US Signal Corps, 309th F.L.Bn, 84 Div, Co. C

[IllinoisSignal]

Hello,

I, too, am trying to trace my grandfather's military service, specifically how he came to serve in the 309th F.L.Bn, Div 84, Co. C, and where the company served.

With the assistance of another forum as well as documents that I have, I know that he enlisted in 5/15/1917 in the 6th Battalion. It became the 410th Telegraph Battalion. I have a photo of him, in Leon Springs, TX, Apr 1918; his unit was Co. D. 410th Telegraph BN.

My father recalls his father talking about the cold winter in tents in Brest, and re-wiring much of the French telephone system.

My grandfather was part of a reserve from Bell Telephone in Illinois. Bell Telephone News wrote often about "the boys" who were serving. There is a one article about the 410th that is consistent with my father's recollection, but may provide a partial explanation: "The 410th, originally the Sixth, was one of the crack telegraph battalions of the army...Fifteen men from the ranks of the 410th received commissions in addition to the 9 commissioned officers originally with the battalion. These were transferred to other units..." My grandfather was a Master Signal Electrician by the time the photo was taken in Texas - I don't think that qualified him as one of the commissioned officers, but perhaps non-commissioned officers were transferred to other units, too?

Again, I hope to find out about the 309th, Div 84, Co. C. I'd also like to find out when he volunteered for the reserves, but I'm not too hopeful about those records.

[IllinoisSignal]

Forgot to add: my father thinks that his father may have gone to Germany at the end of the war, and remained there for a short while. I have his discharge papers: they state his AEF service (22 Jul 1918 - 22 Apr 1919). He was discharged 15 May 1919.