[salem1912]

Originally Posted by Steve Hoog

Not sure if I have posted this before but I want to share again if so; this is from a great man in my life, my step grandfather Dan Sales.

Thanks for sharing Steve. Amazing how it seemed to be"all in a days work" if you know what I mean. Hope you don't mind but I included a picture of the bow that they "lost" in battle.

[Steve Hoog]

I've seen that pic before, amazing it was still afloat and made it to the repair port.

If he were still alive I would ask him where he stood in that pic. He worked at Camp Maxey after the war and took me to work with him, I got to ride in tanks and repair flats on jeeps. Fun stuff for a kid! I only wish now he and other family were still alive that I could ask pointed questions of the war and appreciate the answers.

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

Please post it Bob, thanks!

Here ya go, buddy. ETA: You might want to think twice about ordering a deceased Vet's health record. You don't, for instance, want to find out grandpa caught the clap in the Philippines.

Obtaining Copies of Military Records


How do I obtain a copy of a person's military records?

The National Personnel Records Center-Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health, medical records of discharged and deceased veterans and other military records from all services from World War I to the present. The NPRC is one of the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) largest operations. NPRC-MPR stores medical treatment records of retirees from all the services along with records for dependents and other people treated at naval medical facilities.

An individual's complete service record is available to the former service member or, if deceased, to his or her next of kin (parents, spouse, or children).

Limited information such as dates of service, awards, and training is available to anyone. Not available to the general public is information which would invade an individual's privacy; for example, medical records, Social Security number, or present address. If requesting the records of a relative, a requester should mention the relationship to the former member (brother, uncle, or other). There is no charge for this service to former service members or their next of kin. For others, a nominal fee is charged for research and reproduction costs.

You may view the list below to contact them by e-mail or by phone or by mail at:

E-mail: MPR.center@nara.gov
Phone: 1-86-NARA-NARA (1-866-272-6272) or 1-800-234-8861
Fax: 1-314-801-9195

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132

For additional information you may wish to view the following:

http://www.archives.gov/research/ord...s-records.html

[David Jones]

My father jotted down his memories of WWII. They ended up filling a manila envelope.....handwritten.
Dad joined the Navy as the war was winding down and had never been very far away from Bessemer Alabama. He rode a train (steam) to Chicago where he "endured" electricians school and then rode another train to the west coast (He was less than complimentary on train travel at the time) where he boarded a cargo ship for the Philippines. On the way the US dropped the A bombs on Japan and the Pacific war ended. He said when the ship got word of Japans surrender that "they" started firing off whatever weapons the ship had for protection. Those weapons dad described as "not much". The thing about firing off the weapons is that most of those young sailors riding along to the Philippines had no idea what all the shooting was all about....so dad described the moment as a "Chinese fire drill" with fresh new sailors diving in holes and running for cover until they were clued in to the reason for the firing. Dad got to the Philippines were his duty station was running a generator shack, which he did for about 9 months. I have one picture of him there somewhere leaning on a palm tree, a smiling, skinny, big eyed kid of about 18-19 with about 61 years still in front of him. Dad recalled many times his "war wound". He was sitting out behind his generator shack, enjoying an ice cold beer and smoking a cigar. He was wearing no shirt. He described his chest hair situation as "one". While drawing on the cigar the ash fell on the hair, taking it off.
Dad, you were part of a truly great generation. Thank you.
I miss you, you old SOB............

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by David Jones

where he boarded a cargo ship for the Philippines.

The palm tree is probably on Grande Island, in the mouth of Subic Bay. Post the pic and I can probably tell you.

P.S. See above re: "health records."

[Steve Hoog]

On service records it is hit and miss whether you get them or told they were destroyed in a fire. 1973 St Louis.

[David Holmberg]

Thanks David Jones, that made me smile and laugh.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

That is a WILD WILD picture of the New Orleans ship !
Definitely would have been a bit nervous motoring the high seas backwards in that.

