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Post by connie on Jul 25, 2010 11:44:21 GMT -5
This board is being added at the suggestion of a new member. It sounded like a good idea to have a place for members to introduce themselves and tell why they are here (if they are so inclined). I have attempted to restrict viewing of this board to registered members. But please be aware of personal security. Know that you can exchange more detailed info in personal messages which are not viewed by everyone. (See "sending a personal message" under "Site Questions and how-to's": 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=helpI hope that long time members of this message board, as well as new ones, will take a few moments to reintroduce themselves. Thanks! It will be good to get to know members better and have one spot to check and refresh the memory. Connie |
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Post by Rhonda-Daughter of John Brown on Oct 11, 2010 20:37:23 GMT -5
Hello, My name is Rhonda. My Father was with The 106th Division, I have been searching for Info. on Him and His time in The Army. I have only been a Registered Member a Few Days, already I have learned so much. The People Here have been Very Kind and Helpful, I am so Happy I found This Site. Thanks Everyone!  |
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roger
Active Member
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Post by roger on Oct 11, 2010 21:12:32 GMT -5
Welcome aboard Rhonda - Most of us have been in the very same position as you....digging and searching!!! It is exciting to hear about your excitement about your discoveries. There are some extremely knowledgeable people on this message board and you will gain a wealth of information.
Roger
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Post by huskers1990 on Dec 28, 2021 12:51:31 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
My name is Tom Hernandez and I am new to the group my Grandfather was a medic for the 422 which was attached to the 106th. His name was Pete Hernandez, unfortunately he passed away about 45 years ago and my family did not really know what he went through during the war. Other then information gathered from his DD-214 and him telling the family that he fought in the "Battle of the Bulge" and was a POW that's all we know, I don't even have his service photo. So this is the start of my informational gathering journey with the ultimate goal of documenting a more comprehensive account of his experiences so that I may share it with his grandchildren and great grandchildren who never knew him. Any information that can be provided will be of great use to my family in this endeavor. Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide.
Regards,
Tom Hernandez
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Post by connie on Dec 28, 2021 17:34:09 GMT -5
Tom, Welcome to the Discussion Board and to the beginning of the search for answers about your grandfather's wartime story. I know from personal experience that it can be an amazing journey. Just to keep track of your info as I write, I'm attaching a quote from your post above "My Grandfather was a medic for the 422 which was attached to the 106th. His name was Pete Hernandez, unfortunately he passed away about 45 years ago and my family did not really know what he went through during the war. Other then information gathered from his DD-214 and him telling the family that he fought in the "Battle of the Bulge" and was a POW that's all we know," A couple of quick big picture notes that may be helpful: The 422 Infantry Regiment was one of three infantry regiments in the 106th Infantry Division-- the 422, 423rd,and 424th. Each Infantry Regiment within the 106th Infantry Division was a part of a larger Regimental Combat team that bore its numerical name-- Regimental Combat Team 422 Regimental Combat Team 423 and Regimental Combat 424. Each regimental combat team included an engineering company, a medical company, a field artillery battalion, and an infantry regiment. So, if my understanding of this configuration is correct, your grandfather was in the medical company that was assigned to be part of the 422nd Regimental Combat Team. The 331st Medical Battalion was the Medical Battalion assigned to the 106th Infantry Division. To my knowledge, one lettered company from that medical battalion was, I believe assigned to each of the regimental combat team. I am trying to remember/ find which lettered company was assigned to the 422nd. You can access group photos (taken stateside at Camp Atterbury, on the Division Association Site. See this page: 106thinfdivassn.org/album/album.htmlIf you scroll down to the 331st Medical units, and go through the lettered companies (clicking to enlarge the photos) you might possibly find a photo that includes your grandfather... Let us know if you find it! I'll try to get back up to speed on which medical companies were assigned to which combat teams PS. I've added your grandfather's name to the Site Soldier Index, including him under the list of 106th Infantry Division Members on this Site and under the list of men from the 331st Medical Battalion. 6-1-23 Here's a direct link to the photo of the medical detachment for the 422 Infantry regiment. You can click on the photo to enlarge it. The enlarged photo is a bit grainy but perhaps you can recognize your grandfather: 106thinfdivassn.org/album/422med.jpg |
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Post by jrwentz on Dec 29, 2021 23:24:31 GMT -5
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Post by jrwentz on Dec 30, 2021 8:32:58 GMT -5
Tom. Here are links to reports about the 331st. COMPANY ‘D’ 331ST MEDICAL BATTALION APO #443, U. S. Army UNIT HISTORY (10 Dec - 31 Dec 1944) This is the Clearing Company report. Note it mentions contact with Company B was lost on December 16, the day the German attack was launched. It started with an intense artillery barrage which knocked out the telephone lines. At this point I do not know if there was a radio network for the Medical units or not. The 106th was not allowed to use or calibrate their radios prior to the attack because of concerns the Germans would learn about the Allies plan to attack on December 19th. After the attack started some radios were put into use but the Germans were jamming the signals and very few messages got through. More on this later. achh.army.mil/history/book-wwii-331stmedicalbn106thinfdiv-331stmedbncoddec1944Five additional 331st reports are linked from the page below. I have not read these, but perhaps you can find some additional info of value in these. achh.army.mil/history/book-wwii-331stmedicalbn106thinfdiv-331stmedbnintro |
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Post by jrwentz on Dec 30, 2021 9:59:00 GMT -5
Tom, This map shows positions of five battalions of the 106th and attached units on or near the Schnee Eifel as of Dec. 16, 1944. It shows Company A of 331st had their collecting station at Andler, while Company B was at Buchet with the HQ of the 423rd battalion. This seems to contradict the information Connie posted from the Cub magazine, but maybe not. The 423rd only had two battalions on the Eifel. The other battalion was held in reserve and did not go to the Eifel until midday on the 16th. So Company B may have covered the 422nd's Third Battalion on the Schnee since Company A probably had to support the many attached units in the Losheim gap. It will help if you can find your Grandfather in one of the photos Connie linked earlier. This could help you learn about the things that happened in the vicinity of your Grandfather's position through the four days of battle.  |
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Post by jrwentz on Dec 30, 2021 12:15:54 GMT -5
Tom, Go to this link for a free download of the book St. vith, Lion in the Way. It is one of the best books about the 106th and the attached units in the Battle of the Bulge. archive.org/details/StVithLionInTheWay/page/n65/mode/2up?q=331stIt should open up showing links to pages that discuss the 331st - about a dozen plus a link to the index page for the 331st. If you scroll down the page a little you will see links to download the book in various formats. I prefer the PDF format. You can search it and I think you will be able to copy things to insert in your report. This book and one other one indicate that Company A was drawn back early enough to escape capture and the men who were captured were in Company B. I have come across more detailed accounts of a few things during the four-day battle that talk about the medics near Buchet, but I do not think they actually referred to the 331st. Still, you can be reasonably assured it would be Company B. Those guys were doing heroic services under extremely difficult circumstances with few medical supplies and little sleep. I will look for some of those accounts. The 106th was calling for air drops of medical supplies, food, water, and ammunition for all types of weapons by the second day. The air drops were promised, but never came. |
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Post by jrwentz on Dec 30, 2021 22:28:32 GMT -5
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Post by connie on Dec 31, 2021 12:20:40 GMT -5
Tom, Things to do today before I thoroughly look through the substantive additions to this thread made by J.R. But before I run I have one less meaningful but perhaps useful technical note. It has to do with enabling automated e-mail notifications when something of interest to you is added to the discussion board. If you're interested, here's the link to the thread that walks you through activating that feature: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/302/threadHappy New Year! Connie |
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