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WWII 76th ID/304th IR First Sergeant Ike; Research Help


Kadet
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I thought I might impose on the membership for some help with this recent addition...I know there are a few members that specialize in this division. If the ribbon bar is accurate, the man was a WWI vet who served in WWII combat with Company K, 304th Infantry, 76th Infantry Division. There is a laundry # in both jacket and pants...H-2295. The only man in the database with that # and old enough to have served in WWI is also attached. I wondered if anyone had a roster of this unit? It is also possible that the WWI ribbon should really be a WWII version. I have seen that mistake before. Any help/thoughts would be appreciated! I would like to ID this one, as the leadership stripes make it a little special IMO. Also, whoever this guy was he was huge by WWII standards. Size 42 jacket and 33 trousers.

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Since there is no WWII victory ribbon present my guess is that he used a WWI victory ribbon instead. Very nice uniform!

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If he was an older enlistee with prior service I would expect to see some service stripes on his sleeve. That said, very nice jacket I like it a lot!

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Maybe, maybe not on both points. Soldiers typically received the victory ribbon at out processing, and many chose not to wear it. It also depends on when he was discharged. On the federal service stripes, I would say they appear on 50-75% of the uniforms I have handled, even when they were rated. Again, a lot of men chose not to wear them at all for whatever reason ( as is likely the case with this uniform given his rank and campaign credits). All that said, I really don't know though! It will be an interesting project..

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BILL THE PATCH

Very nice uniform, is the 76th patch British made?, Looks like it. Hope you I'd it

 

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

 

 

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carbinephalen

Can you give me the how's and when's of you snagging this one? It may help me track him down! Thanks in advance!

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So this guy here was around 44 years old when he joined up in July 1942, or was he drafted, one source says max age was 44,, while another say 45 (briefly). Interesting. If he was in WW1, I suspect he reenlisted right, because he wouldn't be subjected to the draft, or would he?

 

 

IV-A Men who had completed service [not considered in time of war],

 

This implies that old timers from WW1 could be drafted in this current war, WWII, can't imagine though how far it would of been practiced.

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No, I don't think a 44 year old was drafted, especially that early in the war. Speaking strictly about Harwood (and I'm not saying this jacket was his...I really don't know), my guess would be that someone of his age had previous service. This may have been in the regular Army, or National Guard (which was federalized during WWII as part of the Army of the United States (AUS).

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carbinephalen

I have near (99%) complete rosters for the 304th Regiment by company. I cannot find your man (or your suspected man) listed. There were two Harwoods in the Division, one was a Major and the other was a Private, both from different Regiments in the Div.

The 1st Sgt for 304th K-Co was Beaven F. Hanlon whose ASN was 31132295. An exact match for your jacket

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Beaven F Hanlon is a match. His ASN is included here. He ended the war with the 395th IR, which was part of the 99th ID...

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The WWI Victory ribbon is simply just worn by mistake in this case.

Good summation, this is akin to wearing that WW Army of Occupation ribbon seen on post VE/VJ Day WWII GIs so many times.

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Thanks again for the help! Here he is second from left. Even his height and weight from the enlistment info matches the size of the uniform.

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  • 8 months later...
carbinephalen

I thought I would update this one. Happy to have another brave Onaway vet in the collection. I find it interesting he received a Certificate of Merit instead of a Bronze Star Medal! Enjoy! Glad to put a face with a name.

 

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