U.S. Military Genealogy

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Someone here, probably a U.S. vet, would know this one best.

 

Where do I go to learn about granddad?

 

Already completed:

 

1. Brief discussions before he died. He shared a few tragic stories, probably why he didn't talk about it (at all) to my mother or generally at all btwx his discarge ('46) and death ('06). He served in the Pacific. He was an officer. He either operated or installed some sort of big gun in a hole (AA, artillery?). Minimal time to speak with him, pulmonary fibrosis took his ability to speak very much by the time we reunited in '01 (long story, another time).

 

2.Enlistment records search

Basic info available in these records. Not enough for me to learn his deployment and activities, but still a good start.

 

3. Submission of form SF-180 based on his enlistment records.

According to the archive's response, a 1973 fire destroyed his 201 file.

(from a Nat'l Archives article)

"A fire on July 12, 1973, left the top floor of the military personnel records facility in ruins. This floor had contained some 22 million personnel folders, filed alphabetically, for U.S. Army personnel discharged from 1912 through 1959 and of the U.S. Air Force discharged from September 1947 through 1963. At the time of the fire, one-third of the air force records already had been relocated and thus saved, but overall, fewer than 4 million records were recovered, either entirely or with as little as one identifiable document."

The archives offered a copy of his final pay stub for $15. I didn't buy it at the time, but a renewed interest in anything I can get will probably have me order it within the week.

 

4. Surveys of other resources at the National Archives. Nothing fits his era.

 

5. Now here.

 

How else could I figure out his Squad/platoon/divison/etc within the US Army? Other databases of WWII deployments? Detailed theatre histories?

 

What about a WWII commendation or award database? Did congress handle any of that, or was it all internal to the US Army?

 

Other sources? If I knew a platoon or a division, I could probably do some more tracking, but right now all I know is that he wasn't shooting Germans.

[MedicSN6]

Was he married to or dating your grandmother? If yes, she may still have some letters or pictures he may have sent her. Check the postage marking for location and date, also and more importantly return address. This might give you a time period, date, and unit. If you can find the unit, you can research based on that. Many Vets list their old units on their VFW or Am. Legion apps and then the legion will post it on their website listing what units their members served in and during what time period.

 

If you can find other vets who he served with, you can find a wealth of information. Vets are far more likely to talk about the family they served with rather than what they did when they served.

[Halli~SPARTA~]

Ok we know so far he was a part of Arti but was that his MOS or was he just attached to an Arti group.

Next we need more info IE He said Pacific did he talk about any form of units or dates.

[Durka-Durka~SPARTA~]

I'm a little confused. Which branch of the military was he in? Army? Were you able to find any battles he participated in? If you can find that out, you can possibly cross-reference records of the battle to find out which unit he served with, then everything will be opened up for you. See if you can also find anything by going through Medic's suggestions. There are a lot of old units that have their own historical branch to them, and can find out a ton of information in the absence of 201 files, and if you can get lucky enough to find a few of his friends, you've hit the jackpot.

 

If you want to PM me his name, DOB, DOD, and the places for each, I'll do a quick lookup on ancestry.com to see if any matches come up. Also, I'll need any info about his service, date, place, ect.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

I'm a little confused. Which branch of the military was he in? Army? Were you able to find any battles he participated in? If you can find that out, you can possibly cross-reference records of the battle to find out which unit he served with, then everything will be opened up for you. See if you can also find anything by going through Medic's suggestions. There are a lot of old units that have their own historical branch to them, and can find out a ton of information in the absence of 201 files, and if you can get lucky enough to find a few of his friends, you've hit the jackpot.

 

If you want to PM me his name, DOB, DOD, and the places for each, I'll do a quick lookup on ancestry.com to see if any matches come up. Also, I'll need any info about his service, date, place, ect.

 

He was US Army. The link underneath the words 'basic info' in my first post should go directly to his enlistment information page at the National Archives.

 

I don't know when he married my grandmother, and she claims to know very little of his service time. She also 'threw all his old stuff out' within a week of his death. I remember seeing a few photos of him as the stereotypical strapping soldier on a beach with army buddies, but I didn't ask him for them when he was alive (they were his memories in a small box, not mine). I think my grandmother may have thrown them out as well. She hasn't been terribly supportive, but of a nutter, but I don't think they got along very well for the last 20 years or so.

 

Specifics as to what he did, that's in the first post (really, he shared very little). The stories I do recall are not specific to location, but have to do with some of his bad memories of people being killed in this-or-that fashion, an ammo dump explosion, other combat-specific tragedies. (unless there's a database of exploding ammo dumps in the Pacific).

 

I will check the Amvets in Fresno. I forgot about that. He had Vetran medical benefits, but I don't think those would have anything else than maybe his DD-214 discharge papers, or even if I'm legally permitted to request them.

[Durka-Durka~SPARTA~]

I will check the Amvets in Fresno. I forgot about that. He had Vetran medical benefits, but I don't think those would have anything else than maybe his DD-214 discharge papers, or even if I'm legally permitted to request them.

 

As far as I know, you can request them if you are a family member. It may take 5yrs because the gov't sucks, but it may get to you. A DD214 will go a long way in your search.

 

And sorry for glossing over that info, I didn't realize the links were there.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

As far as I know, you can request them if you are a family member. It may take 5yrs because the gov't sucks, but it may get to you. A DD214 will go a long way in your search.

 

And sorry for glossing over that info, I didn't realize the links were there.

