Milton L Lewis 424th 1Bn Hdq Co, Med Detachment

I did find a Milton I Lewis in the roster, but things don't match so I doubt it was a typo. There must have been 2 men named Milton Lewis in the division... roster link: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/RosterZOHO.htm
The other one was in the 422nd and info on him came from a MIA list that came out in April of 45.

There were medical groups within each large unit of the division as well as in the 331st. (I know one who was in the 590th and one in the 592nd as a medic) So there are multiple possibilities. I have seen a list of Combat Medic Awards from the division. If we can lay hands on that it might hold some more clues.

Jim West of the Indiana is also making his way through a huge batch of General Orders at present. There's a good chance he will find something there in the next few months...

Keep asking questions and maybe together we can find some info.

That belief that Lewis was still with the 424th is not just an "on paper" thing. Medics imbedded in the unit were really part of the unit & probably associated more with medics in related units than with those in the 331st.-- at least that was the case with the medics I know and knew who were assigned to Field Artillery Battalions. And they, I believe, took their mess food with their unit. They usually had their own quarters someplace in the unit area. In the Field Artillery there was a battalion surgeon working with them. I am sure that was also true with the medics imbedded in infantry units. Per provisions of the Geneva Convention they were unarmed and were to wear a helmet with the red cross on it when in a combat zone. One of the medics I know drove a jeep also and used it prior to the Bulge and during the initial days of the bulge to drive in from his unit on the Schnee Eifel into St. Vith for supplies and to deliver men for further treatment. Initially this further treatment was mostly for Trench Foot. He was close to the Division's north flank and St. Vith was not far. There was a 331st collection unit there.

The other Milton Lewis... I really believe this was someone else. Don't know if my way of searching the roster is the most efficient, but I always hit search and type just the last name into the name slot that appears and leave the "contains" box as is. I also leave the other fields blank. With just that one word added, I hit the orange search box. With the name Lewis, this first yields a bunch of other last names with that as a first name, but scrolling down, I hit the Lewis last name and continue until I hit the M's. The other Milton is there.

The names in the roster are not from some huge master list or even a compilation of carefully organized unit lists. Many of these were destroyed. They are Jim West's continuing work of many years, derived from every source he can lay his hands on. So the absence of the name you are searching for just means he has yet to hit a source containing that name. With the pile of General Orders he now has access to, that status might change without your help. But I will also let Jim know of your post.

Once you have found that name (with serial # to confirm that it is indeed not the person you are looking for/ or...) I can help you locate the source list with the document that is the source of that name if you're still interested. Let me know.

I appreciate your keeping us posted on what you learn!

PS. While you're waiting for documentation, there is another possible source. The county courthouse closest to the hometown Milton Lewis returned to is likely to have a copy of some of his papers.

Wow i really appreciate your help Jim and Connie. Jim this is his info I have so far:
Milton L Lewis
Army #38546190
106th Infantry Division, 424th Regiment, 1st Bn

Got the 1st Bn off an military address that reads like this:
Milton Lewis
1st Bn Hdg. 424th Inf APS 443
106th Div Banbury (Assuming Banbury England)

If you can expound on the address that would be great.

Believe or not i had one grandfather and four uncles in WW2 all in major action from North Africa, Italy, Phillipines and Europe and they all made it back. i am going to compile all their info and stories i can gather into a book.....at least for the family. The stories and the history is incredible. I was very close to my Grandfather and very blessed for it. I will attach a phot of Milton soon.

I added his ASN. I gave credit as "Grandson", but I don't have your name to enter. If you'd care to send me your name, direct to jimdwest@centurylink.net I'll give the proper credit. I only use first initial and last name.

For some reason the board wouldn't allow me to view all the members' name pages.

Jim west

Hey Gang. Thanks for the info on medics Mr. Ragsdale and Connie we are making progress. Connie the military addresses are hand written in one of my uncles note book which I am going to try to get my hands on this week. I will double check it for order which it was written. He was my Grandfathers brother-in-law. there are probably at least 15 addresses in there mostly military. He was an MP. He ended up in Germany on and behind the front lines...but that is another story and i am still working on that information. Another Uncle has already been completely researched by my cousin. He was in the 36th Infantry Division. He landed on the beach 3 times in Africa, Italy and France. Another was in Leyte Gulf in the Philipines. According to my Great Aunt, his wife who is still living, he was the wild-child of the family. It sounds crazy but when he was discharged he actually managed to sneak home a baby monkey all the way from the Philipines back to Texas. OK i know all this sounds rather spectacular and i was very skeptical but my great aunt gave me a picture of my Great Grandfather holding the monkey....I couldnt believe it. Connie and Jim...i am going to get a scanner get my son to show how to download my Grandfathers photos so we can put it on the roster. And yes if you want I can download the picture of the monkey and my Great Grandfather. LOL

PS: my wife is having surgery tomorrow so yall please pray for her and goodnight.

