WW2 Army Unit Records Research

The casualties suffered by a typical American infantry regiment serving in World War II were horrendous. For example, by the end of January, 1945, the 47th Infantry Regiment (which fought in France and Germany) had lost well over 100% of their strength to battle casualties, where men were either killed, wounded, missing, or taken as prisoner of war. Other units had similar grim statistics.

Fortunately for modern-day researchers, the Army kept meticulous combat diaries and journals to record their battlefield activities for a given period of time. At a minimum, these records, prepared daily, describe the daily actions of the unit (typically a Division or a Regiment), including intelligence information on the enemy forces faced, the geography of the area, weather conditions, and the success or failure of the day’s fighting. Some of these reports, known generally as “After Action Reports” (AAR), may describe the day’s combat in as little as a paragraph, or across several pages.  Similar reports are also called unit journals or diaries.

It is impossible to know what will be in a given AAR. However, AARs for smaller units, such as Field Artillery Battalions, Combat Engineer Battalions, Armored units, or Military Police outfits, tend to provide more detail in connection with the individual service of their collective soldiers.

An example of the “closer look” we can get from Unit Records is the case of Captain George Oliver. While one report of his death disclosed that he was killed by a “concussion”, the AAR for his unit provided far more detail. It turned out that Captain Oliver was working with a group of men to gather the remains of some of the men in their outfit that had recently been killed. Unfortunately, the bodies were strewn about a German mine field. Captain Oliver was, in fact, killed by a concussion, but the actual cause of his injury was that he that he stepped on one of the mines.

As a professional researcher and World War II historian, Bill Beigel provides research services to genealogists, historians, authors, and civilians who are looking for information found in WW2 military unit records. Unit records are useful in piecing together stories about a unit or group, as well as about individuals who served in them. Bill Beigel researches veterans who served and survived the war, as well as those who were WW2 casualties.

Please select any of the units below to submit a research inquiry to WW2 Researcher Bill Beigel. If you do not see the name of the unit you are searching for, you may click on any unit and type the correct name into the form that follows.

