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

[quigondon1]

I know he was in 424th probably 1st battalion but not certain. When he got to Belgium, after being trained as a machine gunner and a mortar man, he was volunteered as a medic. I know he was in Steinebruck, Germany when the Germans attacked. Waiting on his military info. I know his Army serial #. I do not know if he was attached to 331st med bn or not. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[connie]

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.

[quigondon1]

Ok i found out the 424th had its own Medical Detachment and Floyd let me know that he believed there was one medic per Squad so he was probably still associated with his Company and not the 331st at least on paper. You also.said you found a milton l lewis in the roster. I have looked several times and not found him. Maybe i am searchin . The roster wrong? Oh and I really, really appreciate your help. It means a lot to me.

[connie]

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.

[Jim West - Indiana Military Or]

I added the "new" Milton L. Lewis with info from the above questions and replies. Please send me any and all info you may have, especially his service number. Including photo if available.

[e-mail]

Connie - you're way of searching is the best way. However, if you also add a comma after the last name, it will only show names that have it as the last name, and no first or middles. Search --- lewis, will get all last named Lewis.

[quigondon1]

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.

[connie]

Hi,
It's interesting to help. A lot of other people have helped me. If we all pitch in with what we know we make progress!

You are most fortunate also to have access to info from Floyd. The insights of someone who was actually there are an amazing gift. That he also served in the 424th is bonus.

The serial # confirms what I suspected. There was indeed another Milton Lewis in the division. No match on serial #'s. I see that Jim has now added grandfather to the roster & I let him know that you had posted the serial #. So that should be added soon. You'll also note that I've added the name with a link to this thread to this discussion board's Site Soldier Index.

The address is interesting. Pieces are familiar to me and parts amaze me. Was it a return address on a piece of mail? Some location notes made by someone else? Or possibly some post war notes? The 443 is familiar. My father's return address contained that number. He wrote "APO 443" & I believe that this APO was part of the address of every soldier in the 106th Infantry from the time they left Camp Atterbury en route to a debarkation camp, England, and the continent. In Dad's address, like your grandfather's the APO 443 was preceded by identification of the unit. But the APO was followed by: "c/o PM NY, NY" The name of the exact location within a country was subject to censorship regulations. Yes, indeed, there were elements of the division in Banbury. But I'll be amazed if the town name made it into anything earlier than post-hostilities/ post-censorship notes...

Wow! You do have an interesting, multi-fasceted story to chronicle for family. It will be fascinating to hear bits of your journey...

Connie

[Jim West - Indiana Military Or]

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 [e-mail] 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

[floydragsdale]

Correction:

I think that there was (1) one medic per platoon in an Infantry Company, There were (4) four platoons to an Infantry Company. Thus there were (4) Medics to an Infantry Company.

Floyd
424th Regiment

[quigondon1]

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.

[connie]

Good to be part of your 106th extended family. Your you and your wife are in my thoughts and prayers today. Hope as the day draws toward a close that recovery is going well...

Connie

[quigondon1]

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.

[connie]

Wow!

So great to hear of your finds! The paper work is great in itself, but the recording is worth its weight in gold. Hope that in addition to transcribing it, you can get it digitally recorded and saved in places that include such places as your safety deposit box and an external hard drive. Your words let me know that you appreciate this on every level including the historic and the personal.

I'll try to keep my eyes open for photo of the 424th Medical Detachment. You never know when something like that may turn up.

I will see that Jim knows of the new info and I'll also update the Site Soldier Index on this board, although that does not include medals and such. It is more an index to postings on the board.

I look forward to seeing something of the transcripts. I know that Jim would be pleased to post what you come up with on the Indiana Military Site. I hope we can get bits of it here and add links to the Indiana Military Site posting when it happens. But I imagine the transcription will take a while...

Thanks for keeping us posted.

Connie

[Jim West - Indiana Military Or]

Info added to roster.

