Alain Joseph
NAME: Alain Joseph
ASN: 32008872 / O-886702
PLACE OF BIRTH: Paris, France
DATE OF BIRTH: 22 Apr 1917
DATES OF SERVICE: 25 Feb 1941 -
UNIT ASSIGNED:
HHC 504th Parachute Battalion
HHC 2nd Bn 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment
HHC 2nd Bn 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Intelligence Section, 3rd Consolidation Team (Provisional), 6808th Allied Information Service, Psychological Warfare Detachment, SHAEF HQ
Psychological Warfare Detachment, 12th Army Group
CAMPAIGNS: Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Naples-Foggia
AWARDS: Parachutist Badge with one combat jump star, Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart Medal, French 3rd Zouaves Regiment Badge, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead and two bronze star devices, World War II Victory Medal
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
25 Feb 1941 - Enlisted at New York City, NY - NARA Enlistment Record
| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 32008872 | 32008872 |
| NAME | JOSEPH#ALAIN############ | JOSEPH#ALAIN############ |
| RESIDENCE: STATE | 23 | NEW YORK |
| RESIDENCE: COUNTY | 061 | NEW YORK |
| PLACE OF ENLISTMENT | 2364 | NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY | 25 | 25 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH | 02 | 02 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR | 41 | 41 |
| GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION | PVT# | Private |
| GRADE: CODE | 8 | Private |
| BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION | BI# | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| BRANCH: CODE | 00 | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| FIELD USE AS DESIRED | # | # |
| TERM OF ENLISTMENT | 2 | Enlistment for Alaska |
| LONGEVITY | ### | ### |
| SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL | 0 | Civil Life |
| NATIVITY | L2 | FRANCE or MONACO |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | 17 | 17 |
| RACE AND CITIZENSHIP | 1 | White, citizen |
| EDUCATION | 4 | 4 years of high school |
| CIVILIAN OCCUPATION | 175 | Salespersons |
| MARITAL STATUS | 6 | Single, without dependents |
| COMPONENT OF THE ARMY | 7 | Selectees (Enlisted Men) |
| CARD NUMBER | # | # |
| BOX NUMBER | 0454 | 0454 |
| FILM REEL NUMBER | 3.176 | 3.176 |
25 Dec 1941 - Pfc. Alain Joseph, O-886702, HHC, 504th Parachute Battalion, attended Christmas Dinner
00 Oct 1942 - S/Sgt. Alain Joseph qualifies as parachutist at Chilton Folait, England. Reference page 55 "Home Was Never Like This" by Doyle Yardley - "Battalion Sgt. Maj. and Staff Sgt. Alain Joseph, New York City, was not a qualified parachutist but wanted to be, so that he could jump with us in the coming invasion of somewhere. So an airplane was made available and Joseph was kicked out of the plane five times in one day in one of Lady Ward's plowed fields. The only damage that resulted was Lady Ward's field, which Joseph's 220 pounds landed on, bounced over and plowed up some more. Joseph got his parachute wings alright. He deserved two sets of parachute wings in my opinion! Joseph, about five feet six, is known as 'Mr. 5 by 5' to the boys in the outfit."
05 Nov 1942 - S/Sgt. Alain Joseph was instructed to take Col. Edson Raffs uniform and equipment to the departure airfield. Uniforms somehow got misplaced and Col. Raff was upset. Col. Raff who was 150 pounds ordered S/Sgt. Joseph who was 220 pounds to surrender his M42 jumpsuit in exchange for Col. Raff wools. After the exchange they appeared before the battalion as a comical pair. Reference page 38 "Stand in the Door" by Charles Doyle and Terrell Stewart
08 Nov 1942 - SSgt. Alain Joseph, 2nd Bn 509th PIR, Hometown: New York, NY on manifest for Operation VILLIAN (TORCH) Plane 1, Seat 13 Weight 320 lbs
08 Nov 1942 - S/Sgt. Alain Joseph's knee was grazed by a bullet from a Dewoitine D520 fighter that attacked a group of C-47s on the desert. Purple Heart Medal would later be awarded for this wound. Reference page 56 "Bail Out Over North Africa" by William P. Yarborough
S/Sgt. Alain Joseph receives battlefield comission to 2nd Lt.
10 Dec 1942 - 2nd Lt. Alain Joseph, 2nd Bn, 503rd PIR / 2nd Bn, 509th PIR, GO # 20 5. Under the provisions of Army Regulations 600-45, as amended, a Purple Heart (No. 84664) is awarded to the following named Officer: ALAIN JOSEPH, 2nd Lt., 503rd Parachute Infantry, United States Army; for wounds received in action against an armed enemy, during the combined operations of the Center Task Force in Northern Africa, 8 November 1942. By order of Major YARDLEY: [Signed] ALAIN JOSEPH 2nd. Lt., Infantry Ass't. Adjutant, page 1
25 Mar 1943 - 1st Lt. Alain Joseph, O-886702, HQ 2nd Bn 509th PIR, Adjutant, SO 27 Announced as Personnel Officer
15 Jul 1943 - 1st Lt. Alain Joseph, HHC 2nd Bn 509th PIR, listed as Adjutant, GO8
14 Sep 1943 - 1st Lt. Alain Joseph O-886702, 2nd Bn, 509th PIR Serves as the Adjutant on the Rear Det in Sicily while the battalion participates in Operation GIANT III the airborne invasion of Avellino, Italy. He would then move to forward to Naples, Italy and begin to document the return of 509th Soldiers returning back to allied lines and gather accounts of what happened to others who had not returned. As a result of his efforts, we have an accurate record of who was killed, wounded, captured, missing, or returned to service with the 509th following the operation.
21 Oct 1943 - 1st Lt. Alain Joseph, O-886702, SO 75, Post Exchange Officer
00 Nov 1943 - 1st Lt Alain Joseph goes on furlough back to the US.
Attends training in Military Intelligence at Camp Ritchie
Assigned to the Intelligence Section, 3rd Consolidation Team (Provisional), 6808th Allied Information Service, Psychological Warfare Detachment, SHAEF HQ
6808th Allied Information Service, Field Consolidation Team (Prov) Report
23 Jul 1944 lands at Utah Beach and begins intelligence collection in the recently liberated areas of France in the West and Southwest of Paris.
08 Oct 1944 - With the 3rd Consolidation mission completed, he is transferred to the Psychological Warfare Detachment, 12th Army Group
Passed away in 1961
