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What happens when a unit is Skeletonized?


Medalman90
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Medalman90

I recently purchased this interesting little group to Pvt. Ernest F. Weiss of Mercer, NJ. I’m going to send away for his file but I wanted to get a better understanding of how the army went about it. I’ll post everything I learn once the research is complete.

 

Ernest enlisted into the army on May 21st, 1917 and was assigned to the 2nd Regiment Hospital Corps. The only other service info I could find online was a troop ship record for March 4th 1919, he is listed under 113th SNTR. I assume this is the 113th Sanitary Train of the 38th Division. Once the 38th arrived in France the unit was split up due to a shortage of manpower. So here are some questions;

 

1) how did the Army go about dividing the 38th Division? Was it at the regimental/ Company level? Or was each individual person placed in a different unit?

 

2) Is it possible that men of the 38th Division, once separated and put into other units, were they entitled to service clasps other then the France clasp?

 

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I think probably best to think of it as at the person level, starting from the top.

 

Officers and experienced NCOs were divided out where there was an immediate need, remaining Officers/NCOs and enlisted men were folded into the 2nd Depot Division where they were then funneled to the Divisions on the line as replacements.

 

Since he still had the SNTR unit designation on the trip back (did he sail with that unit, or was he on a mixed return ship?) its possible that unit remained whole somewhere in the rear. I know the 113th Supply Train of the 38th was detached and remained whole for service in the rear...

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Infantry and MG units were usually broken up and went for replacements. The more specialized units, like Artillery, Engineers and medical were often left intact and assigned at the Corps and Army level.

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Medalman90, Looking at the transport rolls, it appears that he was assigned to the Sanitary Detachment, 113th Infantry, 29th Division. He sailed June of 1918.

 

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Medalman90

Guys I appreciate you helping me understand the breakdown of the units, thank you.

 

And thank you Beast for finding the muster roll for this transport ship. I’ve been only able to find the muster rolls for his return. A part of me had a feeling he was NJNG when I really looked at the wording I an article stating his enlistment.

 

 

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