I recently interviewed a WW II veteran who claimed to have served with the 101st from normandy to the end. However once i started googling his name, I found him listed a member of the 56th Armored Infantry Battalion. Is this man lying to me, or am I simply very confused? Is there a place i can look to see the roster of both the 101st airborne as well as the 56th Armored Infantry Battalion?
I'm not sure he's lying...in an active TO, especially back then, you may get shuffled to where boots are needed (usually a TDY, a temporary duty assignment). TDY can even cross orignization borders (an USAF FAC assigned to a recon group for example).
Also it may be as simple as his records are lost or incomplete..the guy in 56th might just be a dude with the same name. Paper records are not always around when you need them.
Sorry I'm only on mobile.. Also not an expert.
If he didn't give you his service number than that other man you found online very well could be an entirely separate person. When my mother and I looked up my great-grandfather we had to have his service number as well as other identifying factors. The U.S. Military does have these service records from back then, you can request them if you meet certain prerequisites. Like being a relative, friend, etc..
I'd go and check that out if I were you. Hope this helps.
He may have been attached to them for whatever reasons. On some cursory exploration I saw that Patton borrowed the entire 12th Armored Division, which included the 56th for the push into France, http://www.12tharmoredmuseum.com/timeline_04_01.asp . Records aren't what they are today. At one time during my time in the Marine Corps I was attached to 3 different units. You may have the wrong person as well, you never know. Did he happen to have any pictures? I would leave it alone though... all those units back then were exemplary.