How To Find Out What My Grandfather Did In Ww2

United states of america Military Records Earth State of war II Finding Veterans Records

Use this guide to find data in war machine records about a man or woman who served in the U.Southward. armed forces during World War II.

Beginning Research in United States Armed forces Records
United states of america Military machine Basic Search Strategies
World War 2 United states Military Records, 1941 to 1945.

Home Sources [edit | edit source]

If the veteran is nevertheless live, inquire his or her help finding records. Gather facts from sources at home,and talk to relatives. Expect for discharge papers, pictures, medals,etc. Look for clues most where he or she lived and served. Dates of enlsitment or selective service registration volition exist helpful forth with the name military units they served with.

Unit Histories [edit | edit source]

The Family History Library has some World War II records, mostly selected unit histories. They contain rosters, brief biographies, and ordinarily photographs of men and equipment. To discover unit of measurement histories use Places Search in the FamilySearch Itemize nether U.s. and the topic Armed forces History or Military Records, followed by the topic World State of war, 1939-1945.

Family unit History Library Sources [edit | edit source]

In the Family History Library you may detect other World War II sources establish by using a Places Search for the servicement's habitation country, county, or town, followed the topic Military Records. See also US Military Records at the FHL

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Veterans who died since 1962 may exist in an index on FamilySearch at Us Social Security Death Index. The alphabetize provides the deceased person's nativity date, social security number, state where the social security carte was issued, month and year of death, and sometimes the residence and zip code where the decease benefit was sent.

Belch Papers [edit | edit source]

If you know a serviceman's hometown, enquire nearly his belch papers at his county recorder'south office. Servicemen were asked (but not required) to annals their separation class DD-214. This paper gives their rank, unit, service number, separation date and place, birth date and identify, concrete description, pay, assignments, and awards. Many veterans kept a copy athome. Telephone call directory aid to get the phone number and address of a veteran's county recorder's function. You may also contact the National Personnel Records Center DD Form 214, Belch Papers and Separation Documents

Veterans Affairs Records [edit | edit source]

Many veterans received a Chiliad.I. Bill educations, veterans' hospital or health benefits, or housing loan benefits. If you know the veteran'southward name, nascence date, death date, and Social Security number, yous can asking information from the nearest U.S. Department of Veterans Diplomacy. They may exist able to provide insurance, birth date,service number, service entry and separation dates, service branch, pay grade, or claim folder location. Veterans Diplomacy offices are in the U.Southward. regime section of the phone book.

Veterans Associations [edit | edit source]

Contact organizations like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, or American Ex-Prisoners of State of war to inquire for a vetera's awarding, or to observe people who might have known your veteran. VFW applications include a re-create of the discharge papers form DD-214. A local post of the clan is more likely to have applications and other records than the national headquarters. Look in the telephone volume for phone numbers or the Internet for address directories.

See also the post-obit Wiki article World State of war II Societies

Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
Veterans of Foreign Wars
American Legion History

Personnel and Medical Records [edit | edit source]

A typical personnel file has information virtually service dates, marital status, dependents, rank, salary, assignments, pedagogy level, decorations, service number, birth date and place, death date and identify, and sometimes a photo. For an explanation of how to apply for a personnel file using the National Archives course SF 180 and Net links to the grade, go to Request Armed services Personnel Records Using Standard Form 180. Too apply SF 180 to request a "complete" military medical file, which is in separate archives.

Gray, Paul D. "The Human Record of Disharmonize: Individual Military Service and Medical Records." Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives 23 (Fall 1991): 307–13. (FHL book 973 B2p.)

National Athenaeum [edit | edit source]

Use the National Archives Catalog at National Archives Catalog to help find World War II records preserved at the National Archives.

Prey Lists [edit | edit source]

Regular army and Army Air Force Prey Lists are available from the National Athenaeum at Ground forces and Army Air Force Casualties. Within each canton they are slphabetical by proper name and merely include those who died from wounds received in the line of duty. They show name rank, serial number, and type of casualty. Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard Casualty Lists are atNavy, Marine Corps, and Coast Baby-sit Personnel . Each state list is alphabetical divided by the casualty type, including wounded and recovered. Also shows next of kin address. For a guide to the National Athenaeum tape groups on this topic, see:

Benjamin DeWhitt. Records Relating to Personal Participation in World War Ii: American Military Casualties and Burials; Reference Information Newspaper 82. Washington, D.C.: NARA, 1993. At various libraries (WorldCat). (FHL Book 973 J53da). This guide describes the military casualty reporting organisation and related papers.

