Ask the Pack: Looking up Service Records of relatives

[CochiseCowbell]

I know there's been a thread or two before about this topic, but where do I start?

I'm trying to find WWII service records on both my grandfathers and some great uncles. I've heard their stories, or what they were willing to share, first hand and others passed down through my parents. But, I wanted to see the records for myself and also to know once and for all whether my Pappy was the ball turret gunner in the B-17 or B-24, Flying Fortress or Liberator.


ETA: Don't you 17ers dare politicize this to hell before I get an answer.

 

[Augustus McCrae]

You may be in for some difficulty brother. There was a massive fire that destroyed a lot of records back in the 70's. This link might be able to help though, depending on how much time/effort you want to put into your quest. Good luck.

Reconstruct military records destroyed in NPRC fire | Veterans Affairs

In 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri, destroyed the records held for Veterans who were discharged from the Army and Air Force during certain periods of time. Find out if your records may have been destroyed in this fire, and how to reconstruct...

www.va.gov

 

[CochiseCowbell]

You may be in for some difficulty brother. There was a massive fire that destroyed a lot of records back in the 70's. This link might be able to help though, depending on how much time/effort you want to put into your quest. Good luck.

Reconstruct military records destroyed in NPRC fire | Veterans Affairs

In 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri, destroyed the records held for Veterans who were discharged from the Army and Air Force during certain periods of time. Find out if your records may have been destroyed in this fire, and how to reconstruct...

www.va.gov

Thanks.

Damn, that's 60 years of records destroyed, encompassing both World Wars.

Your records may have been destroyed in the fire if you were discharged from either:

• The Army between November 1, 1912, and January 1, 1960

 

[Xenomorph]

I know there's been a thread or two before about this topic, but where do I start?

I'm trying to find WWII service records on both my grandfathers and some great uncles. I've heard their stories, or what they were willing to share, first hand and others passed down through my parents. But, I wanted to see the records for myself and also to know once and for all whether my Pappy was the ball turret gunner in the B-17 or B-24, Flying Fortress or Liberator.


ETA: Don't you 17ers dare politicize this to hell before I get an answer.

You're likely going to have a problem getting the whole picture due to the fire. My father had an uncle who was wounded on Omaha Beach and listed as KIA 3 days later on a medical ship. Years ago I tried to piece together his whole story for my grandmother (his sister) because if he died on a medical ship 3 days later he should have been listed as DOW (Died of wounds).

I never made much headway.

 

[The Peeper]

You're likely going to have a problem getting the whole picture due to the fire. My father had an uncle who was wounded on Omaha Beach and listed as KIA 3 days later on a medical ship. Years ago I tried to piece together his whole story for my grandmother (his sister) because if he died on a medical ship 3 days later he should have been listed as DOW (Died of wounds).

I never made much headway.

KIA on a medical ship would have had to have been like it was torpedoed possibly? Medical ships were typically marked and flew flags indicating it but not sure it was always honored

 

[GloryDawg]

They do not become public records until after 62 years. The veteran and surviving next of kin can request written records before the 62 years but not the public. The Veterans have earned the right to privacy probably more than anyone else.

 

[thekimmer]

I know there's been a thread or two before about this topic, but where do I start?

I'm trying to find WWII service records on both my grandfathers and some great uncles. I've heard their stories, or what they were willing to share, first hand and others passed down through my parents. But, I wanted to see the records for myself and also to know once and for all whether my Pappy was the ball turret gunner in the B-17 or B-24, Flying Fortress or Liberator.


ETA: Don't you 17ers dare politicize this to hell before I get an answer.

I got a copy of my father's records through the dept of veterans affairs. He served between 1943 and 1946. With the fire it is hit or miss. Also, I found the records I have seen to be pretty brief. There were a lot of people moving in and out in a relatively brief period of time back then.

 

[The Peeper]

I know there's been a thread or two before about this topic, but where do I start?

I'm trying to find WWII service records on both my grandfathers and some great uncles. I've heard their stories, or what they were willing to share, first hand and others passed down through my parents. But, I wanted to see the records for myself and also to know once and for all whether my Pappy was the ball turret gunner in the B-17 or B-24, Flying Fortress or Liberator.


ETA: Don't you 17ers dare politicize this to hell before I get an answer.

You'll find bits and pieces out there but probably not what you are specifically looking for unless you're lucky. I am a member of Ancestry.com and its easy to get some info. Below is a screenshot of what they have available

 

[RutherfordBHayes]

I submitted a request online for my grandmother's brother who served in the 3ID 1943-1945 (MSU class of 1949!).

Months later, I received a letter from National Personnel Records Center, National Archives. They referenced the fire on July 12, 1973 and said it destroyed most records of Army Personnel from 1912 through 1959.

All they had for him was his final payment worksheet ($260.64). At least it was something,

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I needed some service record info on my Dad several years ago. Someone suggested that I go by the local VFW for some direction on how to proceed. I did and the guy was not extremely helpful but I did get enough out of him to get the ball rolling. It might be worth a try. Individual mileage may vary depending on the individual you talk too.

 

[was21]

Thanks.

Damn, that's 60 years of records destroyed, encompassing both World Wars.

Your records may have been destroyed in the fire if you were discharged from either:

• The Army between November 1, 1912, and January 1, 1960

I served in the Mississippi Army National Guard from October 1965 thru October 1971. Most of mine were destroyed but they sent me enough to show eligibility for a VA Loan, My first attempt was unsuccessful to get the records. I then wrote a letter with a copy to my congressman. That got their attention.