Posted on Feb 9, 2019
Where all did members of the 38th Infantry Division serve and occupy toward the end of WWII?
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My father, Joel D Watson, served with the 38th ID during the later part of WWII. I know he was a rifleman and a .30/.50 cal machine gunner. I know he was on the USS Osage in transit, was in the Philippines, and was in Korea awaiting the invasion of the Japanese homeland. Only once, when I came home from a WestPac deployment did he talk about his service. Now , I am in search of some of his history, and how it intertwined with mine.
Posted in these groups: 
WWII World War Two
WWII World War Two
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 5
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LT Michael Watson the Center for Military History has Combat Chronicles published for each Division in WWII. https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cc/038id.htm
They did not deploy until 1944 so it should be easier to narrow down.
They did not deploy until 1944 so it should be easier to narrow down.
World War II Divisional Combat Chronicles
Overseas: October 1918. (The Division was overseas approximately 6 months, but was skeletonized and its personnel went to other units.
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LTC Jason Mackay
This is free, but saw editions for $315 on Amazon. Avengers of Bataan https://www.scribd.com/document/34179175/WWII-38th-Infantry-Division
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LTC Jason Mackay
38th ID wasn't part of the occupation force in Korea in 1945. US tenth Army was the force and they landed at Incheon in September of 1945.
Your Father was likely transferred to one of the short Divisions. There was a point system that determined who went home when. Once the Phillipines were secured, focus turned to invading mainland Japan, which was turned off after Nagasaki. All those forces were being staged though.
The occupation of Korea was in response to the Soviet entry to the war followed by a deal to,partition at the 38th. I get the feeling it was a bums rush to get people there to hold the line. XXiV Corps (which is 10th Army minus 10th Army's Marine Amphib Forces) made the landing. 7th, 27th, 77th, 96th Divisions.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Military_Government_in_Korea
Your Father was likely transferred to one of the short Divisions. There was a point system that determined who went home when. Once the Phillipines were secured, focus turned to invading mainland Japan, which was turned off after Nagasaki. All those forces were being staged though.
The occupation of Korea was in response to the Soviet entry to the war followed by a deal to,partition at the 38th. I get the feeling it was a bums rush to get people there to hold the line. XXiV Corps (which is 10th Army minus 10th Army's Marine Amphib Forces) made the landing. 7th, 27th, 77th, 96th Divisions.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Military_Government_in_Korea
United States Army Military Government in Korea - Wikipedia
The United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) was the official ruling body of the southern half of the Korean Peninsula from September 8, 1945 to August 15, 1948.
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LTC Jason Mackay
LT Michael Watson - the Osage took people off Leyte. The records for this are sparse and built off recollections. Could have happened.
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LTC Jason Mackay
LT Michael Watson - my Grandfather was in the Americal Division. He talked about none of it. He has a CIB and had malaria that came back in the 50s. The Pacific was savage no doubt.
Not even sure we have the right shadow box items. No one has seen his discharge documents.
Not even sure we have the right shadow box items. No one has seen his discharge documents.
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CSM Charles Hayden
I recall eating fresh, Puget Sound fish in a 38th Infantry Mess hall at Ft Lewis in 1956. (The Mess SGT only caught one of them), That’s all, folks!
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https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel. Records are available, pursue them and you will be surprised.
Our website was redesigned, and many items have moved during the transition. But we have some ways of helping you locate the information you're looking for:
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