I've been reading my grandfathers letters home and the fiction he wrote to disguise some of his activities to that they weren't censored.  I'm not entirely sure what details he changed about his specific company and regiment, but the character that is clearly him was in Company M, 34th Regiment, 28th Division.

A cursory Google search yields some information on the 28th Division leading up to the First World War, but I cant find much after that.

I know that he was in France, and made it into Germany.  I know he went AWOL twice.  I cannot get access his service records after multiple requests.  He has the Soldiers Metal, and some purple hearts, so I thin he went through it.

I'm trying to figure out his moments through Europe so I can piece together what I know of his story to time and place.  

Ive gotten good help here before - particular on the downed Marauder that he pulled some guys out of, and Hedgerow combat, during which I'm pretty sure he linked up with the Army Corps of engineers.

Something really changed him over there.  But there were so many nameless soldiers doing heroic things.  I'm just trying to put it together.

The 347th Infantry was part of the 87th Infantry Division. The 34th Infantry was part of the 24th Infantry Division in the Pacific. The 28th Infantry Division had the 109th, 110th, and 112th Infantry (Regiments) This might be the reason you are having issues. Double-check what Regiment he was in.

I think he played with the (demarcation) to disguise some unfortunate events, so there's no way to know - I don't even know if there is a company M.  I know he was D+4.

And this is probably why I cant get the service records, even though I have all his enlistment info.

Really Im looking for a day by day account simialar to this:  https://books.google.com/books/about/28th_Division_Summary_of_Operations_in_t.html?id=XUTTQRdJFQMC

...because his letters home are dated.

M Company was the heavy weapons company in the third battalion of the infantry regiments.

That's the Bucket of Blood division.  They were bloodied badly at Huertgen Forest before being moved to a "quiet" zone in the Ardennes to recuperate.  The Germans had other plans and hurled the weakened division back.  The weakened division gave a good account of itself before being forced to retreat and the German timetable was delayed.

BTW, the photo of the US troops marching through Paris.  That's them.

He was a combat medic, so Im guessing that was a rough ride.

This is the info Im after.  How can I find out more about that division, and maybe M company?

What photo are you referencing?

Attached File


Try to find the divisional history, regimental history, after action reports and published diaries/memoirs, newsletters from veterans' organizations of the 28th and past reunion info.

BTW, do a search for books and then dust off your library card and get them via interlibrary loan.  Research is not cheap.

Maybe OP should arrange to make a visit to the Pennsylvania Military History Museum in Boalsburg Pa.   not far from State College Pa (PSU main campus).
It’s a pretty decent museum.  
And there are other places listed where he can find individual unit histories and reports that they list

https://www.pamilmuseum.org/research-refernces