No, but there are several posibilities, first i dont think was uncommon for guys to swap or "collect" shoulder patches from other nearby units. Second, if they were in England they may have trained with or were attached or assigned to an Amphibious Force Command. but were penciled in as an engineer followup unit instead of landing on D-Day.
I see the 1251st also has a campaign credit for Southern Phillipines, did your dad go to the pacific after the war in europe ended? They may have been under an amphip command there.
From what i gather, the patch was not from any certain engineer special brigade but used by Amphipious Force Command for engineer units.
Larry
"I'm proud to be an American, Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died, Who gave that right to me."
God bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
He never saw the Phillipines. They did train to go to the Pacific after Europe, but fortunatly the war ended.
Possibly they received special training but did not use it?
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
Rocky is correct; the stars were only awarded for campaigns - NOT for river crossings. Arrowheads were awarded for D-Day landings.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company