A Paratrooper’s Story

This is an important photo as we can clearly see the screaming eagle on his uniform.

He also appears to have a sergeant stripe.  He has his paratrooper wings and some campaign

buttons and one of the buttons has three arrows.  It also looks like he as the distinquised

unit citation on the right breast.  He has grown a mustache.  This is not an early photo on his

career.

This is an important card as it established he arrive in Italy. His birthday was May 20, 1925 so his arrival date in Europe is the last week of May 1944. We believe he may have landed in Sicily.

On October 26, 1943 Pvt. James M Grubb, age 18 and 5 months arrives for basic training.  His training will last 17 weeks.

[insert card]

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The training center is just west of Anniston.

On 10/1/43 James is sent to Ft. McClellan and we learn a little about army life from the cards that were once a part of his scrap book.

Most of the photos that accompanied the scrapbook were destroyed in a flood at his residence in about 1958 but the cards with caption have survived.

This was issued 10/1/43 it looks like a change of address card for James to submit to the U S Army.

We are not sure why he had this in his records but it does indicated Ft. McClellan Alabama which is where James was sent to basic training.

The actual pay for a private in 1943 was $50.00 a month. You could voluntarily remit part of your pay to dependents, and Pvt. James Grubb has elected to send his mother $22.00 a month.  The army also deducted $3.75 for life insurance which the army heavily promoted the soldiers to purchase as no life insurance company would sell them life insurance if they were in the army.

This means James would have $24.25 a month to spend as he pleased.

Once you earned the infantry badge you received another $5.00 a month.

When you were shipped overseas you were promoted to private first class and your pay increased to $54.00 a month before deductions.

Combat pay was granted when you were "shipped" overseas and resulted in an additional 30 cents a day or $10.00 a month.

However, paratroopers received an additional $50.00 month hazard pay.

This pay book indicates the serial number of 35228831, that in case of emergency his mother Genevieve would be notified and she would receive the life insurance amount as well, $10,000. a tremendous sum in 1943.

Interestingly none of his paybooks list his actual pay. His pay after boot camp, infantry badge, paratrroper school and being sent to a combat zone would have been the huge sum of $89.25 a month.

This is the pay record book issued to James M Grubb, army serial number 35228831 on September 14th, 1943.

James lived at 19 N Skidmore Street, Columbus Ohio with his mother Genevieve Grubb.  We cannot tell what his pay rate was but we do know that paratroopers received an additional $50.00 a month due to the extra hazard of jumping.

He purchased the GI life insurance for $10,000 which was promoted by the government for all GI’s.

The pay record was signed by L. P. Fowler, 2nd Lt., AUS.

The house on Skidmore is no longer there.

This is an article that states Pvt. James M Grubb, son of Mr. and Mrs S J Grubb is receiving basic training with the paratroopers at Ft. McClellan, Alabama and that he was formerly employed at the G & N Vending Company.

The drivers license that indicates on 5-7-43 James was convicted in Columbus Municipal Court of Reckless Operation and his license was suspended for six months.  On 9-10-43 the license suspension is reinstated by Judge Rose.  On 9-14-1943 his initial paybook is issued.

It was common practice at that time that if you wanted to "settle up" with the court you could volunteer to join the army and all would be forgiven.

I believe James was charged with wreckless operation which today with most likely be a driving while intoxicated conviction and that the judge has "forgiven the suspension" in exchange for James joining the army four days later.

Interestingly enough, Judge Rose performed the marriage ceremony for daughter Gail, on March 27th, 1971.

The driver license states he was 5 foot 8 inches tall and weighed 147.  Social security numbers and photos were added to drivers license but not until about the 1980’s.