32nd Ordnance (MM) Company, APO 403

Discussion in 'US Units' started by bchadwick, Jan 21, 2011.

  1. bchadwick

    bchadwick Junior Member

    Hello everyone, my name is Ben Chadwick and I am a former Sergeant of Marines who has finally realized the importance of researching and documenting military history for future generations... it just took a tour of my own to appreciate the past.

    My grandfather was Major Charles Raymond Chadwick and I am on a search for any information regarding his unit, the 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company. I have located his certificate of service and the roster for the 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company from April 13, 1944. I'll scan the roster in and have it posted for tomorrow in hopes that it'll help others.

    Note: Major Chadwick's Army Serial Number is: 01548027, Birth Date: March 28, 1915.

    The only information I have located on the unit's history is the following:

    The 32nd Ordnance Company was inactivated 16 November 1931 at Fort Eustis, Virginia and reactivated on 16 June 1941 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The Company was later reorganized and re-designated on 5 September 1942 as the 32nd Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company.

    After being inactivated on 15 November 1945 at Camp Cooke, California it was re-designated on 15 March 1949 as the 32nd Ordnance Maintenance Company and activated 1 April 1949 in Austria. On 9 March 1953 the unit was reorganized and re-designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 832nd Ordnance Battalion.

    Information from: U.S. Army Ordnance Corps and School - The Official Website of U.S. Army Ordnance Corps and School of Fort Lee, Virginia

    On his Military Record and Report of Separation Certificate his Battles and Campaigns read as follows: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

    This is common knowledge of the Third Army's campaign entitlements as well, but what I am requesting help for is any specific locations the 32nd Ordnance Company might have been or any documentation involving their activity. I've been searching and nothing specific comes up concerning the 32nd Ordnance Company or the 32nd Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company.

    I've had my father sign the signature verification form for eVetsRecs so hopefully that'll shed some light, but any help would be much appreciated.

    Thank you for your time in advance!
    -Ben

    Also, I have several items from General Patton such as a "Christmas Card" (size of a business card with a prayer on it), and a letter written to the Third Army at the conclusion of the war. I assume these are common finds but let me know if you would like me to scan them as well.
     
  2. bchadwick

    bchadwick Junior Member

    Roster is attached and below is my summary of what I have gathered through his orders and written documents.

    Major Charles Raymond Chadwick
    United States Army

    March 28, 1941 - November 19, 1956

    Enlisted
    March 28, 1941

    Laboratory Technician, Chemist
    PFC – Army & Navy General Hospital
    March 28, 1941 to February 16, 1942

    Officer Candidate
    OCS, Ordinance School
    Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
    February 17 to May 15, 1942

    Ordnance School
    Ordnance Training Center
    Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
    May 16 to May 22, 1942

    Commissioned
    May 23, 1942

    Official Entry Into Active Duty Status.
    May 29, 1942

    AA & Fire Control Student
    2nd Lt., Ordinance School, OCS, Ordinance School
    Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
    May 23 to July 29, 1942

    41st Ordnance Battalion (M & S), Headquarters Company
    Fort Jay, New York
    July 30 to Sept 20, 1942

    Ordinance Company Officer & Supply Officer
    2nd Lt., 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company
    Aberdeen, Massachusetts
    Sept 21 to Nov 27, 1942

    Ordinance Company Officer & Supply Officer
    1st Lt., 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company
    November 28, 1942 to October 1, 1943

    Ordinance Supply Officer
    1st Lt., 3445th Ordnance Medium Automotive Maint. Co.
    Hartford, Connecticut
    October 2, 1943 to January 18, 1944

    Commanding Officer
    1st Lt., 3445th Ordnance Medium Automotive Maint. Co.
    Hartford, Connecticut
    January 19 to February 8, 1944

    Commanding Officer
    1st Lt., 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company
    February 9 to Feb 17, 1944

    32nd Ordnance (MM) Company stages at
    Camp Shark for deployment.
    February 26, 1944

    Commanding Officer
    Capt., 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company
    February 18, 1944 to July 6, 1945

    Third Army Commendation Received from General Patton.
    February 9, 1945

    Commanding Officer
    Capt., 32nd Ordnance (MM) Company
    February 18, 1944 to July 2, 1945

    Commanding Officer
    Capt., 299 Ordnance Maintenance Company
    July 3 to October 22, 1945

    Shop Officer
    Capt., 766 Ordnance Company
    October 23 to November 11, 1945

    Called into the Officers Reserve Corps
    Washington D.C.
    November 11, 1945

    End of Active Duty
    February 14, 1946

    Promoted to Major
    December 9, 1946

    Fifth Army, 325th Armored Cavalry Group
    Active Reserves
    February 15, 1946 to November 19, 1956
     

    Attached Files:

  3. bchadwick

    bchadwick Junior Member

    Concerning the Third Army, what battle was taking place during the date range of 9Aug-29Sept1944?
     
  4. bchadwick

    bchadwick Junior Member

    Concerning the Third Army, what battle was taking place during the date range of 9Aug-29Sept1944?

