Just to clarify and I hope this helps. Unit reports are gathered at NARA in Maryland. Morning reports are garnered at NARA in St Louis. So I take it your researcher has tried both places? You say your researcher gave you a link? A link to where? Records at NARA have to be copied with a scanner. A researcher has to schedule a date and time at the archives ahead of time, then NARA pulls the appropriate record boxes, then he would scan the info and give you copies. I am confused. Did he actually go to NARA or simply look up info online. Please elaborate.
Morning reports are just that, roll call, etc. Unit reports are of four different varieties - daily, weekly and monthly. And they also included after-action reports if the unit was involved in any fighting.
Going back and re-reading what you initially wrote, he couldn't have been involved in the North Africa invasion (due to his arrival date), but the men of the 39th did train in North Africa for the invasion of Sicily which took place in July of 1943. Many units, including my father's trained there for this invasion. So that would jive.
You aren't going to find much of anything under demolition specialist, just descriptions of what one is and what they do. To garner more info, read the histories I provide on the 39th's page on the main site and the memoirs of the men in the section I talked about a few days ago.
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"