592nd JASCO

[sbaxter]

Hello,

I'm doing some family research and came upon a cousin who died during WWII. Don't know much about his service ,where when etc, so I'm piecing together what I have found so far.

His name is Joseph Wilfred Robert Sivigny
Branch: US Army
Rank: Sgt
Died: Feb 16, 1945, Philippines
Buried at Manila, Philippines.

from the World War II Website, via the NARA and the ABMC, he was with the 592 Joint Assault Signal Company.

According to local newspaper reports in March and April 1945. He was in the service for 2 yrs in infantry and was overseas for four months (guessing started in October 1944).
He was wounded in Luzon according to one article but the following article stated he died of his wounds on Corrigedor.

His family name is Sevigny, but all records that I found on Ancestry was spelled Sivigny.
His serial number is 6137273

I've contacted the NPRC and they have no record of him with the loss of files since the fire of 1973.
I contacted Massachusetts State Military achieves and they sent me two cards. One with an enlistment date and the other dated earlier with a discharge date for desertion. I have no idea what this was about.
With my initial web search, I thought he might be part of the Americal Division. I contacted them and they suggested researching the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, also the 503rd Regiment Combat Team, also the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Also the attack on Corrigedor on Feb 16, 1945.
I came upon this website just by searching 592nd Joint.. And found him listed on the honor roll and a photo of his grave marker.

Would there be a history of the 592nd JASCO somewhere? either on-line or to request it from an archive? IF he went overseas in October'44, do you think he was with the 592nd then? what other campaigns could he have been with? Assigned with what other units?
Do you think he jumped with the 503rd? Does that mean he was Jump qualified?
What medals/awards do you think he should have earned?
If he was with JASCO, that means he could not have earned a CIB? Would his MOD be radioman?

I've requested his death file from the Army. Hopefully it might shed some light on who he was.
Any suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Stephen

[Deleted]

Ok, it's been two years and no responses as of yet...
Well here's some more info that might help figuring out where he was, etc.

From his Death File.
A letter from the USS Denver (CL-58) dated 16 April 1945 that his body was brought on board in the heat of battle by orders of Admiral A.D. Struble. He was buried 14 May 1945 and laid to rest next to two members from the USS Denver an Ensign Harry E Kennedy and a Benjamin H Middleton.
Before this he was buried on 17 Feb 1945 with Benjamin Middleton and a Anthony P Writes; 1st Sgt Co E 1st Inf Regt.

One curious thing in his belongings was a Domain of Neptunus Rex Certificate. When would he have received this? I thought only US Navy members were issued Cert for crossing the Equator.

He also had Philippine money, would he have this because this was't the first time he landed on the Philippines?

Also included in the file was a listing of camps/stations he was in.

Fort Devens, Massachusetts Dec 1942
Fort Jackson, South Carolina Dec 1942 - Oct 1943 (Basic Training?? I think the 100th Infantry Div was training then)
Camp Crowder, MO Oct 1943 - June 1944 (Signal Training??)
POE (Point/Port of Embarkation?) June 1944

Would any of these dates a line with the 503rd departure to the Philippines?

How can I find out where or with who he was attached to? Did he participate in a parachute drop? or amphibious landing? Would he have earned the bronze arrow head for his campaign medal?? Since he was with the JASCO, does that mean he was a signal man or just an infantry soldier assigned to JASCO? Does he earn the CIB? IF he jumped, would he have earned a Parachutist Badge??

Where would the 592 Joint Assault Signal Co records be stored? Would daily reports list where he was assigned to?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Stephen

[chadhill]

Hello Steven,

When I crossed the equator in 1987 we had a number of Marines aboard the USS Constellation. It was mandatory to participate in the "ceremony" in those days. If you had already crossed the equator you were a Trusty Shellback, and if not you were a Polywog who must be properly indoctrinated. Rank had no meaning, there was no escape, and even the Marines succumbed to that wonderful experience. When it was finally over all Polywogs became Trusty Shellbacks and entries were duly made in all service records for proper certification. ID cards were passed out to all newbies, too. I would wager it was the same during WW2. An old uncle told me the ceremony lasted 3 days during the war. Thank goodness mine was only 1.