    Found the history, see attached.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. jhfleenor

    jhfleenor Junior Member

    Dear Ben..first of all, thank you for posting all the information re: the 32nd Ordnance Co. We discovered this information last weekend. My husband's father was Robert E Fleenor, as shown on the roster. We have been trying to find info about Mr. Fleenor's service in WW2, but have been unable to locate any of his military records. While visiting with her last weekend, my husband asked her if she remembered what his unit was. Without hesitating, she said "He was in the 32nd Ordnance". Imagine our joy at finding this information when we "googled" for that company. I am putting together scrapbooks of military memorabilia related to both his grandfathers' WW2 service to give to our son. Any relavent documents that you could forward to us re: the 32nd Ordnance Co would be most appreciated. You may reply to me at jhfleenor@comcast.net. Again, thank you for your service to our country and for the information you have put on this website. Judy and Bob Fleenor
     
  6. ang68

    ang68 Junior Member

    Found the history, see attached.
    Hi Ben,

    Just wondering how you got all your information and the roster on your grandfather. I am trying to find information about my grandfather and the only other information that I have is that he was at the Kane Ammunition Depot in Bannockburn, Victoria, Australia in 1942, not sure of the number of his ordnance. Could you please help where I might be able to start my search.

    Thank You.
     
  7. bobec0056

    bobec0056 New Member

    My father was, I believe, in the 32nd Ordnance Company, I have very little information, other than a copy of his discharge papers which has been misplaced after a move. I also have quite a bit of his letters to my mother during his service but these too have been misplaced. All I can remember, without help of these, is that he was part of the 32nd Ordnance Company, I know his unit made it all the way to Pilsen Czechoslovakia by the end of the war and that he also went through Nuremburg (I believe). As far as I can recall, according to most of his stories, he was in Luxemburg during the Ardennes Champagne. I realize there is the "headquarters" and then the remainder of the company, having gone through the roster, I did not locate his name there. Is there any other website or information source I can go to, so as to find more information?
    Though my dad told many stories of his time in the Third Army (he held General Patton in very high esteem), he never referred to the Ordnance Company or any other information. Further help would be greatly appreciated.

    ReC
     
  8. Earthican

    Earthican Senior Member

    You need to find those letters with the return address(es) which should include his unit identification. The discharge document might not contain the unit he served with overseas.

    For a small service unit like an ordnance company you will not find much in the published history. Pretty lucky to know it was US Third Army from the messages above. Your best bet is to contact other veterans families by leaving messages like those above and checking back regularly. On other WWII forums you can start your own topic and make sure you have the e-mail notification turned-on when people respond. This could take years but we have seen it happen.

    There may be unit records at NARA in College Park, MD. You can contact them (free but hit and miss) or hire a researcher to find out.


    Just to see what information could be found by using the APO number I used the registry found here:
    http://www.7tharmddiv.org/docrep/

    Direct link to PDF:
    http://www.7tharmddiv.org/docrep/Location%20of%20APOs%201942-1947.pdf

    Attached are the locations for APO 403. An APO would serve many units in the same area but this one seems to have traveled with Patton's US Third Army. A careful review of the locations might point to a particular Corps (XX or XII) and further narrow the background information about the unit.


    This should probably be Camp Shanks, NY
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Shanks
     

    Attached Files:

  9. NCCaprice

    NCCaprice New Member

    Ben,

    I just acquired a photo album with photos of members and equipment of the 32nd Ordnance Company (MM) @ Ft. Bragg, NC. I am assuming these photos were taken sometime in 1942 as sources quoted elsewhere show this unit was "reactivated on 16 June 1941 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The company was later reorganized and re-designated on 5 September 1942 as the 32nd Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company." I have not seen any references to the unit being stationed @ F.t Bragg but the photos are obviously of buildings on the installation. I work on Bragg and most of the buildings in the photos are still standing.

    There are about 15 names in the photo album, most with Pennsylvania addresses. A quick search of US Army Enlistment records show that almost all of these individuals enlisted on or about 12 May 1941. Pennsylvania veteran burial records also indicate these men were members of 32nd Ord. Co during WWII. I am wondering if the cadre for this unit were members of PA National Guard. Any thoughts?

    The photo album also has photos from Greenland in late 1942 and in the Philippines in Nov 1944. Some of the faces look the same in the different geographic areas, but I have not spent a lot of time studying all of the photos yet.

    Did the 32nd serve in Europe or the Pacific during it's overseas deployment?

    I can post copys of my photos in the near future.

    Regards,

    Mike
     
    dbf likes this.
  10. MikeLosik

    MikeLosik New Member

    Wow......thanks so much! I was excited just to see my grandfather's name on the roster. It is awesome to find this much information even.

    Thank you.
     
  11. bchadwick

    bchadwick Junior Member

    Hi everyone! I apologize for not checking on my initial post sooner (only 8 years later). Over the past year, I've been working with my brother to map out a trip to visit the 32nd's path from Utah Beach into Germany for a trip we just recently returned from. I need to organize the docs we scanned better but we found a plethora of information in my grandfather's file organizers.

    The most meaningful (in my opinion) of all the documents are thirteen pages of the 32nd's history during WWII (more to come soon). Pages 9-13 were shared in 2011 but we have located the whole set since.

    Click here to view (too large to upload)
     
  12. bchadwick

    bchadwick Junior Member

  13. Ben,
    I ran across this forum while searching for info on the 32nd Ordnance Co MM. My father,
    Doyle Shelby Green, was in this unit. I have photographs of the Co. at Camp Rodman, at
    Aberdeen Proving Grounds. I actually live next to Aberdeen, MD, small world.
    My Dad's name, however, is not listed on the Roster dated 13 April 1944. However, Eddie
    Bilsky is listed, and he introduced my father to my mother, who were married in 1945, on a
    weekend pass. I believe they were in Waltham, MA at the time, but not sure. Perhaps they
    were in Aberdeen.
    Don't know why my father's name is not on the roster.
    His serial number was 33043234.
    Rosemary Thomas
     

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