Units NameUnit Name
100th Infantry Division356th Field Artillery Battalion
101st Tank Battalion357th Infantry Regiment
102nd Infantry Division358th Field Artillery Battalion
103rd Field Artillery Battalion358th Infantry Regiment
103rd Infantry Division359th Field Artillery Battalion
103rd Infantry Regiment359th Infantry Regiment
106th AAA AW Battalion360th Field Artillery Battalion
108th Infantry Regiment361st Field Artillery Battalion
113th Engineer Combat Battalion361st Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment362nd Field Artillery Battalion
116th Engineer Combat Battalion362nd Infantry Regiment
117th Cavalry Recon. Squadron363rd Field Artillery Battalion
117th Cavalry Recon. Squadron363rd Infantry Regiment
117th Engineer Combat Battalion364th Field Artillery Battalion
118th Engineer Combat Battalion365th Field Artillery Battalion
120th Engineer Combat Battalion365th Infantry Regiment
129th Infantry Regiment36th Infantry Division
131st Field Artillery Battalion370th Field Artillery Battalion
132nd Field Artillery Battalion370th Infantry Regiment
133rd Field Artillery Battalion371st Field Artillery Battalion
135th Field Artillery Battalion371st Infantry Regiment
136th Field Artillery Battalion372nd Field Artillery Battalion
138th Field Artillery Battalion373rd Field Artillery Battalion
139th Field Artillery Battalion374th Field Artillery Battalion
140th Field Artillery Battalion375th Field Artillery Battalion
141st Infantry Regiment376th Infantry Regiment
142nd Engineer Combat Battalion377th Infantry Regiment
142nd Infantry Regiment378th Infantry Regiment
143rd Field Artillery Battalion379th Field Artillery Battalion
143rd Infantry Regiment379th Infantry Regiment
145th Infantry Regiment37th Infantry Division
146th Field Artillery Battalion37th Military Police Company
148th Infantry Regiment380th Field Artillery Battalion
149th Infantry Regiment381st Field Artillery Battalion
14th Infantry Regiment381st Infantry Regiment
150th Field Artillery Battalion382nd Field Artillery Battalion
151st Infantry Regiment382nd Infantry Regiment
152nd Field Artillery Battalion383rd Field Artillery Battalion
152nd Infantry Regiment383rd Infantry Regiment
155th Field Artillery Battalion384th Field Artillery Battalion
156th Field Artillery Battalion385th Infantry Regiment
157th Field Artillery Battalion386th Infantry Regiment
157th Infantry Regiment387th Infantry Regiment
160th Infantry Regiment389th Field Artillery Battalion
162nd Infantry Regiment38th Infantry Division
163rd Field Artillery Battalion390th Field Artillery Battalion
163rd Infantry Regiment393rd Infantry Regiment
165th Infantry Regiment394th Infantry Regiment
167th Field Artillery Battalion395th Infantry Regiment
169th Field Artillery Battalion397th Infantry Regiment
169th Infantry Regiment398th Infantry Regiment
172nd Infantry Regiment399th Infantry Regiment
179th Infantry Regiment405th Infantry Regiment
180th Infantry Regiment405th Quartermaster Company
185th Infantry Regiment406th Infantry Regiment
186th Infantry Regiment407th Infantry Regiment
191st Tank Battalion409th Infantry Regiment
191st Tank Battalion40th Infantry Division
191st Tank Battalion410th Infantry Regiment
192nd Field Artillery Battalion411th Infantry Regiment
199th Field Artillery Battalion417th Infantry Regiment
199th Field Artillery Battalion41st Infantry Division
205th Field Artillery Battalion42nd Infantry Division
212th Armored Field Artillery Battalion431st AAA AW Battalion
217th Field Artillery Battalion43rd Infantry Division
218th Field Artillery Battalion440th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
220th Field Artillery Battalion443rd AAA AW Battalion (SP)
222nd Infantry Regiment44th Infantry Division
232nd Infantry Regiment45th Infantry Division
242nd Infantry Regiment461st AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
253rd Infantry Regiment463rd AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
254th Infantry Regiment465th AAA AW Battalion (SP)
255th Infantry Regiment48th Tank Battalion
259th Infantry Regiment501st Armored Field Artillery Battalion
260th Infantry Regiment510th Tank Destroyer Battalion
261st Infantry Regiment535th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
262nd Infantry Regiment537th AAA Aw Battalion (Mobile)
263rd Engineer Combat Battalion546th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
263rd Infantry Regiment547thAAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
264th Infantry Regiment548th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
265th Engineer Combat Battalion549th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
266th Engineer Combat Battalion550th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
269th Engineer Combat Battalion552nd AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
270th Engineer Combat Battalion597th Field Artillery Battalion
271st Engineer Combat Battalion598th Field Artillery Battalion
271st Infantry Regiment599th Field Artillery Battalion
272nd Infantry Regiment59th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
273rd Infantry Regiment5th Infantry Regiment
274th Infantry Regiment600th Field Artillery Battalion
275th Engineer Combat Battalion633rd AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
275th Infantry Regiment635th Tank Destroyer Battalion
276th Infantry Regiment63rd Engineer Combat Battalion
27th Tank Battalion63rd Infantry Division
289th Infantry Regiment645th Tank Destroyer Battalion
290th Infantry Regiment645th Tank Destroyer Battalion
291st Infantry Regiment65th Infantry Division
301st Engineer Combat Battalion66th Division Artillery
301st Field Artillery Battalion66th Infantry Division
