02-22-2016, 03:08 AM
Looking at the ribbon rack my guess is that he didn't spend the whole war with them but joined later in the war.
- He has 4 bronze campaign stars and the 36th did 10 campaigns. If he had been there the whole time, he should something like 2 silver stars or at least 1 silver and several bronze.
- Also, he has the American Campaign ribbon (between BSM and Middle east, Med, and European campaign medal). That would indicate having spent more time in the US then the guys who had been there since the beginning.
- He also has the European Occupation medal. A lot of guys (like my grandfather) who had been with the unit since Operation Torch had enough points to go home right away and didn't hang out long enough to get the occupation medal.
Interestingly, he also has the French Croix de Guerre WWII Ribbon. It took me a while to track that one down as I wasn't familiar with it and it isn't on many of the ribbon posters. Not much you can ascertain from that by itself.
I can't help more than that - if that's helpful at all!