Cemeteries [edit | edit source]

The following wiki commodity will contain information nigh National Cemeteries in the United States and the American Battle Monuments Commission for cemeteries overseas.The states World War II Cemetery Records

Memorial Division Registration Branch, Function of the Quartermaster Full general, Department of the Army. Rosters of World War II dead (all services) 268 microfiche FHL Digital Images of cemetery codes

The National Archives Register, World War II Dead Interred in American Military Cemeteries Overseas is available online at Ancestry.com for a fee. Free access to the collection is available at the Family History Library U.S. Rosters of World State of war II Dead, 1939-1945. It lists name, country, rank, service, plot, and burial engagement.

Prisoner of War Records [edit | edit source]

For National Athenaeum sources and a guide, see the United States World State of war Two Prisoner of War Records Wiki page.

Heaps, Jennifer Davis. "World War 2 Prisoner-of-War Records." Prologue: Quarterly of the National Athenaeum 23. (Autumn 1991): 323–eight. (FHL book 973 B2p.)

Typhoon Registration [edit | edit source]

During World War II the United States registered 50 meg men and drafed ten million into the service. A typical card will list name, address, phone, birth appointment, and identify, next of kin, employer, and physical description. The following wiki commodity will have additional information.The states World War Ii Draft Records See also Record One thousand. Wood, comp. Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Selective Service Organisation, 1940-47. Washington: the National Archives, National Archives and Records Service. Full general Services Administration, 1951.

Finding a Living Veteran [edit | edit source]

For a book about finding military personnel see:

Richard Due south. Johnson, and Debra Johnson Knox, How to Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Been in the Military: Armed Forces Locator Guide, 8th ed. (Spartanburg, SC: Military Information Enterprises, 1999. FHL Book 973 M27j Includes chapters about service and Social Security numbers, agile duty, Reserve and National Guard, retired, veterans, how to obtain military recirds, locating anyone, reuntions, state authorities records, deceased, and family history information.

For Farther Reading [edit | edit source]

Debra johnson Knox. World War 2 military records : a family historian's guide. Spartanburg, South Carolina : MIE Publishing,2003 FHL 973 M27kw
Jonathan Gawne. Finding your father's war : a applied guide to researching and understanding service in the World State of war Two US Regular army.Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania : Casemate, 2006 FHL 973 M27g
Benjamin L. DeWhitt, comp. Records relating to personal participation in World War II : military awards and decorations FHL 973 J53r v. 92
Timothy P. Mulligan, comp.Guide to records relating to U.South. military participation in World War II. ii vols. Washington, D.C. : National Athenaeum and Records Administration, 1996-1998. FHL 973 J53mt
George Forty, US Regular army Handbook 1939-1945 New York: Barnes and Noble, 1998 FHL Volume 973 M27f Discusses grooming, organization, units, staff, artillery, services, vehicle markings, insignia and patches.
Lee Kennett. Yard.I. The American Soldier in World State of war Two. New York:Charles Scribner'southward Sons, 1987 FHL 973 M2ke

five•d•eastward United States Military Records

Topics	Record Finder · Search Strategies · Ages of Servicemen · War machine Terms and Abbreviations · Records at the Family History Library

Record Types	Aircraft Accidents · Awards · Biographies · Compensation Land Warrants · Prey Records · Cemetery Records · Demography Records · Draft Records · Pension Records · Prisoner of State of war Records · Service Records · Society Records · Soldiers Home Records · Unit of measurement Histories

Wars	Colonial Wars, 1607-1763 · Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 · War of 1812, 1812-1815 · Mexican War, 1846-1848 · Civil State of war, 1861-1865 · Indian Wars, 1780s-1890s · Spanish-American War, 1898 · Philippine Insurrection, 1899-1902 · World War I, 1917-1918 · Earth War II, 1941-1945 · Korean War, 1950-1953 · Vietnam State of war, 1964-1972

Services	U.S. Air Force · Usa Regular army · U.Due south. Marine Corps · U.s. Navy

Determination	Other Records · For Farther Reading