Any Help Would be Great!!!!!

My grandfather name was Willis Lathem and he was in the 546 Air service group, the 2470th Truck Company but I can not find any info on him or the company for that matter, I tried to get his records from St. Louis but they were apparently in the "BIG FIRE" so  I can not find out anyinfo on what he did or really where he was at. Also I have this picture but I can not determine what the medal on the far right side of the picture is, if anyone could help me find out these things that would be great or at least let me know where to look, other than St. Loius.

Attached Image(s)

It is very hard to see detail on those ribbons, both because it is a fuzzy black and white, but also the lighting.  However, using this website as my guide:
http://www.173rdairborne.com/ribbons.htm
I venture the following guesses, from left to right:
Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Ribbon (?)
Asian Pacific Ribbon (?)

But I could easily be wrong as well.  I only feel confident about the first one.

Kevin Anderson

According to the AAF Station List 1 May 45, the 2470th QM Truck Co (AVn) was located at Cesanatico, Italy, and assigned to the 12th Air Force.  I don't find a listing for the 546th Air Service Group, as it may have been inactivated.  Bernie Sheron may have more info.

Mark

The entire war diary for the 2470th Quartermaster Truck Company (Aviation) is on microfilm reel IRIS # AO394 from the Air Force Historical Research Agency for a fee of $30. The contact info for AFHRA is located under the "research" tab at the top of this page. Good hunting. Dave

David Procaccini
Grandson of Sgt. Louis Procaccini
38th ADG Repair Squadron
North Africa-Italy-France
Achivist, Quonset Air Museum
Historian 38th Depot Repair Sqdn

Does this help you any K9iua? I tried to lighten it up and sharpen the image. This link has a wonderful selection of all the US Ribbons in color, it too maybe of help to you. 
 
http://www.173rdairborne.com/ribbons.htm
 
K9iua, I apologize I see now it is the same exact site you recommended.


[image]local://14753/782EB6D11BD9411AABA10A3359CC7105.jpg[/image]

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Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Actually the lighter picture does help, as the second ribbon now looks more like the European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon, which would match the earlier post suggesting Italy and the 12th AF.  I still can't be certain about the third ribbon, as it seems out of order in the precedence of ribbons. It looks like a Joint Service ribbon.

Kevin Anderson
'who is not expert in these things, but is willing to put his foot into it.

We don't know where the photo was taken, but one don't requarly see a scarf being worn on someone in a Pacific Theater photo either.
 
K9iua, at least you tried to help the individual and you did a nice job as well. Well done.

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

ORIGINAL: PA.Dutchman

We don't know where the photo was taken, but one don't requarly see a scarf being worn on someone in a Pacific Theater photo either.

True.  But to be wearing campaign ribbons suggests later in the conflict, such as back home again, or after the minimal time needed to earn the award.  You aren't awarded the ribbons when you arrive in theater.  Yet I am also not seeing the WWII Victory Medal, which I would have expected if it were the end of the war, nor does it appear to be the Army of Occupation ribbon, which would also have been later.  The angle on the third ribbon makes it hard to tell exactly what it is.  Another wild-haired idea is that he actually served in both theaters, as the second and third ribbons almost look like both the Asian-Pacific ribbon (as I first thought) and the European... ribbon.  I am otherwise not seeing anything with basically 3 light-colored areas amongst the WWII ribbons.

Kevin Anderson

Thanks guys for all your help maybe we will get there soon, but I do know that my grandfather was not in the Pacific, he was supposedly in Africa, France and Italy. I don't know if that will help with the ribbon. As for the Victory Medal , he had never recieved that medal and I did get an issuance of that medal from St. Lious.
 
Thanks
Robbie

Have you tried this site? I was able to get what they could put together of my own fathers military history.

They also told me what medals he had earned and it took sometime but we got them all.

You will have to fax a signed request in to the site, but they helped us wonderfully. It takes time but you can usually get the information and medals if you are patient.
 
If you have his serial number it will make things easier, maybe through others here you can get it, but you will need it.

http://www.archives.gov/

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Yes I have tried that and that is where so many records were destroyed from the fire in 1973, but they did issue me a WWII victory Medal but said that no other info on him eventhough I did have his service number.
 
Robbie

Hi Robbie, Here is the Chronology of the 2470th QM Truck Co AV, as far as I know.
5-6-42 Activated Patterson Field, OH
9-1942 Fochville Tunis, North Africa
12-1943 Montecorvuino Italy
12-1944 Capodichino Italy
12-?-44  19 Service Center, Fano Italy
12-12-44 Lesi Italy
1-1944 to 3-1944 Capodichino and Montecorvuino Italy
7-22-44 Serragia Air Base Italy
8-28-44 Frejus France
8-?-44   Suffren France
10-4-44 Les Milles France
10-5-44 Pisa Italy
10-9-44 Jesi Italy
5-18-45 Disbanded.
Hopes this helps. Dave

David Procaccini
Grandson of Sgt. Louis Procaccini
38th ADG Repair Squadron
North Africa-Italy-France
Achivist, Quonset Air Museum
Historian 38th Depot Repair Sqdn

Robbie,
According to my two books on medals, and looking at my own; Medal on left, WWII Victory medal, middle, EMEA Medal. This is based on the white standing out on the dark background of ribbon and uniform.
No joy with ribbon on right. He may or may not have qualified for the American Campaign Medal. 

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

As far as the 546th Air Service Group, it was at Waller Field, Trinidad and was probably the last unit the 2470 QM Truck Co was assigned to before inactivation (I show the 2470th as possibly at Waller in 1945).  A number of units from the MTO were assigned to Air Transport Command briefly in 1945 to help "bring the troops home."  Might explain the comment above as well about only wearing ribbons after you left the theater.
 
On Dave's chronology, I think there may be a typo for the first two entries and they should both read 1943 instead of 1942.  Quartermaster Truck Companies were not numbered in the 2000s until 1943, and a unit would not have been stationed at Foch Field two months before we landed in Morocco and Algeria.

Bernie Shearon
Push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. Pull the stick back, the houses get smaller (unless you keep pulling -- then they get bigger again)

Bernie, You are correct sir!! They should be 1943. Dave

David Procaccini
Grandson of Sgt. Louis Procaccini
38th ADG Repair Squadron
North Africa-Italy-France
Achivist, Quonset Air Museum
Historian 38th Depot Repair Sqdn