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CIB Awarded IAW WD Circular 269

Like to share something I discovered...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: KELLY LIZÁRRAGA

August 14, 2002

(202) 225-1766

MEDIA ADVISORY

ROYBAL-ALLARD WILL HONOR TWO LOCAL VETERANS TOMORROW

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard will pin medals on two local veterans tomorrow, Thursday, August 15th, in a ceremony at Patriotic Hall, 1816 Figueroa Street, in Los Angeles, at 10:30 a.m.

Mr. Serafin Venegas

Mr. Venegas will be honored for his service during World War II. Born in the United States, Mr. Venegas moved to Mexico with his parents at a young age. In November, 1943, he returned to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army, despite speaking no English.

Private First Class Venegas served in Okinawa, Japan under the 382nd Anti-aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. After three years, Mr. Venegas was honorably discharged from the military on August 12, 1946.

Mr. Venegas will receive the following honors:

Bronze Star Medal for his meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy in the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign during World War II;

Good Conduct Medal for distinguishing himself among his fellow soldiers by his exemplary conduct, efficiency and fidelity;

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal for being on permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States, and for active combat against the enemy;

World War II Victory Medal, for service during World War II;

Combat Infantry Badge for engaging in active ground combat; and

Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII for honorable Federal Military Service.

________________________________________________________________________

When I inquired about members that participated in the Battle of Bataan, the Army Awards Branch stated all members authorized the CIB are required to be infantrymen.

According to the War Department Circular 269, dated 27 October 1943, the requirement is to serve as an infantryman.

Faxed an inquiry to the Congresswoman to determine justification for the CIB to Venegas.

Perhaps a member that lives in California can do the same.

Robert E. Johnson

Thank you Robert. My friend Joe Medina lives near LA and we will contact Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard ASAP

Received the following:

I contacted John Fallon who was Company Commander of H Company 3rd Battalion 36th Engineers in World War Two and he stated he had in the past sent the letter from MG Truscott along with a few other things to DOD several times and got a routine computerized rejection.

He stated that he eventually sent his own records to his Congressman including a copy of the morning report on the day he was wounded showing he was fighting as infantry and got a CIB. He stated he had tried for a couple of years to get the entire Regiment eligible on the basis that they were not Engineers for the 45 straight days at Anzio and that did not work either.

He stated that he had seen SOs awarding the CIB to Engineers but they were written during the war before the chairborne commandos in Washington got so strict. It appears that the letter from MG Truscott has been arround since 1944 to no avail so my recommendations would be to present any records that an individual has to their own Congressman.

Thank goodness that has finally been taken care of with the Combat Badge of today that does not require infantry recognition. Best wishes for the Holidays.

Robert

News-Info-Alerts

Re: Long Overdue War Medals Awarded

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: January 06, 2003

"Pawtucket veterans receive long-overdue war medals

Joel Furfari

PAWTUCKET -- More than five decades after narrowly escaping death while fighting against the Japanese in World War II, two longtime Pawtucket men were finally recognized by the U.S. government and given new medals for their service.

James Brennan and Robert Kerle, both of Pawtucket, received a total of 11 new medals after Rep. Patrick Kennedy and his staff worked with the federal government to get the awards that the veterans had never received.

"I’m very thankful to be alive, and this is the greatest country in the world," Brennan said Monday evening after Kennedy presented the medals to he and Kerle at his Pawtucket district office.

Mike McCarthy, an aide to Kennedy, said cases like this aren’t unusual for World War II veterans.

He said a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis is behind many of the delays in obtaining medals they have experienced.

"This was a massive fire that destroyed a lot of the records of World War I and World War II vets. So now they are just getting around to awarding the actual medals," he said.

Kerle said he told the Democratic congressman about the oversight and that he didn’t hear anything back until recently, when he was notified that he would receive the Good Conduct, American Defense Service, American Campaign, Asiatic Pacific Campaign, World War II Victory and Philippine Liberation medals and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.

Brennan received the Prisoner of War and World War II medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.

"They want to make sure that history isn’t forgotten and that people -- particularly their families -- remember the sacrifices they made for their country," Kennedy said during the event, which was attended by members of the men’s families.

Both men survived their tours of duty despite incredible odds and harrowing war stories.

Brennan was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps at the start of the war against Japan in 1941 when Gen. Douglas MacArthur turned him and other airmen into infantry soldiers to fight on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.

"I never fought in hand-to-hand combat, but the Japanese were as close as the other side of the street," he said.

During that time, Brennan was captured and forced to walk almost 90 miles in what is now known as the infamous Bataan Death March.

Later he was put on an unmarked freighter and sent to Thailand even while American submarines were routinely sinking such ships. Brennan was forced to work for two years in Japanese steel mills before being liberated by the Allied forces.

Kerle was also one of the first soldiers to engage the Japanese during the war. He began fighting in 1941 in New Guinea. While in that country, Kerle and his unit were attacked by Japanese snipers hiding in coconut trees, and he survived an intense bombing raid by taking refuge in a foxhole.

"It still shakes you up a bit," he said Monday.

"I endured a lot of narrow escapes. They say cats have nine lives, well I think I used all nine of mine."

©The Pawtucket Times 2003 "

Yes, it is good news about those veterans, but they weren't combat engineers, so unfortunately I don't believe it will help our long and arduous struggle. It's frustrating as hell...

Interested in any copies of General Orders (other than number 24) awarding the CIB to members of the 584th Engineer Battalion.

Attempting to substantiate Captain Verle McBride was awarded the CIB.

Robert

I would like to share the recent response by Army Awards Branch. The statements are contrary to WWII era guidelines, and history of action by the Army during WWII up to, and including 2003.

I have yet to prepare a letter for the Army because I lack the most important document. The response to the letter of General Truscott. “It is recommended that the language of WD Circular #186 be broaden or interpreted to permit the award of the Infantryman Combat Badge to members of the 36th Engineer Combat Regiment, otherwise qualified, and that such awards be made at the earliest practicable date in recognition of fine infantry service.

It would be a valuable item if someone could produce a copy.

Robert

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v191/Rob...IB06200901a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v191/Rob...IB06200902a.jpg

Received a response by the National Archives today regarding the response to General Tuscott's recommendation.

"Unable to locate any documentation pertaining to this topic."

"We also examined records of the 36th Engineer Combat Group (formerly regiment) but were unable to locate 1944 general orders which might have indicated a decision regarding the Infantry Combat Badge."

Any suggestions?

Robert

John sent the letter below to me regarding the latest news on the CIB. If you've read anything on my site, you will know that this is a hot topic for those who didn't receive their Combat Infantry Badges. Some vets like my dad DID receive his and some combat engineers who were attached and used as infantry units didn't. Some even within the same units did, while others were denied. We are trying to rectify this injustice.

 

To read more about it, please visit these forum links:

 

CIB

 

CIB Links

 

Read this page too. Scroll down towards the bottom. You will see a letter from a congressman and the army.

 

Memories of David Wagner

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I don't know if you heard that the Defense Department has approved a combat badge for those other than Infantry . As of today it is authorized only for those in Iraq but my Congressman is trying to get it made retroactive. It will apply to Armor, Cavalry, Engineers, and Artillery who had the same exposure to combat as Infantry. Of course, as we know, some had more exposure. If you have contacs with a Congressman I think it might be a good idea to contact him for your father.

 

 

36 Engineers are rugged......John Fallon II. Capt. USA Ret.