How to find a relative's military service records?

[LuvOrlando]

I want to find information on my Grandfather who served as an officer/surgeon in WWII. I think I can prove the relationship because my birth certificate lists my mother's maiden name which was his last name. How would I go about doing this? I've been wanting to do it long time and remember someone once telling me there is an easy way but I can't remember what I was told and nothing I see on the internet looks easy... but then again I am not good at searching stuff like this.

 

[Abbie]

When my dad passed away, someone suggested we get his separation papers from the Navy. I don't really remember why, maybe there were veteran benefits to apply for? I think I made the application online and received the documents in the mail. The papers say "National Personnel Records Center", they are the keepers of the military personnel records. There doesn't seem to be a website on the form, but they did give a number of 314-801-0800 for questions. I'm pretty sure you will need his social security number.

I still have the papers but even after two years I don't know what if anything I should be doing with them!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

We recently went through this in order to get my grandfather's ashes interred in a veteran's cemetery...we needed the form DD-214. Would this site help?

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

 

[happywanderer2]

I'm not saying you will, but you might have a problem getting info on your grandfather because of the fire that destroyed a lot of the military records -I think it happened in the 80's. But, try the office of veteran affairs and see if they can help you.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Try at the National Archives in D.C. too. You may be able to find something in public record there.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm not saying you will, but you might have a problem getting info on your grandfather because of the fire that destroyed a lot of the military records -I think it happened in the 80's. But, try the office of veteran affairs and see if they can help you.

I work just down the street from the Personnel Records Center, and I have several friends on staff there. The fire actually happened in 1973. Approximately 80% of Army records for service between 1912 and 1960 were lost in the fire. There was also about a 75% loss to Air Force records from after 1947 to 1964, but not in the lower letters of the alphabet. There were only a small number of Navy, Marine and USCG records in the section that burned.

This page has details on the fire: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html

 

[LuvOrlando]

Thank you all for giving me a place to start!

 

[Shmily1]

Definitely use the archives website. That's where I got DH's info from his service.

 

[bumbershoot]

I had this question just the other day, LOL. We were going through my FIL's stuff, and found some things that did NOT go together with what he said about his times of service...and now we have to know.

Our stumbling block (after finding the info given to you with a quick google search) is going to be his SSN, which is needed on the form. I must have shredded that info after helping MIL, and asking MIL is going to open a big can of worms...the cans of worms that were opened after he died are finally clearing from her mind, and I don't want to lie to her about the reason or tell her that we want his service records...maybe I should call that number. We have his service number, maybe that would be enough.

Good luck to you!