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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
3/22/2012 3:33:00 PM | Ok guys..I am looking for suggestions.
5 years ago I filled out a SF 180 form to get my Dad's military records. I did receive his list of medals and an abbreviated list of his time in the military. I sent the form to the address that was suggested. I have tried for a long time now to get additional info to and including his debriefing when he was released from the POW camp. And the discrepancies in the flight crews he flew with as one of his crew told me he was on loan at times to another crew.
After sitting on hold for over 2 hours trying unsuccessfully (many Times) to call the NARA and ask for help to try and navigate their site which I have NEVER been able to figure out. ( That site makes me feel totally stupid!) I sent them an email. Their suggestion was to start the process all over again and send the SF 180 form along with yet another death certificate and start the entire process over. Does anyone have a suggestion to do this without starting over yet again?
Here is another thing which I wonder if it is a problem..your thoughts needed here as well. Even though Dad was in the Army during WWII...he re-enlisted in the Air Force later and retired from the AF. Is there a problem with two military services when it comes to getting information?
Andy found and sent me a copy of the Missing Crew Report which I really appreciated. Any suggestions would be appreciated?
Jackie
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donaldbyers
3/22/2012 7:57:43 PM | Ask for the entire MACR when you write to Lynn Gamma, it may give more than what you got before.
Don
I hope you get more from them than the NARA.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
3/23/2012 7:40:19 AM | Don,
I wrote to her as you suggested and hopefully will hear good news from here. Thank you for your suggestion. You guys always have such good ideas!
Jackie
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Bob Johnson
4/13/2012 6:57:06 AM | Jackie like you I too had problems getting my dad's records. He was in the 401st then later joined the Air Force reserves from which he retired. I kept getting the answer from them that his records were destroyed in the fire of 1973. His records were not there at that time. I was also having problems with my records as well. I contacted one of my senators and his staff helped me. I received a letter from the commander of the records center apologizing to me and soon received the requested records and awards. Contact your congressman or one of your senators and they will help. When they see a request for WWII Army vets they do not do there jobs and look for it they just reply burned up in fire.
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Jackie Sharp Sheflin
4/13/2012 10:37:09 AM | Bob,
That is sad to hear as I know several of my extended family members have tried getting their fathers records and they were told they were destroyed by fire.
I received some records from them a few years ago, but there is quite a few missing. Those are the ones I am trying to get and seem to be having the most trouble with.
It is nice to know that others are having the same problem and that there may be a solution.
Jackie
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Copper_Country
4/13/2012 11:34:36 AM | Our family sent off a request for records for a realitive and got a unhelpful reply with no information. Did the Congress person send you a letter to include with your request for information or did the Congress person reach out and directly deal with the NARA on your behalf? What kind of help did you ask for from your Congress person? I am trying to help my mom locate records for my grand father.
I'd like to think that if you send in a request, the NARA works hard to complete the request with all the information the first time. But from what I heard and read, that might not be the case and that it takes multiple attempts. Do you think it would be helpful to contact your Congress person from the begining? I guess they work for us and are paid by us.
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Bob Johnson
4/14/2012 12:56:01 PM | When I contacted my senator I explained why my father's records could not have burned up in the fire since he was in the Air Force Reserves at the time and his records were with his unit during the fire. With my records they said I had no awards after 30 years of service. My records stored at Denver showed nothing. The senator's person he put on my case handled everything and kept me posted by phone as to progress. My records were not located at Denver but in St. Louis as they should have been since it was past 14 years since I retired.
I also did a search for my wife's fathers awards at the same time. We received a notice about WWII Army records had been destroyed in the fire. A couple of weeks later we got a letter that indicated the medals and awards he had received and they would be sent to my wife when they were available. I heard some time later that some records were not completely destroyed and they were in the process of restoring what they can. This search we did on our own and not through the senator.
I hope this helps everyone in their searches.
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Copper_Country
5/10/2012 3:26:49 PM | We are still looking for military records for my grandfather and my wife's grandfather.
For the first attempt we sent in the form requesting records....
we recieved a letter in regards to both requesst that the files we requested were destoyed in the 1973 fire
On our second attempt we requested the files, along with a letter asking for the files to be reconstructed
1) for my grandfather we recieved a letter saying that we could recieve a photocopy of my grandfather's last paystub for $20
2) for my wife's grandfather we recieved several forms with addition question to provide more information for the reconstruction process and a month deadline to return the form.
I guess my question, does anyone know if there is a standard procedure the NARA follows? Should we try an attempt a third request for my grandfather? Is the outcome of your request determined by how hard the NARA employee wants to dig? At what point does it become futile? I don't really want to give up looking for the informatio but at some point maybe I'll have too
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donaldbyers
5/10/2012 9:15:00 PM | I think it becomes drastic when you have to contact the Congressman to get some person at the NARA to do their job. But sometimes that is what it takes to get the info. It has been awhile since you had sent me anything please send again your info on which ever one belonged to the 401st Bomb Group.
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/aad-ww2.html
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Copper_Country
5/11/2012 4:53:20 AM | I agree, I rather not contact a congress person. But since get the notice that there is not a standard procedure that they follow, it makes it hard to know if I am getting any where.
Don, once we get something, we'll pass it on to you...
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