301st Infantry Regiment66th Infantry Regiment
302nd Engineer Combat Battalion66th Reconnaissance Troop
302nd Field Artillery Battalion68th Armored Infantry Battalion
302nd Infantry Regiment691st Tank Destroyer Battalion
303rd Field Artillery Battalion692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
303rd Infantry Regiment692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
304th Engineer Combat Battalion69th Division Artillery
304th Field Artillery Battalion69th Infantry Division
304th Infantry Regiment6th Field Artillery Battalion
305th Field Artillery Battalion709th Tank Battalion
305th Infantry Regiment70th Division Artillery
306th Engineer Combat Battalion70th Infantry Division
306th Field Artillery Battalion718th Field Artillery Battalion
306th Infantry Regiment71st Infantry Division
307th Field Artillery Battalion71st Infantry Regiment
307th Infantry Regiment720th Field Artillery Battalion
308th Engineer Combat Battalion721st Field Artillery Battalion
308th Field Artillery Battalion724th Field Artillery Battalion
309th Engineer Combat Battalion725th Field Artillery Battalion
309th Field Artillery Battalion740th Tank Battalion
309th Infantry Regiment744th Ordnance Light Maint. Company
310th Engineer Combat Battalion749th Tank Battalion
310th Field Artillery Battalion749th Tank Battalion
310th Infantry Regiment750th Tank Battalion
311th Field Artillery Battalion751st Field Artillery Battalion
311th Infantry Regiment753rd Tank Battalion
312th Engineer Combat Battalion753rd Tank Battalion
312th Field Artillery Battalion75th Infantry Division
313th Engineer Combat Battalion766th Ordnance Light Maint. Company
313th Field Artillery Battalion76th Infantry Division
313th Infantry Regiment772nd Tank Battalion
314th Field Artillery Battalion773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion
314th Infantry Regiment774th Tank Destroyer Battalion
315th Engineer Combat Battalion776th Tank Destroyer Battalion
315th Engineer Combatt Battalion778th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
315th Field Artillery Battalion77th Infantry Division
315th Infantry Regiment781st Ordnance Light Maint. Company
316th Engineer Combat Battalion78th Infantry Division
317th Engineer Combat Battalion795th Ordnance Light Maint. Company
317th Infantry Regiment79th Infantry Division
318th Infantry Regiment802nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
319th Engineer Combat Battalion808th Tank Destroyer Battalion
319th Infantry Regiment80th Infantry Division
320th Engineer Combat Battalion81st Infantry Division
321st Engineer Combat Battalion822nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
321st Infantry Regiment83rd Infantry Division
322nd Engineer Combat Battalion84th Infantry Division
322nd Field Artillery Battalion85th Infantry Division
322nd Infantry Regiment861st Field Artillery Battalion
323rd Field Artillery Battalion862nd Field Artillery Battalion
324th Engineer Combat Battalion863rd Field Artillery Battalion
324th Field Artillery Battalion867th Field Artillery Battalion
324th Infantry Regiment868th Field Artillery Battalion
325th Engineer Combatt Battalion869th Field Artillery Battalion
325th Field Artillery Battalion870th Field Artillery Battalion
326th Field Artillery Battalion871st Field Artillery Battalion
327th Engineer Combat Battalion872nd Field Artillery Battalion
328th Engineer Combat Battalion879th Field Artillery Battalion
328th Field Artillery Battalion87th Infantry Division
329th Field Artillery Battalion880th Field Artillery Battalion
329th Infantry Regiment881st Field Artillery Battalion
330th Field Artillery Battalion882nd Field Artillery Battalion
330th Infantry Regiment883rd Field Artillery Battalion
331st Infantry Regiment884th Field Artillery Battalion
333rd Infantry Regiment88th Infantry Division
333rd Infantry Regiment893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion
334th Field Artillery Battalion898th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)
334th Infantry Regiment89th Infantry Division
335th Field Artillery Battalion901st Field Artillery Battalion
335th Infantry Regiment902nd Field Artillery Battalion
336th Field Artillery Battalion903rd Field Artillery Battalion
337th Field Artillery Battalion904th Field Artillery Battalion
337th Infantry Regiment905th Field Artillery Battalion
338th Field Artillery Battalion909th Field Artillery Battalion
338th Infantry Regiment90th Infantry Division
339th Field Artillery Battalion910th Field Artillery Battalion
339th Infantry Regiment912th Field Artillery Battalion
3422nd Ordnance, MAM Company913th Field Artillery Battalion
343rd Field Artillery Battalion915th Field Artillery Battalion
343rd Field Artillery Battalion915th Field Artillery Battalion
344th Field Aratillery Battalion916th Field Artillery Battalion
344th Field Artillery Battalion919th Field Artillery Battalion
345th Field Artillery Battalion91st Infantry Division
345th Field Artillery Battalion920th Field Artillery Battalion
345th Infantry Regiment921st Field Artillery Battalion
346th Field Artillery Battalion922nd Field Artillery Battalion
346th Infantry Regiment925th Field Artillery Battalion
347th Field Artillery Battalion927th Field Artillery Battalion
347th Infantry Regiment928th Field Artillery Battalion
348th Field Artillery Battalion92nd Infantry Division
349th Infantry Regiment937th Field Artillery Battalion
350th Infantry Regiment94th Infantry Division
351st Infantry Regiment95th Infantry Division
353rd Infantry Regiment96th Infantry Division
354th AAA AW Battalion (Mobile)97th Infantry Division
354th Infantry Regiment980th Field Artillery Battalion
355th Field Artillery Battalion99th Infantry Division
355th Infantry Regiment