Hi All-- I am helping a friend find info on her father who was a POW in WWII. I've been trying to interpret the NARA info on him and I think I read the
parent unit info as 143rd Regiment, which would fit with the timing of his capture. The parent unit number was 0143 and the parent unit type was 06. Does this
sound familiar to anyone? I saw a couple of postings that indicated there is a regiment roster somewhere available, but didn't know how to access it. His
records in St. Louis burned in the fire there, but ironically we have info due to his POW status. Any help/advice? He was recorded in camp in Oct 1943 at
Stalag 3B and I have his serial number.... Thanks!
0 Kudo
help with 143rd WWII POW
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 redcloudwinter |
help with 143rd WWII POW |
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Posts: 1 (04/27/08 03:01:34) |
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chowhndjr |
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Posts: 117 (04/27/08 05:58:29) |
The searchable online roster is no more. The 36th Infantry division roster is in the back of the book, "The Fighting 36th, A Pictorial History, The Texas
Division in Combat." If you provide the soldier's name, and hometown/state we can check the roster the old fashioned way.
Last Edited By: chowhndjr
04/27/08 06:03:41.
Edited 1 times.
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redcloudwinter |
thanks! | ||
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Posts: 2 (04/27/08 11:51:50) |
That's very kind of you! The gentleman's name is Andrew J. Lesyinski, and according to the NARA POW records, he was corporal, serial number 36319809,
from Illinois, infantry, parent unit number 0143, parent unit type, 06. His enlistment papers say Feb 1942. Thanks so much!
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chowhndjr |
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Posts: 118 (04/27/08 18:18:50) |
I looked through the 143rd regiment, then again through the whole division roster and did not see his name listed. There were some ommisions in the roster.
I'm not sure the NARA 0143 and 06 necessarily relate to army unit numbers. About 3 pages into NARA explanations page it states that only 25 of 235
unit/parent unit codes have been deciphered. He may have seved in another 5th Army unit that landed in Italy. Does the family member's have any other
documents or even a photo of Cpl Lesyinski in uniform. (There may be a unit patch on his shoulder). Another source may be the hometown newspaper, or
town/county archives where he lived.
Bob K, son of a T-Patcher
Last Edited By: chowhndjr
04/27/08 18:51:44.
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redcloudwinter |
thank you | ||
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Posts: 3 (04/27/08 20:37:55) |
Thanks so much for taking the time to check, Bob-- and on a Sunday afternoon, too! We appreciate it very much. Because of the time he first reported as a POW--
Oct 1943, I thought the 143rd would be a good bet to match with that parent number, or I wouldn't have troubled you. I guess we have it narrowed down to
infantry in the ETO before then anyway! We'll continue to look for photos or other info. Thanks again, Julie-- niece of 5th Armored veteran!
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chowhndjr |
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Posts: 119 (04/28/08 08:12:39) |
There were 4 Infantry divisions in Italy in that time frame, the 36th (patch, arrowhead with a T), the 34th (red bull patch), the 3rd (a square with blue and
white diagonal stripes), the 45th ( a Native American depiction of a bird)
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/wwii/salerno/sal-fm.htm |
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redcloudwinter |
pics | ||
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Posts: 4 (04/28/08 09:04:27) |
That certainly makes it easier. Here's hoping we can find a picture somewhere. There's nothing I've been able to find in local paper archives....
Thanks! Julie
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