Question for military folks

[kallend 2,175]

My wife's father was awarded a Bronze Star in WW2. He is long dead and neither my wife nor her sister know why it was awarded. Is there anywhere that the records can be accessed?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[winsor 236]

kallend

My wife's father was awarded a Bronze Star in WW2. He is long dead and neither my wife nor her sister know why it was awarded. Is there anywhere that the records can be accessed?

A good place to start is here. The record of that era is kind of spotty, but what is available might show up there.

Good luck.


BSBD,

Winsor

[JerryBaumchen 1,471]

Hi John,

Quote

neither my wife nor her sister know why it was awarded.

I was in the military from '59 - '63. I served with a fair number of guys who had been in WW II and the Korean War.

Back then, whenever a medal was awarded it was always accompanied by a paper citation indicating the details, etc.

Over the years he probably just lost it.

Jerry Baumchen

[muff528 3]

While doing similar research a few years ago, I was told that an "official" list of military awards and recipients does not exist. I was a little surprised that records for those awards were not kept and compiled as a list. Most lists you now might find are put together through a lot of effort in finding recipients one by one and vetting each one as they are received, or by searching other government records that may mention the award. They are far from complete. You may have some luck by contacting the National Archives, Military Personnel Records and requesting the service record for an individual. But mention of any awards or citations may or may not be included in his Personnel Record. Hit or miss there, too.

[rifleman 70]

Another possibility is that there may be a "War Diary" for the unit that he served in. This would be a documentary record held by Unit HQ listing the daily routines and happenings in the unit such as replacements, transfers, deaths, actions that the unit were involved in and any recommendations for decorations.

Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation

[Rickendiver 6]

Try the VA website. You should be able to get a copy of his DD214, that will list the dates of his service awards, and maybe the award descriptions

[BIGUN 1,503]

Professor,

Start here. She must do it as next of kin.

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/index.html


And, unfortunately you should know about this:

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[turtlespeed 226]

JerryBaumchen

Hi John,

Quote

neither my wife nor her sister know why it was awarded.

I was in the military from '59 - '63. I served with a fair number of guys who had been in WW II and the Korean War.

Back then, whenever a medal was awarded it was always accompanied by a paper citation indicating the details, etc.

Over the years he probably just lost it.

Jerry Baumchen

The papers and records will be in his personnel file.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[JerryBaumchen 1,471]

Hi turtle,

Quote

The papers and records will be in his personnel file.

If they have survived. My military personnel file was in a depository in St. Louis. Everything went up in a fire.

My military records are long gone. However, I do have my copies.

Jerry Baumchen