How To Read Old Documents

[Scuba Steve33]

Hey guys I'm hoping someone can help me out. I had my Dad request the military records for my Grandfather. He fought in WW2 and Korea but never shared much, including paperwork. My Dad nor any of his brothers and sisters had any information about his service. I have a list of some medals and awards he received which are pretty impressive. Bronze Star w/ V, two Purple Hearts and second CIB award. The rest of the documents we received are not like today's forms and I'm a bit confused. I don't want to post them but would gladly e-mail someone if they needed to look at them. If any of you have experience with this or know somewhere I can decipher the info I would greatly appreciate it.

The main thing I want to find out is what unit(s) he was in during WW2 and Korea if possible as well as where he was deployed. One of the forms lists Normandy and Rhineland but there doesn't seem to be much detail. Is there any way to get the info I'm after?

Also, unfortunately they did not have the certificates for most of the awards so I will not be able to see what the two Purple Hearts and Bronze Star were awarded for in detail. Not sure if they did that back then but I know now the citation will go into some detail about the award.

Thanks again fellas.

[Snoopy47]

[hk91666]

Hey guys I'm hoping someone can help me out. I had my Dad request the military records for my Grandfather. He fought in WW2 and Korea but never shared much, including paperwork. My Dad nor any of his brothers and sisters had any information about his service. I have a list of some medals and awards he received which are pretty impressive. Bronze Star w/ V, two Purple Hearts and second CIB award. The rest of the documents we received are not like today's forms and I'm a bit confused. I don't want to post them but would gladly e-mail someone if they needed to look at them. If any of you have experience with this or know somewhere I can decipher the info I would greatly appreciate it.

The main thing I want to find out is what unit(s) he was in during WW2 and Korea if possible as well as where he was deployed. One of the forms lists Normandy and Rhineland but there doesn't seem to be much detail. Is there any way to get the info I'm after?

Also, unfortunately they did not have the certificates for most of the awards so I will not be able to see what the two Purple Hearts and Bronze Star were awarded for in detail. Not sure if they did that back then but I know now the citation will go into some detail about the award.

Thanks again fellas.

Where did you request them? I want to get my dads military records. WWII south pacific arena-navy

[Snoopy47]

Where did you request them? I want to get my dads military records. WWII south pacific arena-navy

You can request them from the Department of Defense I think, and I think you need to be a spouse, or child of the deceased. I think you will only get the DD214 which will be very limiting in when and where, and how awards were earned.

[hk91666]

You can request them from the Department of Defense I think, and I think you need to be a spouse, or child of the deceased. I think you will only get the DD214 which will be very limiting in when and where, and how awards were earned.

So service number to DOD ( I have his dog tags)

I want to find out what he earned and create a shadow box with his flag & medals. he never talked much about his time in the Admiralty Islands.

Thanks Snoopy

[Scuba Steve33]

I was afraid of that, thanks. I was hoping I'd be able to find out at least who he was with during each war. Didn't think that would be too hard but given the way they did things back then it's not that shocking. I have the dates he received both Purple Hearts but it only says for wounds received in action (obviously). Nothing like today's citations. There are some things that it says in the documents that I'm not sure what means and I don't understand the wording used back then.

One document has his organization as "AT CO 330 INF 83 DIV". I searched the 83rd ID and it lists "Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe" which correlate with a couple of the places he served (Normandy and Rhineland). I wonder if this is a good indication he was in the 83rd? Sorry if it seems I'm directing this at you, just kind of speaking out loud.

It's also interesting in the forms under race they only have options for white, negro or other.

So service number to DOD ( I have his dog tags)

I want to find out what he earned and create a shadow box with his flag & medals. he never talked much about his time in the Admiralty Islands.

Thanks Snoopy

The bottom of the letter stated "If you are a veteran, or a deceased veteran's next of kin, please consider submitting your future requests online by visiting us at http://vetrecs.archives.gov I guess you could try there. I cannot request his record, my Dad had to do it but you are good to go.

My Dad also got a list of medals and awards he received and they are actually sending him medals. You can easily buy them online but it's cool that they provide them.

[hk91666]

I was afraid of that, thanks. I was hoping I'd be able to find out at least who he was with during each war. Didn't think that would be too hard but given the way they did things back then it's not that shocking. I have the dates he received both Purple Hearts but it only says for wounds received in action (obviously). Nothing like today's citations. There are some things that it says in the documents that I'm not sure what means and I don't understand the wording used back then.

