Army Unit Question

[Surveyor]

Working on the family tree again. Trying to find information on the following unit. Any links/info would be appreciated-

259th MP Co. "Of the Troops - For the Troops"

Maternal grandfather was a member of this unit in the late 40's, early 50's. It appears this unit was assigned to the White Sands Missile Range in the mid 60's. Google and Bing not really picking up anything prior. Older family members remember him talking about being stationed in La. and Alaska.

Remember seeing him in a picture in a m38 (I assume) when I was little. Requested a scan but no one can seem to find it.
I did find this one. He is the soldier on the left...

[199th mp]

i'll post the pic on a few MP boards i belong to. there are a few old guys still around. i'll see if anything comes up. is there something specific you want to know? feel free to PM me if you prefer.

[199th mp]

https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/ ... 0FCi2gOeSk

here is the first reply, showing some info about the unit at white sands. one guy said they were activated at that location in 1965, but the ike jackets in your picture were from another time frame. another guy said they might have been in camp zama, japan. i'll keep you posted as i learn things.

[199th mp]

http://wsmrhistoric.com/files/1975%20Mi ... hYN6zJbuBg

here's the next bit.

[199th mp]

one of the guys served with the 259th, said it was his best unit. he told me there is a facebook page for the unit, if you are on there.

[199th mp]

https://www.militarytimes.com/military- ... g2y0wE8rmw

tips on finding his records

[199th mp]

another guy just posted that he believes the pic was taken in japan. that's two so far.

[199th mp]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/156779691056048/

you should apply to this group

[199th mp]

well, that should be enough to give you a good start. if you still want me to post more, speak up. i don't want to monopolize the page.

[rickf]

You can never monopolize a page and any info is good info. Plus, you are out MP expert and I am pretty sure Surveyor will greatly appreciate it. And it gives you something to do.

[Surveyor]

MP, appreciate the effort. Look like good starting points.

[199th mp]

You can never monopolize a page and any info is good info. Plus, you are out MP expert and I am pretty sure Surveyor will greatly appreciate it. And it gives you something to do.

that's so freakin' true. i'm bored, i'm retired and i have no life. i can't sleep anyway, so i might as well do something useful. but today is wednesday, so i got the vet group later on this morning.

[Surveyor]

I did a little searching on the WSMR newspaper site you gave and found the following from an issue in 1974 -

The 259th M.P. Co. (Svc) is WSMR's only TO&E unit and only unit on WSMR that served in combat during WWII, in the Rhineland Campaign. The 259th M.P . Co. (Svc) was constituted July 15, 1942, in the Army of the United States and was activated Aug. 15, 1942 at Camp Dawson, Kingwood, West Va. Allotted July 1, 1951, to the Regular Army, the 259th was inactivated Aug. 15, 1952, at Camp Geray Johnson, Louisiana. But on March 15, 1965, the 259th MP Company was activated at White Sands Missile Range.

So more than likely the La. part is true. I believe Camp Geray Jackson is a typo and probably is Camp Leroy Jackson (New Orleans Army Air Base) on Lake Pontchartrain which would make sense. The Alaska part is now the main mystery. May have to have a Archive search done. Aunts and mom put me on the task. Will see if they want to take it that far but now I'm curious as well.

Thanks MP!

[199th mp]

someone with a better eye than me pointed out a detail that helps narrow the time frame. since neither soldier is wearing the national defense ribbon, that puts it between 1954 and 1960. since your grandfather is not wearing an MP brassard, he could just be off duty, or he could have been filling an administrative position.

[Surveyor]

Jumped through the hoops of proving being related so I was able to get a copy of his DD214 from the local Clerk's Office. Served from 1951 to 1953. Last rank held was a Corporal as a 1677 which a search on the internet says Military Police Supervisor for that time period. Separated in New Orleans with no mention of the 259th or Alaska. Some of the Aunts visited last week and gave me a few of things. Still no jeep image . That whistle has some weight to it. Think I'll do a shadow box.