ww2 cpl rank ???'s

[tomob1]

Dad was a medic in new guinea and the phillipines. I just saw some pics of him in uniform stateside and he's wearing a CPL patch with a "T" under the CPL rank.

2 questions:

what is the significance of the T on the rank patch?

weren't most combat medics in ww2 privates?

thanks!

tom

[bayonetman]

I am sure there are those who can give a better answer, but I had an uncle in WW2 who was a Technician.

 

The T under the stripes indicates Technician Grade (similar to the later Specialist ratings), so your father was a Technician 5th Grade (paid and usually addressed as a Corporal).

 

Most Technicians had a special skill such as your father, and were not in the direct command structure in that they would not be expected to issue commands to those not in their direct specialty line. That is, they were there for their skill rather than to command troops in combat. Not to say that a lot of techs didn't issue commands when needed to line troops, but they basically were paid for their skill training rather than their command abilities. I am sure medics came in all enlisted ranks, but just as today there were probably more privates than higher ranks.

 

Hopefully if I am way off base, someone will correct me.

[tomob1]

found this:

Technicians

 

On January 8, 1942, under War Department Circular No. 5, the ranks of Technician Third Grade (T/3), Technician Fourth Grade (T/4), and Technician Fifth Grade (T/5) were created and replaced the existing specialist ranks. Initially, these ranks used the same insignia as the Staff Sergeant, Sergeant, and Corporal, but on September 4, 1942, Change 1 to AR 600-35 added a "T" for "Technician" to the standard chevron design that corresponded with that grade. Despite that, as with the Specialists that they replaced, unofficial insignia using a specialty symbol instead of the T were used in some units.

 

A technician was generally not addressed as such, but rather as the equivalent rank in its pay grade (T/5 as Corporal; T/4 as Sergeant; T/3 as Sergeant or Staff Sergeant). Officially, a technician did not have the authority to give commands or issue orders but could under combat conditions be placed second in command of a squad by a Sergeant. Unofficially, most units treated them as though they were of the equivalent rank of the same pay grade.

 

The Technician ranks were removed from the rank system in 1948. The concept was brought back with Specialist ranks of in 1955.

 

still wondering what the rank of the average combat medic was. Wade, i "saving private ryan" was an E4T. is that historically accurate?

thanks!

tom

[tomob1]

thanks bayonetman! that's pretty much what i found too. dad didn't talk about the war so now i'm finding out some details about him during that time. I always thought he was a private! also didn't know he served 4 yrs until last week. I'm trying to find out more about his unit and their travels, but was told the records burned in a fire.