 

No trouble, I wasn't forthcoming with his personal data in the post. So it's AMvets and the DD-214 (I hope the request is still valid, or I'll have to wait another 2 months for them to review the file).

 

 

[Halli~SPARTA~]

Hey Ebden if ya don't care Since ya named this thread I would like to post my GGgrandfathers obit.

Of course it's not US military but CSA

 

[Halli~SPARTA~]

I have many documents on this Fellow and most came from microfishe (sp)

You may have to ask an old family member still in Ca. to get the info from the library and of course The Library of Congress will have it all.

[custard~SPARTA~]

Obits are so interesting, I can't believe how few generations ago your civil war was wow.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Obits are so interesting, I can't believe how few generations ago your civil war was wow.

 

Jeez, so Halli really IS that old.

[Durka-Durka~SPARTA~]

Obits are so interesting, I can't believe how few generations ago your civil war was wow.

 

It's funny, because Halli's generation is only seperated by 3 generations, while mine is something like 6. (My G-Grandfather's Grandfather, if that makes sense)

 

It sounds like a long time ago, but I found an obit from the county of my ancestors where a Civil War soldier fought, and he died in 1962!

[Halli~SPARTA~]

Humm 1962??? That could be a deal like looking up Ebdens Gdad where his ggdad had the same name and came from Germany enlisted in WW1 (USA).

 

 

 

 

Say's he is from Breslau Germany worked for Bethlehem Steel at 58yoa And could be found at the Mariposa boat club.

 

 

Seen some stuff that said he was living around Crystal lake ...Man what a nice place I spent a weekend there with beautiful weather.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Humm 1962??? That could be a deal like looking up Ebdens Gdad where his ggdad had the same name and came from Germany enlisted in WW1 (USA).

 

 

 

 

 

Say's he is from Breslau Germany worked for Bethlehem Steel at 58yoa And could be found at the Mariposa boat club.

 

 

Seen some stuff that said he was living around Crystal lake ...Man what a nice place I spent a weekend there with beautiful weather.

 

What's this, a WWI doc from Great G-dad? All I ever heard about the guy is that he liked dogs and was a vicious drunk and wretched father. Oh, and he worked on large ships, tore about 2' of stitches out of his back when rowing the gig out to some massive square-rigger in Oregon. Big scar.

 

Do you have a higher quality image of that doc? I can't read much of it. Breslau though, that's the right hometown. I think you pegged the guy.

 

[Elvis~SPARTA~]

Actually, he didn't just like dogs, he's listed in the 1930 US census as a dog trainer working in Kennels. Yes, he worked at the Mariposa Boat Club as a rigger.

 

http://scchgs.org/census/page053.html

 

You grandfather's obituary is in the Fresno Bee. Maybe you can find something there.

 

I've also sent you a photo of your great grandmother Pearl with someone who probably is your great grandfather.

 

Pearl's parents are interesting. I'll send a photo of her dad.

 

 

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

Actually, he didn't just like dogs, he's listed in the 1930 US census as a dog trainer working in Kennels. Yes, he worked at the Mariposa Boat Club as a rigger...

I've also sent you a photo of your great grandmother Pearl with someone who probably is your great grandfather.

 

Pearl's parents are interesting. I'll send a photo of her dad.

 

Nevermind my PM, I saw the photos before your exp. here.

 

My comment about the dogs is what my mother told me before, that her grandfather was a dog-person. I didn't know running kennels was part of the deal until Durka posted that 1930 census record.

 

Pearl's parents are interesting? Tell me more, or let me know your sources!

 

This is wild how y'all are able to turn this stuff up. I'm a professional researcher, but genealogy is a whole different ballgame. Incredible finds in just 3 days for my take on this history. Both of my parents never said much about their ancestry other than some bits about countries of origin.

[Halli~SPARTA~]

Start with two sources.

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp from the LDS.

http://landing.ancestry.com/popularmedia/h...amp;o_lid=43004

 

The above is for Ancestry.com there is a 14 day free trial of which mine ended yesterday so your on your own till I recover from

the economic downturn. They will want a card number but you just have to cancel before it runs out.

 

Find what you can and Use print screen alot, Take what you have from there and send for information to the librarys in the area of interest.

[Ebden~SPARTA~]

I just received this reply from the Nat'l Archives

 

"The National Archives does not have duplicates of the Army service

records that were destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel

Records Center nor is there a database to search for information on

medals or commendations. Although the Archives II Reference Section has

custody of the official reports of the activities of U.S. Army units

during WWI, WWII, and the Korean War, these unit records are arranged

hierarchically, identification of the specific unit (i.e., division,

regiment, and battalion) and date of interest are necessary before a

search can be conducted. They contain little or no information about

individual service.

 

Sincerely,

Archives II Reference Section

National Archives at College Park, MD"

 

Once I have more info on gdad's division, reg, & battalion, then I can probably dig further into what he saw in the Pacific.

 

Ma told me yesterday that she remembers seeing some documents in his desk years and years ago, landing coordinates and plan books for US Army activity in New Guinea. Ah, she also remembered gdad's burning of sealed orders on an assigned date some years after the war. Again, no clue about those documents today.

Gdad was to open these sealed orders in the event of a nuclear attack in SanFran (his home was in Fresno, part of a valley that would recieve a large dose of radiation settling east of the Cali coast). The orders were burned still sealed. I wonder what he would have had to do in the worst case scenario?