Dear Virginia:

Welcome. You've come to the right spot because we have ALL kinds of contacts and info for the 344th. Here's the search link that will pull up everything on our forum:

344th

I will also send you a private link with email addresses to other associated with the 344th. Please let us know what happens. I wish you the best with your research and sure look forward to the photos and more.

Warmly,

Thank you SO much Marion for your help! Today has been very productive already and I've got more information about my grandpa's regiment than I've had before. My mom is thrilled and is looking forward to more things I hope to uncover about her dad.

Take care,

Virginia

Excellent. I have a similar photo of my dad when he was at Camp Custer in Michigan

He is eighth from right in top row.

I wonder if it's the same place, Marion? My grandpa was from Michigan! Wow could be?

Darlin' I believe IT IS. Look at them side-by-side. They are the same exact building. Whoo-hooo!!!

Hi Virginia,

Glad to see someone else is looking for info on the 344th. My father Nicholas Joseph Mastrangelo was a sargeant in WWII 344th Combat Engineers A Company that debarked on July 7, 1942 arriving in Gremock Scotland July 14th on the SS Monterey. His travels in Italy were as follows (in his own handwritting) Naples, Bagnoli, Capua, Sparaise, Caprotti, Fornelli, Isernia, Roccamonfina, Castleforte, Coreno, Vallecorsa, Pastena, Capenito, Frascotti (Rome), Isole Farneses, San Lorenzo, Pitigliano, Radicofani, Civitavecchia, Teano, Pasestum, Aversa then to France. His Separation Center was Fort Devens MA on Sept 25,1945. I also have a booklet that shows the travels of the 344th. I don't know how many men make up a "Company" so I don't know if your Grandfather would have been to the same cities at the same time??

I would love to hear from you or any other Engineers families of the 344th. My Dad would not talk much about his experiences, but I do have bits and pieces of information.

Janet Mastrangelo-Dane

Abington MA

Janet:

Welcome. Delighted to see your FIRST post. Let us know if we can be of service and a Happy Valentine Day to you!

Welcome Janet! A fellow MA resident! My Dad was a VI Corps MP from

Wellesley MA. He was in North Africa, Italy, and France. Before war was

declared he was at Camp Edwards in Falmouth Ma and later at Ft Devens.

Devens was also his Separation Center in May 1945.

What town was your Dad from?

BTW - I believe a company consists of approx 100-250 men

Mary Ann Howard

Needham MA

Hi Mary Ann,

I am glad to hear from you. My Dad was from Geneva Ave, Dorchester (Boston) in the 1940's, he moved to Rockland in 1956. He passed away at age 88 in April of 2006.

My son just completed his BS Eagle project which was preserving military uniforms at a local private library. He started to raise my interest in my fathers army years. I don't have a lot of time to search for info, but little by little I hope to do research via the computer.

I have a long way to go understanding the breakdown and ranks of the Army! Thanks for the info, does that mean company A and C were at the same locations at the same time?

Janet

Marion,

I read the post of Mar 23, 2005 that talks about a baily bridge across the Volturno. Could you please let me know what book you found this information in as I have a photo of this bridge and the caption reads, "Mundorf Bridge over Voltuano near Raviscanina. This is from the pamphlet my father came home with...The 344th Goes Traveling 1942-1945 edited and printed by Carl G. Long

Thanks for your help.

Janet

Janet:

I hope you will find the following helpful. I've shared this army lesson a few times over the past few years, and in fact just sent this info to a new friend the other day. Welcome to the army!

This is using the VI Corps units as an example. The 344th was also a "bastard" or separate unit. Read on...

This may also help you "picture" it. Each of the "bastard" or separate engineer units were all regiments. Each regiment has either two to three battalions, each battalion has three companies, plus HQ, H&S Co's etc. Here's a breakdown for the four units I am researching:

36th Engineer Regiment - 2826, 2827, 2828th Battalions

2826th - A, B and C Companies

2827th - D, E and F Companies

2828th - G, H and I Companies

39th Engineer Regiment - 1st and 2nd Battalions

1st - A, B and C Companies

2nd - D, E and F Companies

540th Engineer Regiment - 2832nd and 2833rd Battalions

2832nd - A, B and C Companies

2833rd - D, D, and F Companies

1108th Engineer Regiment - 48th and 235th Battalions

48th - A, B and C Companies

1108th - D, E, and F Companies

Many times companies were in the same area, but each company within a regiment could be given different assignments, so they did not necessarily work together.

A company was further broken down into the following:

1 company = 3 to 4 platoons (normal for an engineer unit)

1 platoon = 3 squads

My dad was 540th Combat Engineer Regiment (or later in the war, Group), 2833rd Battalion, H&S Company, 4th Platoon

Could you give me the exact link for this post? There are too many instances of "Volturno" and I want to make sure I refer to the correct one. Thanks!

Marion,

 

I read the post of Mar 23, 2005 that talks about a baily bridge across the Volturno. Could you please let me know what book you found this information in as I have a photo of this bridge and the caption reads, "Mundorf Bridge over Voltuano near Raviscanina. This is from the pamphlet my father came home with...The 344th Goes Traveling 1942-1945 edited and printed by Carl G. Long

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Janet

Janet:

 

I hope you will find the following helpful. I've shared this army lesson a few times over the past few years, and in fact just sent this info to a new friend the other day. Welcome to the army!

This is using the VI Corps units as an example. The 344th was also a "bastard" or separate unit. Read on...

 

This may also help you "picture" it. Each of the "bastard" or separate engineer units were all regiments. Each regiment has either two to three battalions, each battalion has three companies, plus HQ, H&S Co's etc. Here's a breakdown for the four units I am researching:

 

36th Engineer Regiment - 2826, 2827, 2828th Battalions

2826th - A, B and C Companies

2827th - D, E and F Companies

2828th - G, H and I Companies

 

39th Engineer Regiment - 1st and 2nd Battalions

1st - A, B and C Companies

2nd - D, E and F Companies

 

540th Engineer Regiment - 2832nd and 2833rd Battalions

2832nd - A, B and C Companies

2833rd - D, D, and F Companies

 

1108th Engineer Regiment - 48th and 235th Battalions

48th - A, B and C Companies

1108th - D, E, and F Companies

 

Many times companies were in the same area, but each company within a regiment could be given different assignments, so they did not necessarily work together.

 

A company was further broken down into the following:

 

1 company = 3 to 4 platoons (normal for an engineer unit)

1 platoon = 3 squads

 

My dad was 540th Combat Engineer Regiment (or later in the war, Group), 2833rd Battalion, H&S Company, 4th Platoon