Fowlers engraved Dixie lid found at Camp Cable

[PIX by PETE]

My name's Peter Walker from Brisbane Australia.

Back in the late 1970's and early 1980's my late father, brother & I
used to metal detect an old U.S Army camp by the name of  Camp Cable
which between 1942-44 had tens of thousands of troops pass through it.
We found hundreds of interesting items from Military to personal
including dog tags and distinctive unit insignia (DUI).

In recent times I have started to investigate many of the DUI's we
found and have been able to find the units that they belonged to
through hours of searching on the internet.

This is where I hope that someone may be able to assist me with my inquiry?

Attached are 2 photos and a drawing of a mess kit lid (Dixie) which on
the top side has the initial F along with the numbers 6687engraved on
it. On the underside it has an image that looks like a unit patch id
or a DUI with the name Fowlers engraved on it.

I know that the 32nd Division with its units the 126th, 127th & 128th
Infantry, as well the 120th, 121st & 126th Field Artillery were at
Camp Cable.  I have been able to discover over the
last few years that the 1st Marine Div, the 158th RCT, the 147th &
148th Field Artillery Regiments and the 503rd Parachute Infantry
Regiment to name a few were also at Camp Cable.

I know that there were hundreds of patches and DUI's used by
different Divisions and  units in WW2 and this mess kit lid was from
the Pacific theater and with a name like Fowlers and the lighting
bolts coming out of what looks like a skull being held by an Eagle with outstretched wings, I was thinking it could
have something to do with a Signals unit or Para Marines that were part of the 1st Marine Division?

I hope that someone can shed some light on this for me. 

Regards Peter

[Blacksmith]

Hi Peter - I believe your mess kit lid belonged to James E. Fowler, who enlisted on 4/5/1943, from Licking, Ohio.  ASN: 352166687, which would make his laundry number the “F6687” that you see engraved on it.

[PIX by PETE]

Hi and thanks for getting back to me. Would happen to know what branch and unit James E. Fowler served with? 

[Blacksmith]

I wish I did brother.  I did some quick searches, which didn’t turn up anything.  

 

I will continue to look, and post any discoveries.  

 

Once the NARA opens back up to researchers (happened already?), you could request his records - which hopefully survived the fire in the 70s.

 

Best of luck.