[brockj]

Not sure where the best place to post this is, so if I am in the wrong place just point me in the right direction.

Basically I am trying to find out more information about my grandfathers service. I have been searching ancestry.com and not finding a ton of information. I was able to find his service start date and final rank, and from my mom found out he was in Okinawa, and was stationed at either Fort McCoy, WI and or Fort Benning, GA.

Are there any websites that might be able to help me? Any other sources (aside from family as none of them seem to know) that may be of assistance?

Thanks!

 

[Shermysan]

You might try googling his name and rank and branch of service. Also try googling his unit if yoiu know it and try to find an association of vetrans from that unit, such as the 1st Marine Division Association and then try to locate any members who knew him. As I am a member of the 1st Marine Division Association I see notices in the association newspaper from relatives trying to locate members who knew a certain person. It can provide results. Shermysan

 

[Championhilz]

Tracing your grandfather's service

You might try checking the local newspaper in the town where your grandfather was living at the time he enlisted. Local papers usually did a very good job of publishing news about the local boys who were in the service. I found quite a bit of information about my father's service during World War II by checking our local newspaper. Also, if you don't have a copy of your grandfather's discharge, you can check the local courthouse in the county he was living in at the time of the war. Veterans were supposed to register their discharges, not all of them did, but it is worth checking out.
I hope this helps.

 

[kikir]

This is where I got my Great Grandfathers Civil War records from.

General Services Administration
National Archives and Records Service
Washington, D. C. 20408

The General Service Administration requires you to be a family member. They also have a web site. A friend of mine recently got his fathers records. He was in the Marines in WWII and Army in Vietnam. My friend got his Dad’s service records from the General Services Administration but they told him for information on any medals or citations awarded his father he would have to contact the Navy.

 

[newsnerd99]

If you go to the national archive website, they have (and will provide for free) copies of a serviceman's seperation papers, which usually has all you need to get started on research. My grandfather's had every assignment/station/unit he was with, plus biographical information, medals, etc. It is the must-have document to start a historical search.

 

[JPH712]

One hiccup.

The problem with World War Two service records is that there was a records fire in St. Louis in the early 70s. This fire burned a significant amount of records and destroyed things that are available for the Civil War.