Hello Connie and everyone. Thanks Connie for helping me re-locate the 106th Photo Album. GREAT NEWS. Finally got a copy of my Grandfathers' discharge papers. His technical army info is as follows:

Milton L Lewis 38546190
Technician Fifth Grade
Medical Detachment 424th Infantry Regiment, 106th Div

European Theater Ribbon W/4 Bronze Stars
Good Conduct Medal-2 Overseas Service Bars
Victory Ribbon

Medical Badge

Battles and Campaigns: Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.

Got some information on Ancestry.com from a gentleman about his Military address overseas which reads:
1st Bn Hdq 424th Inf Aps 443 106th Div Banbury
means he was in 1st battalion, Headquarters Division so I am assuming he was dedicated to the 1st Battalion, at least at first. But i have information that strongly suggest that he assisted in 2nd Battalion with wounded at Manhay and he with other groups.

EVEN BETTER NEWS.

Finally got my hands on recording of my Grandfather at a family event, being interviewed by my uncle in 1966, talking about his time with the 106th. I must say, hearing my Grandfathers voice for the first time since 1985 when he passed from cancer, was very moving for me. Had to stop .....and regroup several times. Have 90 minutes of info about his time in the Bulge, an amazing amount of personnel information placing him at several locations and battles of actual events written about in St. Vith-Lion in the Way and a couple other books. A lot of info to digest. But it will allow me to trace is steps a little more accurately through the Bulge back behind the 82 Airbornes lines and reorganisation and the push back again into Germany. I even know which German prisoner of war camp he was assigned to. Thanks in part to all your help and forth coming information. And more work still to be done. I am going to work on a transcript of the recording and along with pertinent dates, places and other information that i have and am learning and share it later.

Connie-Oddly enough in the 106th Album the 424th is the only regiment without a photo of its Medical Detachment!?? Aslo I had mentioned he was made a medic after he arrived in Belgium.This was not correct. According to him on the tape he was assigned to the Medical Detachment and only received one month of medic training BEFORE shipping off to Europe with the rest of the 106th. And then more in Banbury England. i am also trying to trace his movements in the states through about 10 months of training. All I know so far is he began at Camp Roberts in California and ended up with the 106th. I only know about Camp Roberts because he wrote of it in a note pad.

So I have him assigned, officially on paper and by word of mouth to the 106th, 424th Medical Detachment. And by specific info on tape on places, certain battles and dates and research, he was with assigned to the 1st Battalion maybe Hdq Company. But during the drive back through he assisted where ever needed. But I have not been able to confirm 1stBn, Hdq Co on official paper yet or if he was assigned to a particular platoon or maybe the 424th as a whole. Still working on it. Any further assistance would be greatly appreciated. The more I learn the more exciting and somber this becomes. We surely have much to be grateful for.

Connie can you forward my Grandfathers updated info for me to Jim for the roster please when you have time and update this site as well. If you need me to do it let me know but i am not sure how. But i can e-mail Jim if need be.

Info added to roster.

West

Hi!

Glad you have saved that recording in multiple places!

You have it right about return dates. Floyd could add more from his own experience on the staying in Europe after the Division...

The culprit was something called the "Point System" that determined eligibility for discharge. Time served entered in. But there was more. For discussion on the point system and a link to more info you can head to the military questions on the board or shortcut there: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=questions&action=display&thread=573

Of course this means there is another unit served with post 106th. You will need to keep your eyes open for this one. That it didn't show on his discharge papers is not an oversight. Floyd can tell you he got to choose which unit he wanted listed here. He, too, chose the 106th.

Under "Unit Specific Discussions" on a thread entitled "after the 106th" you'll find some more notes mostly mostly on people who were in a situation like your grandfather with more time to invest before they could go home: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=unit&action=display&thread=633

Connie

Thanks Mr Ragsdale and Connie for the discharge info. i am working on gathering more information about stories from the war from other relatives. Apparently there are several stories and things my uncle knows that everyone assumed I knew. I am working out the details now. I know of at least two other people he and Mr. Ragsdale served with in the 424th that are not on the roster but I am still working on the details. Also does anyone out there have any information the action in Northern France and the 424th Infantry? It was right at the end of the war and may have been only a brief action.

Don

Awesome. Thanks again. I do not think anyone in my family was aware of that particular part of history. I'll check it out.

Update: Ok I am pretty certain that he was in "Headquarters Company" now in the 424th Inf Reg. 1st Battalion. But i have only found one short personal storie of someone in Hdq Co. If anyone runs across anything out there let me know.
Thanks

Great photos! I wonder which one of the medics in the Jan. 1945 is your grandfather? There seem to be two medics in the picture.

Greetings
Carl

It indeed looks like a photo taken by a local (professional) photographer. The 424th stayed in some small towns South of Liege after they were taken off the line in January. After the R&R they went back into the fight, liberating the area North of St Vith.

PS: Does anyone know where I might be able to look at an original copy of the 106th Infantry Division Yearbook annual that is posted on the divisions web site?