Anyone had success requesting DD214 for distant relatives?

Unfortunately there was a huge fire at the NPRC back in the 70's, and something like 80-90 percent of personnel records from World War II and immediate post WWII were destroyed. I don't recall if it was limited to U.S. Army and Army Air Forces records, or all records. They may be able to piece some things together, but what they can offer you will be limited.

I tried to get my great-grandfather's records from World War I and was shite out of luck. All they could do was confirm that he was in the Army from 1914 to 1920, served in France in 1918, and re-issued his WWI Victory Medal to me. No details however on any other awards earned, or his whereabouts at any given time in France.

I was very fortunate that my grandfather kept all of his paperwork from World War II, including all of his training certificates, discharge papers, and DD214 which allowed me to have his medals reissued to him while he was still living.

You might have luck in finding something online with respect to the doll. If there's one thing great about the internet, it is the ability to find information on arcane topics or specialized interests.

This could help narrow down possibilities of where your relative might have been should the doll be unique in some way.

I would try your best. I had sought my Dads record Ms that were for years thought lost in the fire. We persisted and got back partial records this year that were partially burned. Amazing. Keep trying is all I can say.

Good Luck. I was out for maybe a few years a requested a copy. Still took like 9 months to get precovid.

I had actually given up whatever I was trying to do and it showed up in the mail one day.

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Unfortunately there was a huge fire at the NPRC back in the 70's, and something like 80-90 percent of personnel records from World War II and immediate post WWII were destroyed. I don't recall if it was limited to U.S. Army and Army Air Forces records, or all records

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I was able to get some very charred documents about my grandpa

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Go online to Redbird Research . Lori Miller is the person who does the searches for this business. It’s her business I think ? She works at the St Louis Archives and will do search’s by request for 50-75 dollars. I’ve used her a half dozen times or so.
You’ll need some basic information, such as DOB, state of birth , and what branch of service. She’ll take it from there. If results are available you’ll receive them in about 2 weeks, that’s better than 9 months to a year.
Good Luck !

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My father is trying to get a copy of his own DD214 and we were told by them to snail mail this form to them so we did it and after 6 months my father finally went down to some office(possibly VA related?) and they are looking into it still. He is a Vietnam vet. Soo annoying but we also heard about the fires and that they didn't have the OLD records digitized yet.

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This is what I was concerned about. Makes me wonder if that route is even worth our time. My dad and I try and collect family history but never tried to get a DD214 yet. I might have my dad request his soon just so we'll have it.

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She works at the St Louis Archives and will do search’s by request for 50-75 dollars.

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Do not pay or give anyone money to obtain these records. Your tax dollars fund a bevy of constituent services through your federal reps and senators. Use the services they provide and if they aren't helpful, blow them up on all the socials and you will get results immediately.

Appears like what I've always pictured AntiqueTiger's wife to look like.

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