Casualties Mounting, US Pulled Men From Anywhere...

[scotrace]

In continuing the slow reconstruction of my father's WWII service, I've learned that his experience was not unlike many men of the time.

He began (I am thrilled to learn) with the USAAF, with a ground crew. He was posted to venice, Florida (the 4500th Base Unit, Section QB, at Venice Army Air Field), and while away on Furlough to visit home, was transferred to the infantry and shipped out to ETO in 1944.

This falls in with what I have read generally. At the beginning of the armed forces buildup prior to and after Pearl Harbor, men were assigned tasks in keeping with their abilities. Eventually they had plenty of bodies for every job and, as the need for troops overseas increased, men who had been assigned to home front or behind-the-lines positions were quickly refitted for front line duty and off they went.

Now, how can I get insignia and patching info for 4500th Base Unit, Section QB, at Venice Army Air Field??

 

[fishmeok]

My grandfather was infantry and told a similar story about basic. This was mid to late '44 and they recieved a trainload of guys who had been transferred from AAF to infantry. If I remember right this particular group had already been through some primary flight training to boot.
Cheers
Mark