Thanks for the great info on records Bob Dillon.
Will have my mother get into that.

He said that was his daily routine attire - pistols strapped everywhere.
And i think he had more than anyone else in the picture.
Will definitely try to get a scan of it and post it eventually in a new thread.
It is a tough picture

[Pontiacdaver]

Originally Posted by Steve Hoog

Not sure if I have posted this before but I want to share again if so; this is from a great man in my life, my step grandfather Dan Sales.

Thanks for posting (reposting?), very interesting to read. I have several books on the Naval war in the Solomons including the Battle of Tassafronga. The New Orleans absorbed an incredible amount of damage and survived, a tribute to her design but even more so, her damage control party.

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Thanks for the great info on records Bob Dillon.
Will have my mother get into that.

You're quite welcome. I would recommend you sit down with him and a tape recorder and ask him to recount his experiences. I wish I had with mine.

[David Holmberg]

Originally Posted by Bob Dillon

You're quite welcome. I would recommend you sit down with him and a tape recorder and ask him to recount his experiences. I wish I had with mine.

Ditto!

Bob you should do the same, one day people will be interested in your times.

[Pontiacdaver]

I met a very interesting man last August (he was selling a 1979 Grand LeMans, I still may buy the car) in OH, named Forrest Stidham. He is still very active, he just emailed me upon his return from a farm he owns in Argentina. Like many Veterans, he hasn't talked much about his experience in WW II but I do know he was in the Navy and at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked, and was on the USS Lexington when she was sunk at The Battle of Coral Sea. After the war, he then went on to a very successful career in the USAF. I hope to learn more from this fascinating man.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by Bob Dillon

You're quite welcome. I would recommend you sit down with him and a tape recorder and ask him to recount his experiences. I wish I had with mine.

Steve Hoog said the same thing to me back in 06 or 07.
But it was already really too late by then. Alzheimers started in on him around 01 and by 06-07 it was pretty extreme. He passed away in late 09.

Two different men (authors) met with him, one in early 90's and one in mid to late 90's. He probably opened up to them pretty good. I couldn't ever get more than 2-3 minutes worth at a time from him. I'm sure all the killing they did, and the deaths of comrades, is what they tried their best to block out. Much talk about anything in germany probably brought those things back and he wouldn't want me to see him cry i'm guessing.

His youngest brother served in Korea and is still alive with very sound mind.
I'm going to give him a try and see what my grandfather might have also shared with him. And if he knows who those authors were, and if they ever published anything.

In the 60's and 70's he was a real involved member of the Gideons and passed out Bibles at schools. He held a service at the State Pen and witnessed for those guys one Sunday per month on rotation - that was a 2 hour drive each way. And volunteered one night a week at a crisis control phone center.

I was lucky to hold a candle in his shadow.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by Bob Dillon

Here ya go, buddy. ETA: You might want to think twice about ordering a deceased Vet's health record. You don't, for instance, want to find out grandpa caught the clap in the Philippines.

Obtaining Copies of Military Records


How do I obtain a copy of a person's military records?

The National Personnel Records Center-Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health, medical records of discharged and deceased veterans and other military records from all services from World War I to the present. The NPRC is one of the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) largest operations. NPRC-MPR stores medical treatment records of retirees from all the services along with records for dependents and other people treated at naval medical facilities.

An individual's complete service record is available to the former service member or, if deceased, to his or her next of kin (parents, spouse, or children).

Limited information such as dates of service, awards, and training is available to anyone. Not available to the general public is information which would invade an individual's privacy; for example, medical records, Social Security number, or present address. If requesting the records of a relative, a requester should mention the relationship to the former member (brother, uncle, or other). There is no charge for this service to former service members or their next of kin. For others, a nominal fee is charged for research and reproduction costs.