Chad

[okla]

Hey Chad.....Just a couple of things. It is indicated that this Soldier had a seven digit Serial Number beginning with the number "6". Wouldn't this indicate that he entered the Military prior to World War II ? Do you know when the use of "8" digit SNs begin? Maybe there, for some reason, was a period when both 7 and 8 digit numbers were utilized. I have heard some "gruesome" yarns of some goings on during the crossing of the Equator. An older (if this is possible) friend of mine once related to me, when crossing the Equator on the "Big E" in 1944, of being ordered by his best friend, who had already suffered the indignities of crossing, to pick up cigarette butts from the Flight Deck with his lips. The topper was the biggest, fattest cook, greased his belly with lard from the Galley, and the victim, being blindfolded, was required to kiss said belly. Before the blindfold was removed, the cook turned around in order for the victim to be gazing into the greased buttocks of the Cook. Now, is that diabolical or not??? I have the Certificate for Crossing the International Dateline hanging in my Den. We went thru no hazing,etc, probably because there wasn't enough room on deck. I don't even know if such a thing even took place. Anyhow, there wasn't enough Navy on our troopship to even attempt such an initiation. Cheers.

[Registrar]

Stephen,

I don't know if I can add anything much that you don't already know.

For those unfamiliar with what a JASCO was for, here's a brief background, courtesy of the Signal Corps:

The Joint Chiefs of Staff reviewed the after action reports about landings and operations on Tarawa and Guadalcanal that recommended that communications for air liaison, naval fire control, and shore parties be pooled into one organization. A new communications unit was therefore created in late 1943; it was called the Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO). The JASCO was formed by adding the shore fire control and air liaison parties – which were too small to be independent units anyway – to the signal companies (special) which had been handling communications for shore battalions since the summer of 1942. Most of the signal companies (special) were changed over to the new organization on short notice.

The JASCOs gave good accounts of themselves. At Kwajalein a JASCO attached to the 4th Marine Division improved artillery, air, and naval coordination to a great extent. On Iwo Jima, artillery, naval, and air coordination was called "superb." Wherever JASCOs were employed, much unnecessary congestion of radio circuits was eliminated.

The JASCO did not operate as one unit during amphibious operations. When an assault was mounted, the various JASCO teams would be attached to the appropriate units needing support. Air liaison teams would be attached to battalion and regimental headquarters, and to division headquarters. Naval shore fire control teams would be attached to each battalion landing team. Communications teams, made up of Signal Corpsmen, would be assigned to each shore battalion to provide radio and wire links both laterally and vertically.

JASCOs performed their functions in the central Pacific, the Philippines, Okinawa, southern France, and Normandy.

In general, the JASCOs functioned as intended and performed their tasks well. Equipment was not always entirely satisfactory; there was constant trouble with poorly waterproofed radio set, for example; but equipment was good enough to enable the JASCOs to provide better communications than had been provided before their creation

Source signal.army.mil/history/history-JASCO.html

It's important to note that a JASCO was not just a Signal detachment but Joint Assault Signal Co., specifically trained to deal with inter-service signals during an assault.  His date of departure for the Philippines is not likely to have been related to anything involving the 503d.

Indeed, it is just as possible that he was not attached to the 503d at all, but to the 592d Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment which was a key component of the Second Engineers Special Brigade which provided twenty-five LCMS to the Corregidor invasion.  The 2d ESB holds the unique distinction of having participated in more amphibious operations than any other unit of the armed forces of the United States. It never failed, in the words of its motto, to "Put Em Across."

Thus it's possible that you should be reading up on the history of 2d ESB which has  a very fine website at 2esb.org/

Charlie Rambo has written the Communication Report for Corregidor and I have reproduced it - though it doesn't deal with either the JASCO or the 2d ESB: See at: corregidor.org/BEA503/Reports/Corregidor/Communication%20Report.html

I would be inclined to the view that your cousin was a specialist signals/radio man rather than an infantryman.

