Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

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fw200condor
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Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

#1

Post by fw200condor » 11 Jan 2022, 10:18

I was wondering if you could help me with a bit of an odd case, please.

Douglas William Le Sage, born 24 May 1916, Sydney, Australia, was a chef. He joined the Australian Army in March 1941 and was assigned to work as a hospital chef. However, due to chronic ill health, he seemed to spend much of his time as a patient in the hospital rather than as an employee there. He was therefore discharged from the Australian Army, on medical grounds, just six months later, in September 1941.

His Australian Army record can be viewed here:

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchN ... ?B=5677380

However, it turns out he later joins the United States Army and works for them as a chef for the rest of the war instead. It is this I am trying to find out about.

Where was he when he was with the American Army? Is it common for someone discharged from one nation's army on medical grounds to then work for another? Where can I view his record for his time with the United States Army?

I believe he may have later worked as a chef at the Woomera Rocket Range in the 1950s. Whose army this was for, I do not know.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Daniel
Last edited by fw200condor on 12 Jan 2022, 03:08, edited 2 times in total.

LineDoggie
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Re: Australian Chef Working fur U. S. Army

#2

Post by LineDoggie » 12 Jan 2022, 01:54

Worked for the US Army as a civilian contractor? or an enlisted soldier of the Quartermaster corps.

As a Enlisted man he would have a US Serial number, be directly assigned to a unit
"There are two kinds of people who are staying on this beach: those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get the hell out of here".
Col. George Taylor, 16th Infantry Regiment, Omaha Beach



fw200condor
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Re: Australian Chef Working fur U. S. Army

#4

Post by fw200condor » 12 Jan 2022, 02:45

LineDoggie wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 01:54
Worked for the US Army as a civilian contractor? or an enlisted soldier of the Quartermaster corps.

As a Enlisted man he would have a US Serial number, be directly assigned to a unit
Thanks for taking an interest in this.

He served with the US Transport Corps from 1 July 1944 to 1 Feb 1945, number 8367 as chief cook.

Where can I find his US Army record?

LineDoggie
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Re: Australian Chef Working fur U. S. Army

#5

Post by LineDoggie » 12 Jan 2022, 19:37

fw200condor wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 02:45
LineDoggie wrote:
12 Jan 2022, 01:54
Worked for the US Army as a civilian contractor? or an enlisted soldier of the Quartermaster corps.

As a Enlisted man he would have a US Serial number, be directly assigned to a unit
Thanks for taking an interest in this.

He served with the US Transport Corps from 1 July 1944 to 1 Feb 1945, number 8367 as chief cook.

Where can I find his US Army record?
8367 is NOT a US Army serial number

WW2 US Army serial numbers for enlisted men began with a

1 = Enlisted in the Army (in other words, volunteered rather than drafted)
2 = Federally recognized National Guard
3 = Drafted
4 = Drafted
O (that’s the letter O, not a zero) = Male commissioned officers
W = Male Warrant officers
T = Flight officers (Army Air Force)
L = Commissioned officers of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC)
V = WAC Warrant officers
A = WAC enlisted women
R = Hospital dietitians
M = Physical therapy aides

1 = Connecticut Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
2 = Delaware, New Jersey, New York
3 = Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia
4 = Alabama, Florida, Georgia Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
5 = Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia
6 = Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin
7 = Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
8 = Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
9 = Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington
0 = When the first number is 3, the zero means he was drafted outside the U.S. (301 indicates Panama; 302 indicates Puerto Rico)

So for example 20252211 would mean a National Guardsman
Delaware, NJ or NY, 2nd corps/service command area,

http://www.hardscrabblefarm.com/ww2/dogtags_serial.htm
"There are two kinds of people who are staying on this beach: those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get the hell out of here".
Col. George Taylor, 16th Infantry Regiment, Omaha Beach

LineDoggie
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Re: Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

#6

Post by LineDoggie » 12 Jan 2022, 19:49

It sounds like he was a civilian employee on a troopship. The WW2 Army Transport Service vessels were largely civilian crewed under the Merchant Marine


https://history.army.mil/documents/WWII ... pships.pdf
"There are two kinds of people who are staying on this beach: those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get the hell out of here".
Col. George Taylor, 16th Infantry Regiment, Omaha Beach

fw200condor
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Re: Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

#7

Post by fw200condor » 12 Jan 2022, 23:50

Thanks for explaining, LineDoggie. Much appreciated. It may have been an army troop ship that was based in Australian waters at some point then, I am guessing.

adrewcohen
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Re: Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

#8

Post by adrewcohen » 22 Jan 2022, 12:19

The Australian Army University has Doctoral Program in Active Release Therapy is an accredited, entry-level and tri-service

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Sheldrake
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Re: Australian Chef Working fur U. S. Army

#9

Post by Sheldrake » 22 Jan 2022, 16:44

Wrong man: I meant George "Snowy" Howell VC, MM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Howell_(soldier)
Served at Gallipoli and Pozieres (Somme).1st Battlaion AIF Awarded the VC for his action at Dernicourt/Demicourt(?) 1917 and the MM for Bullecourt in May 1917.

In August 1944, Howell enlisted in the United States Army for service in the United States Sea Transport Service, and was thus able to participate in the invasion of Leyte at the commencement of the Philippines campaign. He served on a tug.

His medals: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1273125

fw200condor
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Re: Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

#10

Post by fw200condor » 22 Jan 2022, 23:29

Thanks! I did read the Percy Cherry Wiki page and tried to work out the connection. All good. :thumbsup:

I am guessing what has happened in my case is he has been discharged from the Aus Army due to ill health and found employment a few years later on the US troop ship while it is docked in Australia. I'll do some more research though.

adrewcohen
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Re: Australian Chef Working for U. S. Army

#11

Post by adrewcohen » 24 Jan 2022, 09:15

adrewcohen wrote:
22 Jan 2022, 12:19
The Australian Army University has Doctoral Program in Active Release Therapy SF is an accredited, entry-level and tri-service

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