ASF 32d Machine Records Unit (Mobile) 1st Army

1st Army

Left: Army Service Forces; Right: 1st Army

Our routine work consisted of daily processing (with International Business Machines equipment) of Army troops serviced, transfer of files due to gains and losses of organizations by troop assignment, processing of Initial Battle Casualty reports and subsequent changes, and the punching and processing of non-battle casualty cards from Morning Reports.  Also, disposition cards were punched daily from hospital Admission and Disposition Reports for use by the Army Battle Casualty Section and were later submitted to Theater Headquarters in accordance with a new theater procedure.

Special machine-prepared reports rendered in addition to those normally required by ETO and the War Department were as follows:

a.       Army Station List.

b.       Officers’ Roster, Hq First U.S. Army

c.        T/O and E Report

d.       Weekly Battle and Non-battle Casualties Summary

e.       Daily Major Echelon Strength Report

f.         Weekly PU Strength Listing of Army Troops

g.       Unit Commanding Officer listings and changes

h.       Special Strength Report of all units in the Army, to G-1

i.         Special Authorized and Actual Strength Report, to G-1

j.         Tri-monthly AWOL Report to all General and Special Staff Sections

k.       Daily AWOL figures to QM Section

l.         Monthly AWOL report to Provost Marshal

m.     Various strength and organization lists to Special Services

n.       Daily summary of Battle Casualties processed 9to AG BCR Section)

o.       Semi-monthly summary of Battle Casualties processed type by echelon

p.       Monthly summary of Battle Casualties type by date of casualty to G-1

q.       Monthly strength summary of the Army (by A or S by grade of QM Section)

The transfer of files between corps machine records units and other armies was coordinated by the 32nd Machine Records Unit.  When the situation became fluid and attachments were purely operational, certain changes were made to prevent rapid changes of machine records administration, and excess time lag in reports received from organizations serviced.  Transfers were also closely coordinated with AC of S, G-3.  A listing prepared at this unit and distributed to all machine record units in the field forces, materially aided in the accounting of missing morning reports before the files were sent to the War Department.

From: The History of the 32nd Machine Records Unit (Mobile) or the First Million Cards Punched are the Toughest!

1944

July 5: Utah Beach

July 6: Valognes at the Chateau de Chriffevast.

The men of the 32d MRU stayed in Chateau de Chriffevast and worked in their mobile trailers on the grounds.

Signal Corps units worked inside Chateau de Chriffevast

Outside mobile
                  trailer
Interior
                  mobile trailer
A typical Mobile Records Unit trailer.
The inside of a machine trailer PFC Euth of Detroit, Michigan is leaning
on a tabulator. We had in each machine trailer. Staff Sergeant Griffis
of Washington, D.C. is sitting at a key punch. In the right foreground is
one of the three interpreters. Not shown are the six sorters,
located two to each machine trailer.
Approximately August 6: Left Valognes for St. Lo.

For the rest of their story see:
The History of the 32nd Machine Records Unit (Mobile) or the First Million Cards Punched are the Toughest!
Road from Valognes to St. Lo
"Technician 5th Class Jackson of Carroll, Ohio and typical French
farmstead on the Valognes-St. Lo. The slotted "something" just back
of Jackson is a (concrete) utility poll."
Source: Ottis F. Wollenberg's niece Donna Burolla
Otis F. Wollenberg
Technician 5th Class Otis F. Wollenberg
 of North Tonowanda, New York and one of the
32nd MRU’s mascots

All photos are from The History of the 32nd Machine Records Unit (Mobile) or the First Million Cards Punched are the Toughest! and are © Donna Burolla

All material not in the public domain © Leonard H. Cizewski and © Donna Burolla

Last Major Update:
Minor Revision: June 28, 2016
Posted: June 26, 2016
Last Reviewed:
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