[Steve Hoog]

David

I am still curious, will let you know what my friend says. I'll try Axishistory.com if he doesn't know anything.

[David Holmberg]

Thanks, I'm interested as well.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Would like to thank Bob Dillon for trying to help me a bit more with some online info about my Grandfather. We didn't get much , but the effort was just as admirable regardless.

While trying some ragtag googling of my own, one thing lead to another, and found out something i had never heard a single word about before.
His father - my Great Grandfather - was a Commander in the US Navy during WW1
He passed away when i was about 3.5 y.o. from complications after a car wreck.

So that's even more i need to ask my uncle about .

Also found out that my grandfather's younger brother who got shot down in WW2
was a nose gunner on a B-24.
He was 19.5 y.o. and left behind a wife 6 months pregnant at that point in time.
They were married on July 18 1944 - exactly 9 months later Jack Jr. was born on April 18 1945.
Must have been a heck of a honeymoon !

Entered the Army Air Force on September 27, 1943.
After completing aircrew and gunnery training, Sergeant Amos was sent to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, assigned to the 15th Air Force, 721st AAF Bomb Squadron, located in Southern Italy. He was nose gunner on a B-24 when he was killed in action during a strike over Austria. Initial notification of death related Austria as location of death, but newspaper accounts in 1949 reflect Yugoslavia.
June 12 1925 - Jan 31 1945

[Greg Reid]

I'd like to thank Bob also. He's trying to help me with my Dad's records.

[David Holmberg]

Bob, I never liked him.

Lets keep this a secret, Bob wouldn't want to tarnish his reputation as a harda$$.

[Greg Reid]

Well, just to clarify, he called an a-hole right after he agreed to do it.

[Bob Dillon]

Hey, guys, no problem. glad to help. Unfortunately for Greg and Baron, the initial enlistment records are all the Army lists.This is kind of disappointing; most of my relatives were USN, and the Navy lists duty stations, rosters, etc. while the Army does not.

All you can do now is make the request for their service records at the address I posted previously.

Hey, Holmberg?

[Greg Reid]

Thanks again Bob. I've already written to them, so we'll how that comes along.

[David Holmberg]

Bob, what do you need to see what's available for my Grandfather?

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

Bob, what do you need to see what's available for my Grandfather?

David, email me his full name and dob, and where he entered service. you have my email address.

[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

I recieved a response to my request today. I'm pasting it here for reference. Same fax number as above but the mailing address is different.

Thank you for contacting the National Personnel Records Center. We are not allowed to accept email requests . Please fax your request to (314)801-9195 or mail to:
NPRC#1 Archives Drive
St. Louis,Mo. 63138

[tharkun8]

Im a history buff ( degree in History) as well and the Pacific actions are a specialty of mine..

I actually own Morisons entire 15 book series on the naval war in WWII.
I dont know of anyone else that has read/owned the entire series.. though
Im sure someone here does. He actually was a witness to a fair amount
of the action as he was commissioned into the navy as a 'official' historian.

also.. some new books have come out in the last few years that can
still change thinking about the battle.

One is KAIGUN by Evans and Peattie - describes Jap Navy strategy, tactics
and tech.. including their theories of ship and plane design. ( prob best book in the list)
Describes reasons for Long Lance development, bad ship design, horrible damage
control processes ( on Jap ships damage control was not thought of as 'samurai
spirited' enough so was assigned to very junior officer) , almost COMPLETE lack
of attention to anti-sub tactics ( again not 'samurai' enough to be playing defense
for cargo ships)
etc.

WAR PLAN ORANGE by Miller - goes over Americas plans for war and wargaming
against japan ( opponent code name- orange) in the 20s and 30s. interesting
to watch the changes and in some cases sheer wishful thinking of american
war planners.

BATTLE HISTORY of IMP JAP NAVY 1941-1945 by Dull - self explanatory - ok

COMBINED FLEET DECODED by Prados - About intelligence and code breaking
during the war - ( Fresh water condenser broken down anyone ?)

