Researching a WW2 verteran

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
Post Reply
dantheman
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 367
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2010 4:06 am
Location: Elgin, SC

Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by dantheman » Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:01 am

I hope this a good place to ask this question. I have been doing a little investigation into the process of locating a WW2 veteran's service records. Real quick, the vet in question passed away in 2014. His son is a good family friend of ours and gave me his M1 helmet and a few other items. I want to document his service to keep with his items. I'm not selling anything or trying to attach a story to these items to make then worth more. My intent is to honor his service and document it.

All I know is his full name, his DOD, and that he was in the Navy. According to his son, he was part of an LST crew on D-Day or shortly there after. That's about all I have, no ASN, laundry number, etc. From the bit of googling I have done, everywhere like ancestry.com wants you to pay or create an account to access anything. My question is, isn't the service records of WW2 vets public information? Is there a government website where I can request the info? Has anyone ever done this before and care to share some knowledge? I am no relation to the individual in question, if that makes a difference in the process. Thanks!
-Dan

1945 GPW 267188 (numbers matching)


Starvingboy
G-Sergeant First Class
G-Sergeant First Class
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 9:22 am
Location: Central Ohio

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by Starvingboy » Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:31 am

Apparently a lot of navy service records were lost in a fire a while back. The records you seek may not exist.

dantheman
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 367
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2010 4:06 am
Location: Elgin, SC

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by dantheman » Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:46 am

Starvingboy wrote:
Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:31 am
Apparently a lot of navy service records were lost in a fire a while back. The records you seek may not exist.
Well that would stink... hadn’t heard about that. I hope that’s not the case :shock:
-Dan

1945 GPW 267188 (numbers matching)

Fabrizio
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1481
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:14 pm
Location: Chartres, FR

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by Fabrizio » Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:52 am

Type "NARA search" on google; that's where I have found the more information.
GPW #3606 “LIBBY”
"Jeep is America's only real sports car." - Enzo Ferrari

chibobber
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 357
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:10 am
Location:

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by chibobber » Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:55 pm

Navy records were not affected by the '73 fire.Army only. Find somebody with a fold 3 account.A lot of navy records there. Last resort,hire a researcher.Send me a PM and I will tell you who I use,

Starvingboy
G-Sergeant First Class
G-Sergeant First Class
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 9:22 am
Location: Central Ohio

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by Starvingboy » Wed Feb 07, 2018 4:27 am

Well, HECK, I'd like to find out what my grandfather had going on then. He doesn't talk about it much, only the occasional snippet here and there :D

doctordirt
G-First Lieutenant
G-First Lieutenant
Posts: 653
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 12:42 pm
Location: NJ

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by doctordirt » Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:47 am

Dan,

You can sign up to try Ancestry for free for a short period. With that you can access Navy sailor assignments - month by month for WW2. What ships or organizations a sailor was assigned to during the period.

I have done it for uncles in both the Navy and Marine Corps and it is very detailed. If you have a name and service number it is pretty straightforward.

If you do not want to sign up for Ancestry, PM me and I can do a quick search through my account.

jd
1942 Ford GPW
1944 Willys MB Litter carrier
1944 Willys MB-SOLD
1942 Bantam Trailer
1945 Bantam Trailer-SOLD
1946 CJ-2A-SOLD
1964 M151A1-SOLD
1967 M416 Trailer
1972 M151A2
1986 M1008-SOLD
1952 M43 Ambulance-SOLD
Amateur radio callsign - WW2DOC
COL, USA, RET

dantheman
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 367
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2010 4:06 am
Location: Elgin, SC

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by dantheman » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:22 am

The wife has an ancestry account, but we don’t pay for the subscription any longer. I’ll have to look into that. Hopefully I’ll have time to play around with it this weekend and I will report back. Thanks everyone
-Dan

1945 GPW 267188 (numbers matching)

Fabrizio
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1481
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:14 pm
Location: Chartres, FR

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by Fabrizio » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:51 am

Here is the direct link for the NARA search:
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/fielded-se ... 4=V,8,1900


You'll probably end up with several identical names, but from the birth date and city you'll probably be able to find the good person's record, and most importantly his ASN.
Then simply google name + ASN; I have found unit records that way for a 7th armored engineer; and for an Iwo Jima fighter pilot, both from just name, ASN and google magic!
GPW #3606 “LIBBY”
"Jeep is America's only real sports car." - Enzo Ferrari

bharr
G-Sergeant First Class
G-Sergeant First Class
Posts: 83
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:23 pm
Location: NC

Re: Researching a WW2 verteran

Post by bharr » Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:16 am

That link is for Army records. Where do you find Navy records? Thanks in advance for your help.
Stupid is free so it's everywhere !!


Post Reply

Return to “Living History / Reenacting Knowledge Base”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: David Hughes and 14 guests