If he had jumped, his name more often than not would have been included in the jump roster compiled by Templeman - however non-appearance in that listing does not exclude him from the possibility of having jumped. I would also expect that he would have been entitled to the bronze arrow head, and the Combat Infantry Badge. Making one jump with the 503d, even on Corregidor, would not have entitled him to the Paratrooper Wings. That requires a minimum of 5 jumps.

JAASCO, being a Signals Unit, might have its records at the Signal Corps museum at Fort Gordon GA.

The next possibility is that he was not killed on Corregidor at all, but at Marveles (which occurred the previous date but for which the first recording of deaths would have occurred on 16 February. The fatalities at Mariveles occurred when one of the six LSM's either hit a mine (or was hit by a Shinyou Tai boat) which resulted in 40 deaths and the loss of much 592d ESB Equipment. The reference article (at rockforce.org/rock_force/lewis/htm/592esb_02.htm is written from the point of view of the 592d ESB rather han from the 592d JASCO, so the loose ends remain.

I have seen a  number of Neptune Rex Certificates of army personnel, and one may well think that the whole thing was a form of institutional hazing of the less fortunate. 

[chadhill]

Very good briefing on JASCO, Registrar. I also found this, which has a photo of his grave marker (click the circled P on his name line under 592 JASCO):

rockforce.org/taps/kia_draft_listing.htm


Okla, yes, his seven digit SN indicates he entered the Regular Army before the Selective Service Act of 1940. Eight digit SN's beginning with a 1 were for RA after that, those beginning with a 2 were National Guard units, and those beginning with a 3 or 4 were draftees inducted after the SSA (World War Two Military Records, a Family Historian's Guide, by Debra Knox p.269-271).

While I was being inducted into the ranks of the Trusty Shellbacks, I had a very similar belly-kissing experience on the flight deck of the USS Constellation with the fattest Chief aboard. You aptly described it, and I had managed to forget it til now! Another memory: the senior Polywog officer (a Commander) was forced to measure the distance of the entire flight deck in hotdog lengths (it was about 1000 feet long, bow to stern). Down on all fours, he had to flip a rotten hotdog with his teeth and nose while counting out "1 hotdog, 2 hotdogs, 3 hotdogs", etc.- and being spanked every step of the way by duly attending Shellbacks.

These non-stop, marvelous experiences began at about 3 a.m. and ended just before sunset. Our clothes were so filthy we simply threw them overboard. My hair was so dirty I had it all cut off. My uncle told me it lasted for three days on the USS Essex. I hear the "ceremony" has been toned down today by the PC police.

("Wog Day" USS Constellation, 1987. Crossing the equator, Arabian Sea-Indian Ocean.)

[okla]

Hey Chad....Thanks a bunch for posting that great photo of what looks the lowest form of humanity. I thought I would add a couple of tidbits regarding my WW 2 friend. Being a lowly S2C member of the group that moved with the Task Force Commander/Flag from Carrier to Carrier, he crossed and recrossed the Equator numerous times, on the new Lexington, The Bunker Hill, etc. He was aboard the USS Franklin when she was hit, losing over 500 men in the process (I am sure you know your Naval History, so are familiar with that Saga). My friend was trapped below, until some young Ensign, very small in stature, made his way down a ventilator shaft to the mess compartment where this group of men were holed up awaiting for their vessel to go down due to the Japanese bomb damage or be scuttled by the escorting US Cruisiers and Destroyers. These trapped guys removed the grating to the ventilator shaft and escaped topside in that fashion. My friend, being the smallest guy in stature of the group was the first up the shaft. The reason being that they didn't want some big dude to go up first and get stuck, leaving those below to their fate when the Franklin went down as they feared she would. As you know she stayed afloat and returned to New York CIty. This buddy of mine made his way, hand over hand, via a line over to the Cruiser Santa Fe, returning to the states with burn wounds which, for some reason, didn't rate him the Purple Heart. He always wondered why he never received this award. He died, last year, a victim of Cancer. He always considered himself a "fugitive from the Law of Averages". I may have told you this story, off line in the past. If so, chalk this re-telling up to onrushing Senility. Cheers. Thanks again for the great pic. Postscript....My friend confirmed your stating that Rank made not one bit of difference during the "Ceremony".