SHATTERED SWORD by Parshall and Tully. - Fairly recent new book.. IF you only
read one of these books this is the one.. followed by KAIGUN

goes over some fairly convincing updating to some commonly held knowledge that
turns out was not the case - Japanese planes were NOT on deck about to launch
when the SBDs hit.. photos from the battle show NO planes on deck and it took 2-3 hours
to get fully loaded planes up on deck and in launch config. A lot of rethinking standard
dogma in this one


John

[Greg Reid]

tharkun8, I wonder if you are familiar with a book I just bought. I buy all of my books from Goodwill/Salvation Army stores. Some great deals and fine books that were given away at some point or another.
Just got this one for 2 bucks, marked $27.00 U.S./$40.00 CAN. Titled "The War in the Pacific from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay" by Harry A. Gailey. Haven't started it yet.

Same day I also found an original 1971 hardcover copy of Albert Speer's "Inside the Third Reich". I'd been wanting to read that one for a while and enjoyed it immensely. Every bit as good as Shirer's "Rise and Fall"
I've got tons of paperbacks that I've kept from the '70s onward on WWII. Started reading that stuff when I was 10 years old, starting with "God is my Co-Pilot".
I also enjoy American West history and Civil War history. More books than I have shelves.

[tharkun8]

Hey Greg,

Right there with you .. had to buy more bookshelves for all of mine.
Actually have more then I mentioned but those were some of mine that
directly related to the topic.

I also have a bunch on Euro war (2 of Shirers) and N.African actions. The only
area I dont have much on is the Burma theater probably because
that was mostly a Brit, Indian, Aussie theater and the only real strategic
part of it was keeping China supplied via the Burma road.. for me too
much of a side show to spend much cash on..

I have not heard of the first book you mentioned.. might take a look for it
and I have a copy of Speers book on my shelf right now.. found it
at a used book event in 2005 or so when I still lived in OH. Also
got a 2 volume copy of Shorter Cambridge Medieval History by Previte'-Orton
at the same event.

Currently reading ORIGINS OF THE INQUISITION in 15th Century Spain
by Netanyahu (father of the current Israeli PM)

and yes I know.. Nobody EXPECTS the Inquisition!!

John

[Greg Reid]

Too many books, too little time...lol. That reminds me that I picked up a third book that same day.... "Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March". Flipping through, reading excerpts it's going to be a good one full of first person accounts of an event in history that I know very little about.

[Pontiacdaver]

Greg and John, I am right there with you, currently have more books than shelves. Since my Grandfather was in the Pacific in the Navy in WW II, I have always been an avid reader. I am currently reading Destroyer Squadron 23, Combat Exploits of Arleigh Burke's Gallant Force by Ken Jones, cc 1959. Also, like both of you, I shop at Goodwill or Half Price Books.

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by Pontiacdaver

Greg and John, I am right there with you, currently have more books than shelves.

Solved that with a Kindle Fire. Didn't think I'd like it at first, but love it now.

All books are cheaper from Amazon for Kindle, and many are free!

[tharkun8]

Tried the Kindle.. read a book or two on it. Not a fan..

especially because you dont control your own knowledge.. amazon does..
My wife got one as a work gift .. and she uses it ..and I thought it was ok
but it has a huge drawback.

I just dont like the idea of not controlling what I bought. when the kindle
first came out they sold the novel 1984.. then somehow they discovered that
the comp that sold them the rights to sell it digitally didnt have the right to do so.
so Amazon went into the Kindle of everyone who bought it and deleted it.

I couldnt have found a more appropriate example of the problem with the Kindle.

Now this is a small example.. but it still shows you dont really OWN those books..
you only rent them.. and can lose them at any time whether you want to keep them
or not.. now imagine if that book is being censored for some reason.. but you
want to keep it.. tough $%#&.

for all the bulky inconvenience of my books.. I'll keep em.

just my opinion. but if it helps people read more ( and turn off the idiot box)
then I guess it cant be all bad.

John

"The elite ruling class wants us asleep so we’ll remain a docile, apathetic herd
of passive consumers, and non-participants in the true agendas of our governments,
which is to keep us separate and present an image of a world filled with unresolvable
problems that they, and only they, might one day, somewhere in the never-arriving
future, may be able to solve. Just stay sleep America, keep watching TV, keep paying
to the infinite witnesses of illusion we provide you over Lucifers’ Dream Box — television.
I find it laughable and pathetic." RIP BILL HICKS 12/16/61 - 02/26/1994