Hello Everyone - I'm new to the site and wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My father and I are trying to piece together the wartime service of his Uncle. We know only that he left Kansas in 1942 and returned in 1945 - we have no service info on him at all - except - that he was with the 348th Engineer Combat Battalion!

His name was Joseph H. Debold, and I believe he left the service as a SSgt. His service number was 37216331 and his discharge certificate lists him as a Combat Engineer. He was most likely a driver or machinery operator as he was a farmer from Kansas who had much experience with driving large equipment. Ideally, we'd like to put together a chronology of his entire time in service but know that may be hard as we don't have his company or detachment number. Any suggestions on how to find this out?

If anyone has any info on him, that would be terrific.

By way of background, I am a recently retired Marine Corps Major. I retired from the History and Museums division where I was a combat historian and artifact officer responsible for accompanying Marine Corps units into action and recording their operations for the official record. As a military historian, I'd like to write an extended history of my Uncles experiences in the war.

Thanks for having me aboard and let me know if there is anything I can do to support your efforts.

Joe Winslow

cell (469)363-0651

Washington DC

My father and I are trying to piece together the wartime service of his Uncle. We know only that he left Kansas in 1942 and returned in 1945 - we have no service info on him at all - except - that he was with the 348th Engineer Combat Battalion!

His name was Joseph H. Debold, and I believe he left the service as a SSgt. His service number was 37216331 and his discharge certificate lists him as a Combat Engineer. He was most likely a driver or machinery operator as he was a farmer from Kansas who had much experience with driving large equipment. Ideally, we'd like to put together a chronology of his entire time in service but know that may be hard as we don't have his company or detachment number. Any suggestions on how to find this out?

Nice to have you here Major, and I know Major Todd is delighted to have another Marine Corps Major as a fellow member of this forum.

Let's see what our sleuths (including moi) can discover.

Thanks for your service.

Semper Fi and Essayons!

They are having a reunion again this year. If you can attend?????

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/engforum/index.php?showtopic=7320

You can talk directly via PM with any forum member. So it's a great idea to talk with anyone who posted anything on the 348th in the recent past. You can do this by clicking on their forum names, any time you are logged in.