Military Database?

[tadbart]

I'm trying to find out what my Grandpa did in the Pacific in the early 1940s. I know he was Army, and according to my long-dead Grandma, spent time hiding among locals who preferred the meat of the Japs to the salty, greasy Americans. He wanted to marry her before he set off to war, but she told him he wasn't gonna make her a war widow, and to ask again when he got back. He did, and the rest is history. I hope it is history I can locate. He did end up making her a war widow, as he and many of his colleagues died of strange cancers in the years after the war. Grandma swore they were exposed to something over there.

 

Any help, direction, or assistance?

[Historian]

47 minutes ago, tadbart said:

I'm trying to find out what my Grandpa did in the Pacific in the early 1940s. I know he was Army, and according to my long-dead Grandma, spent time hiding among locals who preferred the meat of the Japs to the salty, greasy Americans. He wanted to marry her before he set off to war, but she told him he wasn't gonna make her a war widow, and to ask again when he got back. He did, and the rest is history. I hope it is history I can locate. He did end up making her a war widow, as he and many of his colleagues died of strange cancers in the years after the war. Grandma swore they were exposed to something over there.

 

Any help, direction, or assistance?

Sure. I can help.

First you need to gather some basic information about your Grandad.   The most important basic information is where did he live, what was his full name, dates of birth and death and social security number. 

Then wright a Freedom of Information Request letter to the Military personnel Records division of the National Archives in St. Louis, MO.

https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel

Now the sad part of this is they had a bad fire in 1973 and the vast majority of military records were destroyed.  So if you have a last name that starts with an A and goes to about E you are likely to hit a sweet spot as those were saved.  Same with names from about N to Z.    The rest...sadly...were destroyed. 

But that doesn't mean you can't find information.

I would also wright the same letter to The National Archives in DC in hopes of getting a pay records.  They have a different set of records and that may help you find some more information.

Now this is where you start getting things in more detail:  You need to start talking to relatives you may know what Grand Pa did in the Army.  Are they any records at home? Does anyone know who he served with.  Do you have a copy of his Obit?  That may have some links.   Have you seen his grave marker?  That may have a clue too.

At this point you need to start patrolling the internet looking for information about him that may be online by checking out veteran groups, history pages.

At this point you might be able to start with where he lived (city) and move forward to his time in service and over seas postings.

If you want to get very serious.   Start by going to where he lived and find out if anyone remembers him.

PM me if you need some more  help.    I have done LOTs of this.

[Historian]

Another good lead might be to get a copy of his death certificate.  Some of this material is online with local clerks of the county he lived in.

There are a lot of ways to do this research.

[Zonny]

My brother found a Yahoo group dedicated to my father's group (I don't know what else to call it). Now, of course, most of the members are descendants but I think at one point there were a few of the actual members left. 

They have exchanged lots of information to include pics, records & documents. He's built quit the database of info he's gathered. 

[tadbart]

1 hour ago, Historian said:

Sure. I can help.

First you need to gather some basic information about your Grandad.   The most important basic information is where did he live, what was his full name, dates of birth and death and social security number. 

Then wright a Freedom of Information Request letter to the Military personnel Records division of the National Archives in St. Louis, MO.

https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel

Now the sad part of this is they had a bad fire in 1973 and the vast majority of military records were destroyed.  So if you have a last name that starts with an A and goes to about E you are likely to hit a sweet spot as those were saved.  Same with names from about N to Z.    The rest...sadly...were destroyed. 

But that doesn't mean you can't find information.

I would also wright the same letter to The National Archives in DC in hopes of getting a pay records.  They have a different set of records and that may help you find some more information.

Now this is where you start getting things in more detail:  You need to start talking to relatives you may know what Grand Pa did in the Army.  Are they any records at home? Does anyone know who he served with.  Do you have a copy of his Obit?  That may have some links.   Have you seen his grave marker?  That may have a clue too.

At this point you need to start patrolling the internet looking for information about him that may be online by checking out veteran groups, history pages.

At this point you might be able to start with where he lived (city) and move forward to his time in service and over seas postings.

If you want to get very serious.   Start by going to where he lived and find out if anyone remembers him.

PM me if you need some more  help.    I have done LOTs of this.

let me mess with your head a bit.

 

I had a patient (a snowbird) with pill bottles from Laona, WI.  I mentioned that was the town my grandpa settled in. Turns out, he build this lady's fireplace in the 1950s. I was totally worthless, the rest of the shift.

 

I'l get to digging what I have.

[Moshe]

To find relatives there is the Census database.  Unless you want to get gloves and go in an exclusive Library, right about 1930 is where you will get your census.  For Jewish relatives there is a Jewish database,  It doesn't go all that far either.  I have a marriage document, framed from the middle 19th Century of a marriage of Hungarian Jews.  Unfortunately, the Shoa records will let you know all the people you lost who did not immigrate before 1930.  Some of that is very depressing.  Where there is a will there is a way.  So, census records help quite a bit when you can use a name search engine.