Similar Stories: Field Linemen, Camp Shenango, Camp Shanks, New York Port of Embarkation, Route to Italy

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Field Lineman: According to Marv's Separation Qualification Record, he was a "Field Lineman" (military occupational speciality code 641) for 3 months.  Given his overall military service, this would have been during the time he was in active combat overseas.

Account of Don R. March: I came across the story of a man named Don R. Marsh, who like Marv, was a Field Lineman and stationed in Camp Shenango before going overseas.  The following excerpt from Don's story gives an idea of what Marv's experience might have been in becoming a Field Lineman and going to Camp Shenango.     

Like Marv, Don enlisted in the U.S. Army at 20 years of ago.  After being inducted into the Army, Don traveled from his Induction Center by train to Fort Sheridan, Illinios, where he underwent Basic Training.  At that same post, Don underwent training in Wire School.   After Don graduated from the 6-week course, he was given the Army Military Occupation Specialty number MOS 641, Field Lineman (same as Marv's overseas specialty).  So perhaps Marv underwent similar Field Lineman training, only at Fort McClellan, Alabama.  

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Like Marv, Don was sent to the Shenango Personnel Replacement Depot from where he was originally stationed.  "On October 7, 1943, a large number of us newly graduated from the Wire School were transferred by train to Shenango Personnel Replacement Depot, located at Transfer (actual name), Pennsylvania.  It was just another temporary stop along the line.  We were now a part of the growing military replacement system known in Army lingo as being in 'The Pipe Line'- being funneled to overseas assignments for the pending invasion of Europe.  Shortly after my arrival at Shenango, the personnel records clerk discovered that I was one of the rare exceptions in that I had not received the traditional ten days 'last furlough home' before shipping overseas; however, before they could issue the furlough orders I was placed on new orders for the final train ride to Camp Shanks, located outside New York City near Orangeburg and the Port of Embarkation. Next destination – overseas."

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Note: Don's story gives credence to my educated guess that Marv traveled from Camp Shenano to the New York Port of Embarkation.  This is explained in more detail on the next page.  NF

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Click here to read Don's complete story.

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Account of Boyce N. Carter:  I came across the story of a man named Boyce N. Carter Sr. who, like Marv, was a lineman and, like Marv, fought in the Italian Campaign.  Although Boyce's military occupation specialiy (MOS) was not exactly the same as Marv's, both of their specialties were under the category "communications."  Boyce's MOS was "Telephone Operator Wireman" (code 238) and Marv's MOS was "Field Lineman" (code 641).  Boyce's story gives credence to several of my conclusions, described below.

• Boyce is an example of a lineman did not have to be assigned to a subunit of the Signal Corps, such as a Signal Company.

  • Boyce was a Private First Class (Lineman: 238) in the Headquarters Battery of the 141st Field Artillery Battalion. 

  • I've concluded that Marv was not assigned to a subunit of the 34th Signal Company, even though he was a linemen.  And I remained convinced that Marv was assigned to the 34th Division's 135th Infantry Regiment based on movements of the 34th Division's Infantry Regiments on the day that Marv was wounded in action (Dec. 8, 1943).

• Boyce is an example of an inductee who traveled directly from an induction center post to a another post for basic training. 

  • Boyce traveled by train directly from the Armory, Louisville, Kentucky Induction Center to Fort Harrison (Indiana) for basic training.

  • I've concluded that Marv traveled by train directly from the Scott Field Induction Center to Fort McClellan, where he underwent basic training.  (Further evidence is that an ex-Marine told me that inductees usually went straight from an induction center to another post for basic training.)

• Boyce is an example of being assigned to a unit that departed the U.S. from the New York Port of Embarkation to Italy by way of Oran (Algeria), Tunisia, and a port in Naples, Italy.    

  • Boyce's unit traveled from Fort Harrison (Indiana) to Camp Blandin (Florida) to Camp Forest (Tennessee) to Camp Gordon where the men prepared for overseas movement.  From Camp Gordon, Boyce's unit traveled on troop trains to Fort Dix (New Jersey), where they were given physical examination and a series of innoculations, to the Staten Island Ferry and next to the New York Port of Embarkation, where they departed the U.S. on Aug. 21, 1943, landing in Oran (Algeria) on September 2, 1943.  From Oran, Boyce's unit traveled by truck Tunisia and from Tunisia traveled by ship to a port in Naples (some vessels landing on Nov 19th, others landing Nov 27th) 

  • While I think that Marv traveled a different route to the New York Port of Embarkation (from Fort McClellan to Camp Shenango to Camp Shanks, similar to Don Marsh's route as described above), I've concluded that after reaching the New York Pork of Embarkation, Marv, because he arrived overseas after Boyce, followed a similar route from to Italy.  At first I thought that Marv traveled from Oran to Salerno, Italy, as did troops that followed up after the initial invasion (Operation Avalanche, Sept 9, 1943) because I was not sure if the port of Naples was accessible since the Battle of Naples was from Sept. 27-30, 1943.  I also doubt the stayed in North Africa the same length of time as did Boyce's unit because Marv would not have arrived in Italy until around December 7, one day before he was wounded.

    • Boyce departed the U.S. on Aug. 21, 1943, and arrived overseas (Oran, Algeria) on Sept. 2, 1943.

    • ​Marv departed the U.S. on Sept. 21, 1943 and arrived overseas on Sept. 28, 1943.