You may view the list below to contact them by e-mail or by phone or by mail at:

E-mail: MPR.center@nara.gov
Phone: 1-86-NARA-NARA (1-866-272-6272) or 1-800-234-8861
Fax: 1-314-801-9195

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132

For additional information you may wish to view the following:

http://www.archives.gov/research/ord...s-records.html

Thanks for that Bob, I emailed them as soon as I saw this. I tried to get details on my Father's records for years and finally gave up (He passed when I was 12). It took me quite some time just to get the squadron and ship he was attached to.

[David Holmberg]

Since this has morphed into a war stories thread too...

Back around 1998 I was installing a dishwasher for a nice lady in town. Her father had come to live with her because of Alzheimer's setting in, we had a VERY interesting conversation. All of this was backed up by the daughter.

For his entire adult life everyone, including his wife and kids thought he worked for a large corporation in NY, the name escapes me but it was well known. Turns out since 1940 he was a full time operative for our government, and was never officially anywhere.

One of the really cool stories he told was of Hitler's bunker, he was part of the first team to enter it after taking control of Germany. He said there was a very thick plate glass window that was full room high and like 16 foot wide. He said they went over ever inch of it looking for a seam and couldn't find one, the room was concrete and there was no way to get that down there in one piece. Of all things he did for that company, that was the one that he never figured out.
It was 16 years ago and I can still see myself sitting on the kitchen floor listening to him talk like I was a little kid, I could have sat there all day.

[Pontiacdaver]

Originally Posted by Bob Dillon

Here ya go, buddy. ETA: You might want to think twice about ordering a deceased Vet's health record. You don't, for instance, want to find out grandpa caught the clap in the Philippines.

Obtaining Copies of Military Records


How do I obtain a copy of a person's military records?

The National Personnel Records Center-Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health, medical records of discharged and deceased veterans and other military records from all services from World War I to the present. The NPRC is one of the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) largest operations. NPRC-MPR stores medical treatment records of retirees from all the services along with records for dependents and other people treated at naval medical facilities.

An individual's complete service record is available to the former service member or, if deceased, to his or her next of kin (parents, spouse, or children).

Limited information such as dates of service, awards, and training is available to anyone. Not available to the general public is information which would invade an individual's privacy; for example, medical records, Social Security number, or present address. If requesting the records of a relative, a requester should mention the relationship to the former member (brother, uncle, or other). There is no charge for this service to former service members or their next of kin. For others, a nominal fee is charged for research and reproduction costs.

You may view the list below to contact them by e-mail or by phone or by mail at:

E-mail: MPR.center@nara.gov
Phone: 1-86-NARA-NARA (1-866-272-6272) or 1-800-234-8861
Fax: 1-314-801-9195

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132

For additional information you may wish to view the following:

http://www.archives.gov/research/ord...s-records.html

Bob,

Let me also thank you for posting this info and for your service to our country. I knew there was a way to access someone's service records but didn't know where to look.

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

Ditto!

Bob you should do the same, one day people will be interested in your times.

I did mine as a part of our local Vietnam veterans oral history project about 3 years ago. Sent a copy of the DVD to my son for posterity (such as it is.)

[Steve Hoog]

David

I find that most interesting about the glass. I have studied everything I can get my hands out about that time period and I have never heard one thing about it.

As to how it got there whatever it was; that's easy, the roof was poured last. Had you mentioned this sooner I could have asked Misch via my friend in Holland; I don't know of anyone else alive that was a bunker regular.

I will still pose this to my friend; and just to be clear you are talking about the final bunker in Berlin?

My feet are approximately directly over Hitler's quarters in this photo:

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Thanks for that Bob, I emailed them as soon as I saw this. I tried to get details on my Father's records for years and finally gave up (He passed when I was 12). It took me quite some time just to get the squadron and ship he was attached to.

I belong to ancestry.com and they have a ton of records from WWII. If you like, PM or email me his full name and any other info you have and I'll check him out for you.

[David Holmberg]

To be honest Steve I'm not sure, and it was an old man with Alzheimer's, but his stories were great.