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Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WWII veteran

Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WWII veteran

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 5:04PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Sevigny, Sivigny
I'm researching a cousin who served in the US Army during WWII and died in the Philippines.
Any help/suggestions greatly appreciated. I would like to know what campaigns he was in and the unit he served with before his death.
I'll give you his family background and what I have found so far.

Joseph Wilfred Robert Sevigny he also went by the last name of Sivigny. Most of what I found was under the name Sivigny.
Born 31 Dec 1914 in Laconia, NH. Raised in Lowell, MA
Parents: Philippe J Sevigny & Georgiana (Deshainais) Sevigny
sublings: Rita, Blanche, Ronald, Lionel, Armand, there were others but died early in their life.
married AnnaBelle Hennessey in 1937, and divorced in 1940. May have had a son, Richard Robert Sevigny-1938 (all in Lowell, MA)

married Mildred Howard Daniel on 3 Sep 1943 in SC. Had one son, Robert Jessie Sivigny.

Died of Wounds on 16 Feb 1945 and buried at Fort William McKinley, Manila, Philippines.
Rank: Sgt Joseph W R Sivigny
Serial Number 6137273
unit: 592nd JASCO (Joint Assault Signal Corps)
I contacted the State/local Veteran's agent to find a DD214 or something like that for a Vet KIA. They had two.
One listing his discharge as dishonorable for desertion on 17 Jan 1941
Second lists his enlistment on 12 Dec 1942

Now from what I gather a JASCO is a signal group that would coordinate Army/Navy/Air Corp communications. So example he would be assigned to an Army unit to communicate with the Navy on the shelling of a beach etc.
So like to know what unit he was attached to in the Philippines.

From the local newspapers he was wounded on Luzon. His wounds were sustained in the US Army assault of famed Corregidor. Would he have earned a bronze arrowhead for his campaign medal?

I contacted the NARA and they have nothing on him. So I requested his Death file. They sent me some things but no answer to what I'm looking for.
I did find out the following thou, his stations he was at
Fort Devens, Mass. Dec 42
Fort Jackson, SC Dec 42- Oct 43
Camp Crowder, MO Oct 43- June 44
POE June 44 (What does POE stand for? Port of Embarkation??)
So he enlisted in Massachusetts, went to Boot Camp in SC and Signal training in MO.
Where did he go between June 1944 and Feb 1945

His body was removed/transferred to the USS Denver (CL-58) on the day of his death. "This body was brought aboard in the heat of battle by orders of Admiral A.D.Struble."
Some of the reports list his place of death as Corregidor Island, PI and buried USAF Cemetery Manila #2 Luzon, PI USS Denver sailors buried to either side of him.Buried on May 14, 1945. He was disinterred from Grave at Cemetery Olongapo #2 Zambales, Luzon, PI
I believe at that cemetery he was buried next to a USS Denver sailor and someone who was a 1st Sgt of Company E, 1st Infantry Regt.

That's the only info I was able to get out of the papers they sent me. They also listed his Pers items and the only odd thing was he did have some Filipino money. So this would not be the first time his foot touched filipino soil.
I did find him on Fold3.com on a Navy Muster Roll. He was aboard the USS Sumter APA-52 on 20 Jul 1944 and 12 Aug 1944. In Hawaii.
I've looked at the history of these ships and compared with who they carried but getting abit crossed eyed . So maybe a fresh set of eyes would help.
Guessing from Jun 44 he must have went to California to board the Sumter and sail to Hawaii. would he have stayed with that Infantry Division through out the war? or moved from one Div to the next where needed? What campaigns would he have been into?
Where would i find him listed in daily reports etc?
Thanks in advance.

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 5:20PM GMT
Classification: Query
Have you obtained the Veteran's I.D.P.F. (Individual Deceased Personnel File)?

Richard V. Horrell
WW 2 Connections

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 7:22PM GMT
Classification: Query
Yes I have. That is what I call his Death file. It told me what camps he was in from enlistment until June 1944 when he was sent to POE.
He was assigned to 592nd JASCO. But my understanding is small units from this group would be assigned to other military units. So not sure if they have a military history of 592 JASCO with some many service pers. in so many other military units/divisions etc.

There is a website about the Corregidor invasion that has a photo of his grave marker and listing him as a casualty of the conflict. But can not confirm who he was with. Infantry etc...

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 7:36PM GMT
Classification: Query
While you may call it a "Death file" those that you wish to assist you refer to it as an I.D.P.F. Yes, the veteran was assigned [assigned] to the 592nd Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO). No, small units from the 592nd would NOT be assigned to other millitary units. Small units from the 592nd would be attached [attached] to other military units. In the case of February 16, 1945, a Detachment of the 592nd Joint Assault Signal Company was attached [attached] to the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. "But can not confirm who he was with." On February 16, 1945, the veteran was assigned [assigned] to the 592nd Joint Assault Signal Company, a detachment of which was attached [attached] to the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division.

