Dog tags John T. Kidney Jr (603rd Graves Registration Company)

2nd Lieutenant John T. Kidney Jr was born on 2 May 1914 and was from Akron Ohio. On 3 February 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Army.  He was assigned to the 2nd Platoon of the 603rd Quartermaster Graves Registration Company.

In February 1944, his unit arrived in England and the 2nd Platoon detached from the company and joined up with the 9th Infantry Division in March 1944. On D+2, June 8th, Kidney landed in Normandy attached to the 9th Infantry Division.

​”An advance detail of the 2nd Platoon left Winchester with the advance detail of the 9th QM.  Lt. Wells, S/Sgt. Kidney, Sgt. Grealis, Sgt. Krupp, T/5 Jack Paul, and Pfc. Laker, moved to Camp Hurley for briefing.  Grealis and Laker left the next morning for South Hampton.  They went right down to the docks and loaded.  The rest of the advance element loaded the next day at South Hampton.  They came over on a liberty ship operated by the “Limeys.”  Went over the side of the ship into a Higgins landing craft on a rope ladder after throwing our barracks bags into the boat.  Stopped off shore when the boat hit bottom.  Walked off into water chest high on everybody but Lt. Wells and Sgt. Krupp; it was up to their necks.  Kidney disappeared under the water in a shell hole watching them and got drenched.”

The next day, his platoon set up a cemetery at St. Mere Eglise.

During the period 7 June 1944 to 8 November 1944, the 603 QM GR CO buried 12,265 US, 121 Allied, and 8006 German deceased military personnel.  The area traversed with the US VII Corps was from the shores of Normandy, France, to Henri Chapelle, Belgium, on the German border..  The Unit opened ten Military Cemeteries containing US, Allied and German deceased military personnel.

​During the period 9 November 1944 to 1 February 1945, the number of deceased soldiers handled by the 603 QM GR CO is unknown.

This period covered the operation in the Hurtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and back to the Hurtgen Forest.  The 603 operated Collecting Points for two US Corps, many Divisions, Independent Regimental Combat Teams, and Brigades.  During this period the company was so scattered, and movement so rapid, that most of the men at the collecting points did not even know where the Company Headquarters was located.

​During the period 1 February 1945 to 9 May 1945, the 603 QM GR CO evacuated through collecting points: 3,457 US, 30 Allied, and 1465 German deceased soldiers.

​Known deceased handled by the 603 Quartermaster Graves Registration Company during World War II was: 15722 US, 152 Allied, and 9471 German Military Personnel, totaling 25,345 Military Personnel.

2nd Lt. John T. Kidney Jr was later discharged after the war ended.

More pictures:

Unit Photo of the 603rd Quartermaster Graves Registration Company

603rd Quartermaster Graves Registrations Company, Fort Lewis, Washington, 23 December 1943
Capt. Channing B. Rennie, VA

Lt. Cleon E. Wells, IN                        Lt. Ronald A.Milton, FL                  Lt. Harry Dubrov, TN                        Lt. Edwing H. Miller, PA                   Lt. Joe P. Fallis, FL

S/Sgt. Francis W. Peel, NC, With unit Guide On

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