Military Service Records

BigBoy99

BigBoy99

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I'm trying to get military records of family members in WWII. They have all passed away. I don't have any military service numbers. Any suggestions on how to find their military service records?
 
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I don't know about other states, but in PA at each county courthouse the Recorder of Deeds maintains a book of recorded military discharges. My maternal grandfather served in World War I but his military records were among those destroyed in the St. Louis fire. I needed a copy of his discharge in order to join the VFW Auxiliary. As a last ditch effort I called the county courthouse for where he lived and explained my situation. The nice lady on the other end of the phone checked and PawPaw's military records were there. They sent a copy to me and my membership in VFW Auxiliary was put through.

One point to mention for what it's worth. The most common record of military discharge record is Form DD214. A veteran's service in World War I precedes the development of the DD214. I belong to the Sons of the American Legion and I had to advice my District Officers that our qualifying ancestors who served in World War I received a different type of discharge record. Happily on my advice the District made the eligibility requirements include "any similar document" (or some other similar verbiage) to the Form DD214 as proof of eligibility to join the Sons of the American Legion.
 
In WWII the papers were “ separation papers”, had my Dads which my son has all Dads things. He was a Captain in MAAF Aviation Engineers.
 

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The St. Louis fire destroyed a huge number of military records forever. Have tried to get military records for two relatives who fought during WWII. They were among those that burned. You should try, but chances are slim. Did find one of my wife’s relatives Army discharge papers, in Buffalo NY. They were recorded in the county and we got a copy. Apparently many vets did record their discharge paperwork at the county level. Perhaps they were told to do that.
 
DWalt said:
The St. Louis fire destroyed a huge number of military records forever. Have tried to get military records for two relatives who fought during WWII. They were among those that burned. You should try, but chances are slim. Did find one of my wife’s relatives Army discharge papers, in Buffalo NY. They were recorded in the county and we got a copy. Apparently many vets did record their discharge paperwork at the county level. Perhaps they were told to do that.
Click to expand...
For a while, military members were told not to register discharge papers with cities/counties, as it becomes public records and are available to anyone--SSAN included.
 
I returned for ETS in May 1968. We were very strongly advised to take our DD214 for registration at our county court house.
I did.
 
A while back I was attempting to help the family of a deceased Navy Reservist get buried in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. During several moves all his Navy stuff had been lost.
I called The Records Folks who were in Maryland?? They were a little more than Bureaucratic uncooperative.
t one point I asked for a FAX, the reply was ‘We ain’t got no Fax.’
I of course replied “What do you mean you ain’t got a Fax? Everybody has a Fax.”
What she really meant was the Family will have to file the form and wait.
But - Grandpa was waiting in the cooler!
Luckily these Folks knew Folks, and got permission to bury him at Santa Fe.
My Buddy Milt - I watched as his Family scattered his ashes in the Pecos Wilderness.
He didn’t want anything to do with Santa Fe!
Bottom line is - if your Paperwork is lost, jump through the hoops and get it now.
Don’t wait until you Really need it.
Me? I got a Tombstone waiting. It’s got everything on it except the closing out date.
 
I found my Dad's Service Number , WWII Navy vet ...
written on the bottom of his old Sea Bag ...
If you have anything of his from back then ...
Check for Service Number written somewhere on it ... that was their main I. D. back then and they put it on just about everything they had .
Once you get that number ... getting the records was easy !
Good Luck ,
Gary
 
There are also records of names of those buried in National cemeteries but I do not have a website. I had an uncle who was a retired Navy lifer and served in both WWI and WWII. Family lore said he had been buried at Arlington Cemetery when he died in the late 1960s, but I could find no records that he had been buried there, in any National cemetery, or for that matter, any cemetery in the USA. I invested a fair amount of time in an attempt to locate his military records, but without success. All I have is a photo of him in uniform, probably taken sometime during the 1930s. I did find a newspaper obituary, but it was brief and contained very little detail.
 
Last edited:
DWalt said:
The St. Louis fire destroyed a huge number of military records forever. Have tried to get military records for two relatives who fought during WWII. They were among those that burned. You should try, but chances are slim. Did find one of my wife’s relatives Army discharge papers, in Buffalo NY. They were recorded in the county and we got a copy. Apparently many vets did record their discharge paperwork at the county level. Perhaps they were told to do that.
Click to expand...
I did when I was released from Active Duty
 
Golddollar said:
I don't know about other states, but in PA at each county courthouse the Recorder of Deeds maintains a book of recorded military discharges. My maternal grandfather served in World War I but his military records were among those destroyed in the St. Louis fire. I needed a copy of his discharge in order to join the VFW Auxiliary. As a last ditch effort I called the county courthouse for where he lived and explained my situation. The nice lady on the other end of the phone checked and PawPaw's military records were there. They sent a copy to me and my membership in VFW Auxiliary was put through.

One point to mention for what it's worth. The most common record of military discharge record is Form DD214. A veteran's service in World War I precedes the development of the DD214. I belong to the Sons of the American Legion and I had to advice my District Officers that our qualifying ancestors who served in World War I received a different type of discharge record. Happily on my advice the District made the eligibility requirements include "any similar document" (or some other similar verbiage) to the Form DD214 as proof of eligibility to join the Sons of the American Legion.
Click to expand...
I just registered with my DD-214 with my Pa county last month,they have a roving Vet registration. I think I got the record lost in the fire about 50 years ago. But someone has the records you can be vet registered at Lowes in about 1/2 a second. LOL
 
bgrafsr said:
Click to expand...
This is probably your best hope. We’re trying to get info on my father’s service, he passed in ‘92, I have a lot of photos and a copy of his discharge microfiche. 301st Signal Corp, 3rd Army. Said he saw Patton once from the hill where his radio truck was parked. Dad talked to me the most about his time in Europe between my siblings.

My brother was recently in New Orleans, went to the museum. He, my sister and I are splitting the cost for the search.

He’s on the left, France 1944, ran in to his cousin purely by chance.

IMG_1369.jpeg
 
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