Richard V. Horrell
WW 2 Connections

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:25PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you for that information. Sorry if I'm not using the correct terms.
How did you come to this conclusion?
Would you believe he was attached to the 34th Inf Regt after he came out of Camp Crowder(Signal School)? The Division was based out of Australia? So his appearance on the muster roll of the USS Sumter in July/Aug 1944 was during his transfer to Australia?
Would he have been with them during the battle of Leyte?
He would have earned the battle honor of Luzon (with Arrowhead) and the PUC for Corregidor and the Pilippine PUC ?

Since he enlisted in the Infantry but ended up in the Signal Corp, so he would not be entitled to a CIB, correct?
Yes, I know, I'm full of questions.
Thanks again for your help.

Stephen

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 31 Jul 2015 11:23AM GMT
Classification: Query
"How did you come to this comclusion?" A lifelong study of WW 2 History, plus a library (my own) of over 4,000 books about WW 2.

"Would you believe he was attached to the 34th Inf Regt after he came out of Camp Crowder"? No.

"The Division was based out of Australia?" I acknowledge what you have typed.

So his appearance on the muster roll of the USS Sumter APA-52 in July/Aug 1944 was during his transfer to Australia? No, his voyage to Guadalcanal.

"Would he have been with them during the battle of Leyte?" Who/what is "them"?

"He would have earned a battle honor of Luzon"? A Campaign Credit. The 592nd Joint Assault Signal Company participated in the following Campaigns:

Western Pacific June 15, 1944-September 2, 1945
Luzon December 15, 1944-July 4, 1945
Southern Philippines February 27-July 4, 1945

"the PUC for Corregidor". War Department General Order Number 53, 1945.

"the Pilippine [sic] PUC?" I could find no record of the 592nd being awarded a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. What is your printed source, Primary I hope.

"Since he enlisted in the Infantry". What is your Printed Primary Source for what you typed?

"he would not be entitled to a CIB". A Combat INFANTRYman Badge is only for the INFANTRY.

One other FACT. The 592nd Joint Assault Signal Company was creditted with an amphibious assault for Angaur Island, September 17, 1944. War Department General Order Number 109, 1946.

Richard V. Horrell
WW 2 Connections

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 31 Jul 2015 11:26AM GMT
Classification: Query
If you were able to find it for whatever unit that he was serving with at the time of his death, a thing called a morning report might answer some of your questions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_report_(United_States_...)

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 31 Jul 2015 12:11PM GMT
Classification: Query
I noticed that the USS Sumter traveled to Guadacanal, in Aug 1944 with the 81st Infantry Division. He would not have been attached to this division?

Them, being the 24th Infantry Division.

If assigned to the 34 Inf Regt/24th Inf Div, they were awarded Decoration:Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for 17 Oct 1944 to 4 July 1945

In the local newspaper, reporting on his death listed that he was overseas since Oct in an Infantry unit.

Thanks for your help, I've seen you replied to many queries on here and knew you would be able to help.

Re: Need help filling in the gaps on the timeline of a WW 2 veteran

Posted: 1 Aug 2015 12:26AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 3 Aug 2015 5:49AM GMT
No idea what's going on with that wikipedia link 2 posts above, it was working properly when I posted it, but it's now leading to a supposedly non existent article, but the article does still exist.

I thought that I might have messed up the URL, but I've checked it, and it looks fine.

Anyway, if you google search for " Morning report (United States military) " you'll see the wiki article at the top of the search results, and that link is exactly the same as the one that I posted above, but the link from the google search does work properly and it leads to the wiki article.

The wiki article contains a link to a very useful article about morning reports which explains them in quite a lot of detail. http://www.327engineer.com/morningreports/MorningRportsIntro...

If someone was killed, wounded, missing, transferred to hospital, or transferred into or out of a unit, at the company/regimental level, that event would be recorded in the morning report which immediately followed the relevant event.

Someone who was killed or wounded or missing, would also be listed on the post war regimental casualty list, which lists every casualty of the unit, that will list their surname, first forename, and any other forename initial or initials, their service number, and their company, and the campaign in which they became a casualty.

The campaign entry for example in the case of an infantry regiment which served in Europe in France and Germany from the time of the invasion onwards, lists the campaign for each individual casualty as either France or Germany, but for the France casualties each individual casualty is listed as either France, Normandy, or Northern France.

So I suspect that in the Pacific campaign, the casualty locations on regimental casualty lists would have been similarly specific.

The events in which a regimental unit was engaged on a day by day basis would be recorded in a narrative format in what were called, after action reports.

For example... http://cdm16040.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p4013c...

You might get a bit of help with identifying likely units and researching unit histories here...
http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lh.html

http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/index.cfm

http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/visit.cfm

http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/research.cfm

Your determination, persistence, attention to detail, and to original source documents, creative thinking and approaching your search from different angles, does you great credit.

I suspect that a lot of people who use these sort of sites believe the advertising guff of the genealogy companies, which tries to make their users believe that it's just a matter of typing in someone's name and all of the answers and information will be effortlessly presented, which of course, isn't the case.

The bottom line with this sort of thing, is that information can only be found if it really does exist, and finding a possible source, if it exists, is the first step to possibly finding the information, but with persistence like yours, it's often surprising how much can eventually be found, even with very little starting information.
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