West

[quigondon1]

Thanks for getting the information to Jim. I already have saved on my computer and my smart phone. I am going to put it in a memory stick next and put away several copies for safe keeping. The interview is very informal and at a family get-together so the is family related material mingled in. I will transcribe it with just the 106th stuff with as many locations as I can and dates as I can. He also metioned a short stent in Northen France to root out a small group of Germans that got passed by. I have not found any info on this so far but I just started looking. Also from reading it appears the 106th were all sent home by mid October 1945. But I know that he did not come back until the end of Febuary 1946. Maybe it has something to with when he entered th service and the time he had left?

[connie]

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

[floydragsdale]

Hello:

Regarding "being discharged" from the Service in WWII. The Army had a G.I. for the Duration of the War, plus six months, if they wanted to keep him that long, they could.

Even if a Soldier had enough points to go home he could be declared essential. If I remember correctly WWII wasn't officially declared over with until sometime in l950. Thus, right after the War, if the Army wanted to keep you, they did.

Also, everyone in the Infantry had to spend a certain amount of time in First Aid Classes. Some soldiers who excelled in those classes had a chance to be assigned to Medical Units in the Division, either by choice or by necessity. I remember that happening to some Soldiers.

Floyd,
424th Regiment

[quigondon1]

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

[floydragsdale]

Hello Don:

The action that the 424th pulled in Northern France was in the Brittany Peninsula, France. There was a German Submarine base at St. Nazare (sp) that did not surrender their troops (90,000 Soldiers) when American and British forces raced through France.

The 424th Regiment was sent to that area (Rennee, France) in late March/April 1945 to help keep the German troops bottled up at that base.

There’s more to the story, nevertheless, that is why the 106th received credit for the Northern France Campaign.

This Soldier was there to do his two cents worth.

Floyd

[quigondon1]

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

[connie]

Hi,

Rennes France area... watching the German troops at the Submarine pens... My dad was there, too, with a field artillery unit.

Under Dates and Places in Division History I've started a thread for more discussion on that subject. 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=dates&thread=850&page=1

[quigondon1]

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

[quigondon1]

Great Exciting news. I found about 20 lost photos of my grandfather in uniform while with the 106th. Found them in an album my dad did not even know he had. Got a close up of him wearing his medics helmet in Liege, Belgium dated Jan. 1945. There is another group photo taken at the Palace of Versailles in France in front of a statue of King Louis XIV. See attachment. If anyone can identify the group or anyone in it that would be great. Probably his Company in the 1st Bn, 424th but not sure. My grandfather is the one standing on the far right without his hat. New improved photo....8/19/2013
imageshack.us/a/img809/6232/dbr9.jpg

[Carl W.]

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

[quigondon1]

Sorry Carl my bad. I have not posted the posted the Jan. 1945 photo taken in Liege, Belgium. I will attach it here. actually there are two very small photos like they were taken in a photo booth or something??? In the Red Cross photo under General Board the medic on the right looks a lot like him when he was a little older but the medic hats don't match but he had a good friend in the 2nd battalion that he visited so it could be possible.

imageshack.us/a/img541/8638/5mn7.jpg
imageshack.us/a/img546/632/weo0.jpg
imageshack.us/a/img21/8104/3y49.jpg

[Carl W.]

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.

[quigondon1]

Concerning the group photo in Versailles, France a few post back on this thread, Mr. Ragsdale allowed that this was probably a tour group of different soldiers on leave probably in June 1945 after hostilities ended when passes were being handed out rather liberally.

[quigondon1]

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?

[connie]

Other than watching on E-Bay...

I don't know if the CUB magazine would take a classified type listing of Looking for a Copy of... but the readers of that magazine are the most likely to have copies. If someone does not want to hang onto their copy, maybe...

[quigondon1]

Thanks Connie. I will keep an eye out. I filled out an application to join the association, maybe that will help. I would settle for just seeing one in person. I have seen photos of them and the pictures seem really clear. Having one would be wonderful though.

Mr. Ragsdale I have a photo of my Grandfather in Liege, Belgium in Jan 1945 which seems to be pretty far north of where the 424th's push back through Belgium. Could that have been a furlough or where they even giving them out during this time?