One document has his organization as "AT CO 330 INF 83 DIV". I searched the 83rd ID and it lists "Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe" which correlate with a couple of the places he served (Normandy and Rhineland). I wonder if this is a good indication he was in the 83rd? Sorry if it seems I'm directing this at you, just kind of speaking out loud.

It's also interesting in the forms under race they only have options for white, negro or other.



The bottom of the letter stated "If you are a veteran, or a deceased veteran's next of kin, please consider submitting your future requests online by visiting us at http://vetrecs.archives.gov I guess you could try there. I cannot request his record, my Dad had to do it but you are good to go.

My Dad also got a list of medals and awards he received and they are actually sending him medals. You can easily buy them online but it's cool that they provide them.

Thanks will try that sorry if i stole your thread Steve.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

[Scuba Steve33]

Thanks will try that sorry if i stole your thread Steve.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

No worries at all I hope you find out as much as possible. Let us know!

[Snoopy47]

One document has his organization as "AT CO 330 INF 83 DIV"..

http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/infcomp.html

I don't know what AT stands for. But 330 is an Infantry Regiment of the 83rd

Could AT mean Anti Tank Company of the 330?

[Snoopy47]

go here:

http://83rdinfdivdocs.org/units/330th-ir/

[Snoopy47]

http://83rdinfdivdocs.org/documents/330th/various/330th_Casualties_Awards.pdf

here's the casualties of killed and wounded in the 330th, you said he had a purple heart? His name should be on this list. it's 88 pages of just names, and not in any order.
OH, it's ordered by killed or wounded, and then by officer or enlisted

update: this is an awesome document, it also has awards and names, this will keep you busy

[badlandsbutch]

.
Yes, AT would be Anti Tank. Very possible he was with other units in Korea and through out his career. Without the actual citations for his actions, it would not be written anywhere, unless you can track down the unit history or monograph of a particular unit. I found the only one for my Dad in WWI. New York City Public Library after lots of research and hunting. Don't give up, it can be done.

[Scuba Steve33]

http://www.history.army.mil/html/for...n/infcomp.html

I don't know what AT stands for. But 330 is an Infantry Regiment of the 83rd

Could AT mean Anti Tank Company of the 330?

go here:

http://83rdinfdivdocs.org/units/330th-ir/

http://83rdinfdivdocs.org/documents/...ies_Awards.pdf

here's the casualties of killed and wounded in the 330th, you said he had a purple heart? His name should be on this list. it's 88 pages of just names, and not in any order.
OH, it's ordered by killed or wounded, and then by officer or enlisted

update: this is an awesome document, it also has awards and names, this will keep you busy

Thanks Snoopy I found him! Number 418 on the wounded list.

His name is not on the Bronze Star list but a citation for his Bronze Star is from 1953 for actions in 1944. I don't know why the delay but that list wasn't updated obviously. I didn't see it at first because the document is in such poor shape but it says on there that he received the Bronze Star while assigned to the 330th. He was also wounded the first time on that same day he was awarded the Bronze Star for.

He also didn't get his CIB awarded to him until several months after that day lol.

.
Yes, AT would be Anti Tank. Very possible he was with other units in Korea and through out his career. Without the actual citations for his actions, it would not be written anywhere, unless you can track down the unit history or monograph of a particular unit. I found the only one for my Dad in WWI. New York City Public Library after lots of research and hunting. Don't give up, it can be done.

When he was awarded his Bronze Star almost a decade later in 1953 he was with the 29th Infantry Regiment so it's a good chance he was with them during the Korean War. There isn't much info on the 29th Infantry Regiment though. "Reactivated on the island of Okinawa in May, 1949, the 29th Regiment was attached to the 24th and 25th Divisions from 24 July 1950 to 5 September 1950. The 1st and 3rd Battalions suffered heavy losses during fighting in the vicinity of Chinju, Masan, and during the establishment of the Pusan perimeter in the Korean War. The regiment returned to Okinawa in September 1950 where it remained until it returned to Fort Benning in November 1954." I don't think he was with them during the war.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, I'll keep at it.

[steelrain82]

this is good stuff! we (my family) just found out my great grandfather re-enlisted from 47-51 after the war. and he also got a bronze star. before that the only thing we new about him was he was with the 75th infantry division in the 290th as a medic. because my grandpa had a carbon copy discharge paper, along with a picture of my GG thats said africa. so now we are also on the same journey you are. it is always exciting to read these post as there is so much history.

[billmaykafer]

if there is a national guard unit in your town,you can get address for national records in st. louis ,missourie. that is where i wrote to find out about my awards. i was awarded national defense 3 times during my time in military. i was only issued 2 medal setups by units i served in.