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Searching for Military Records

Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:08 am
Posted by RatchetStrap
Greater Iberia Parish
Member since Jan 2020
29 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:08 am
Does anyone here have experience looking up military records of deceased veterans? My great grandfather was a WW2 Army vet who saw combat in France and was wounded there which led to his return home. I have some basic details from his service such as First Lieutenant, 95th infantry, Patton's 3rd Army. I'm trying to see where I could use this information as a start to find out more about his time in the service such as when he may have shipped out to Europe, actually entered France, etc.

He passed when I was 9 years old and luckily I was interested enough to have a few conversations with him about his time in the service then, but nothing too serious due to my age. I've been curious lately about finding out all I can. Any leads would be appreciated.
Posted by theantiquetiger
Paid Premium Member Plus
Member since Feb 2005
20029 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:09 am to
Check with the WW2 museum in NO. They could help
Posted by Clames
Member since Oct 2010
18746 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:12 am to
Military service records are archived in St. Louis, you can download the SF-180 form and send it to them. That can return his DD214 at least.
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
72545 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:13 am to
quote:

Searching for Military Records
4318 Magazine Street, NOLA

Posted by touchdownjeebus
Member since Sep 2010
25690 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:41 am to
Army archives has all of the records. As a poster previously mentioned, just contact them and provide the pertinent information and they can help you from there.
Posted by Jim Rockford
Member since May 2011
104064 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:47 am to
quote:

Military service records are archived in St. Louis, you can download the SF-180 form and send it to them. That can return his DD214 at least.


Unfortunately a fire in the seventies destroyed a lot of records, so it's hit or miss.

Fold3.com is a good place to try. Subscription based, but it's reasonable.
Posted by ellishughtiger
70118
Member since Jul 2004
21182 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 12:52 am to
My mother found out a lot of her father not from growing up w/ him but from the WW2 museum. Your grandpa sounds like a real dude. 101 War eagle
Posted by tigerinexile
NYC
Member since Sep 2004
1510 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 2:35 am to
He should’ve registered his discharge at the parish clerks office.
Posted by Louisiane
Member since Mar 2017
74 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 3:52 am to
There is a good bit of information here. It's at the least a good starting point.


National archives
Posted by Fat and Happy
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2013
19385 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 4:28 am to
Drive to St Louis.

Find the DFAS (i think that’s the name) building

Break in

Find the servers

Plug in thumb drive

Download

Go on the run like Jason Bourne
Posted by Grandpa
Member since Apr 2020
204 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 5:48 am to
Posted by El Tigre Grande
Bayou Self
Member since Jan 2006
2639 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 6:44 am to
quote:

just contact them and provide the pertinent information and they can help you from there

Yea, good luck with that.
I’ve been trying to get a copy of my DD214 for months.
Posted by touchdownjeebus
Member since Sep 2010
25690 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 6:52 am to
quote:

Yea, good luck with that. I’ve been trying to get a copy of my DD214 for months.


He’s never met the big green weenie. It was supposed to be a surprise!
This post was edited on 11/7/21 at 6:53 am
Posted by zippyputt
Member since Jul 2005
6761 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 7:03 am to
Don’t forget you are dealing with the government.
Posted by Wiseguy
Member since Mar 2020
4069 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 7:21 am to
quote:

He should’ve registered his discharge at the parish clerks office.


Huh?
Posted by NYNolaguy1
Member since May 2011
21689 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 7:32 am to
You will get more mileage if he was a Navy vet. Unfortunately a fire destroyed a lot of the Army WWII records in the 70s I believe. Still, some remain and there are outfits you can pay a little money to go in person and see what they have, presuming you have a name, rank, and serial number. A DD214 or honorable discharge certificate is enough to get you started.

Good luck!
Posted by greenbean
USAF Retired - 31 years
Member since Feb 2019
6045 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 7:32 am to
Start here Fold3. There is a 7 day free trail, plus it may be free on Veterans Day.
Posted by NYNolaguy1
Member since May 2011
21689 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 7:33 am to
quote:

He should’ve registered his discharge at the parish clerks office.


Historically soldiers returning from war would register their discharges at the parish clerks office for safekeeping. Louisiana sec of state office has processed a huge repository of WW I vets and their discharge.
Posted by cypresstiger
The South
Member since Aug 2008
13284 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 7:38 am to
This. I registered my Dad’s info July 1. I check the “status” button every couple of weeks. Nothing so far
Posted by elprez00
Hammond, LA
Member since Sep 2011
31235 posts
Posted on 11/7/21 at 8:01 am to
My dad just did this for my grandfather. He sent an inquiry thru the dod records office, gave them the details. Apparently there was a bad fire at one of the offices back in the 70s I think, so some of the records were literally copies of charred documents. And it took about a year. But eventually he got his entire service record and reproductions of all his awards and citations. Even got the citation and presentation box for the Bronze Star my grandpa got.

This was a big emotional deal for my dad because my grandpa never spoke a word about the war to my father until right before he died. It was neat to get the details about where he served and his units path thru Europe.
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