*Help w/Alfred J LeBlanc-424th

[connie]

Karrie,

I'll post to keep this thread active. I have nothing of substance to add to this search at the moment but it interests me. Your earlier account of his unit (section?) being surrounded by Germans sounds like it might fit in with the MIA telegram. It is quite possible that after he escaped this encounter it was a while before he found his way back to anyone connected to 424C. But it would be wonderful to find someone's written account documenting this. That may be dependent on whether or not anyone survived this experience with him and whether they took the time to write an account.

Floyd can tell you that confusion reigned. He was sent off to a medical collection point and no one in his unit knew where he was. He can tell more of that story...

Anyway, if enough people speculate, maybe we'll get close to what really happened. Obviously your grandfather had to be missing long enough to make it to the MIA telegram status...

Keep us posted. Sometimes once you know enough to ask the question, answers make their way to you.

Connie

[kaben3]

Hello Again,

Still looking for information on my grandfather.

Since my last post, I have been through 7 months of newspapers from his town for the time he came overseas through the Battle of the Bulge, until about April of 1945, I also jumped to April of 1946 through May of 1946 about the time he would have come home. No noting of him at all.

As I mentioned he was a pretty quite guy.

Unable to nail down any information regarding the MIA telegram. I even contacted Western Union - just for everyones information they keep no records of where telegrams were sent or sent from.

Also, still unable to locate any pictures of him with the 106th/424th.

Just keeping you all posted, thanks again for checking in.

Any help as always would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Karrie

[kaben3]

Hello

It's been a while since I last posted an update (I think last August). I still haven't been able to locate anything new at this time (Pictures, Documents, Etc.).

Lately I have been looking back over all the information I have (Pictures, Documents, Etc.) to try and pull out any clues. I have specifically been looking for clues in the letter my Aunt (his daughter) compiled of pieces of information he told her that she wrote down of his service in the war.

My focus from this information is to try and definitely confirm which Company he was in in the 424th. I have been told Company C, but I am not sure of the odds of him serving in Company C in both the 106th/424th & 16th Engineers (the unit he discharged with).

In the information from my Aunt, she mentions his company or what was left of it (he/she didn't note the Company), combined with the 112th Infantry Regiment 28th Infantry Division to fight as a combat regimental unit.

I would assume that I could possibly narrow down which company or possible companies he would have served with from this information. It is looking from doing some online reading is the 2nd Bn.

Just throwing this information out there. This is where I am currently. Nothing else to report at this time, but still searching. I'll keep in touch.

Thanks,

Karrie

[kaben3]

Hello Again,

Just touching base since it's been a while. Hope everyone is well

I'm still researching for information about my grandfather. I was excited to be able include a posting in this edition of "The Cub" magazine. And I have had a few phone calls in response. Thanks so much for everyones help and input!

An update. Last month I was able to submit enough documentation for the Army approve and issue the Belgian Fourragere and the Occupation of Germany Medal w/ German Clasp. They will also be changing his discharge papers to reflect this. However they still will not confirm or authorize his CIB we have with his possesions.

Lastly, I was able to take a ride to the Taunton Historical Society a few weeks back. They had some pictures and documents of the former Camp Myles Standish. It was interesting to look through these items, and that weekend they had an historian/professor to give a talk about the prisoners kept there during WWII. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend. Soon I plan to take a ride to the WWII Path in Mansfield , which was built on location of the former train tracks of the troop trains. I will try and locate some links to some of the places I mentioned and post them.

Well that's it for now. Just checking in.

Karrie

[kaben3]

An update.

I received phone calls from 2 different 106th/424th veterans in response to the posting I have in the current publication of "The Cub" asking: both if someone could identify my grandfather and which company/ companies combined to fight as a combat regimental unit with the 112th/28th Infantry during the Battle of the Bulge.

One veteran was in company E, and the other stated he was in company L. Both veterans did not recognize him.

However both confirmed they were near/in the area of the 112th Infantry/ 28th Infantry Regiment. The veteran in company L speculated that my grandfather could have possibly been part of company K?

Just tossing this information out there.

Thanks and have a good day!

[kaben3]

Hello,

I have an update

Based on a picture I saw in the 106th Infantry picture album of Company G of the 424th which was taken in July of 1944, there was a soldier that caught my eye, but it wasn't really clear. After some months went by I had forgotten about it. Two weeks ago while researching online I came across the same picture again, I was fortunate enough that Carl was able to send me a clearer scan of this picture of Company G, which after showing a copy to several family members, they all pointed to the same soldier that I thought looked a lot like my grandfather.

Yesterday in the mail I received a copy of a morning report from the National Archives dated 12/1/1944 for Company G of the 424th, my grandfather's name and Army Serial # are listed as one of 20 men being promoted from PVT to PFC.

I wanted to share my find with all of you since I always appreciate your support and input

That's all for now.

Karrie

[Carl W.]

Great news! That's the reason to never stop researching! There's always a bit of new information that can shed light on the situation. I'm so happy for you Karrie!

Greetings
Carl

[kaben3]

Thanks Carl

[kaben3]

Hello,

Just a quick update since so many of you have provided so much input over the past couple of years. I haven't had a chance to sign in to post, so catching up now

While cleaning one weekend day this past October I came across a letter dated 1948 addressed to my grandfather in response to a letter he had written to the Dept of the Army in a box of misc. papers that was from his father's house.

I was actually ready to dismiss this paper thinking it was another copy of his discharge paper. Well to my surprise the letter stated that they were awarding him the CIB for "satisfactory performance of duty in ground combat against the enemy" and lsited as an enclosure was the CIB.

So we submitted a copy of this letter to Senator's office, and a few weeks ago we received the CIB, Bronze Star Medal w/ certificate in the mail.

I feel very, very fortunate that I was able to stumble across this paper, since there are still so many folks still searching for documentation. I wanted to take the time to let you all know and to post a picture of the awards we received (I hope the picture attaches correctly).

Thanks again to everyone for all of your help and input.
Have a Happy New Year 2013!

Karrie

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