World War II KIA Telegrams

[tbirdismypride]

Hello everyone,

I am curious to know how the dreaded KIA telegrams came to the individual's families. Were they just put in the mail and delivered via regular mailman or were they delivered by a third party of some sort.

Also, I know this all depends on the circumstances of death but how long did it usually take for a family to be notified, Take for instance, Pearl Harbor, generally speaking of course, how long might it take, a few days, a week, month possibly??

 

I appreciate any help someone may be able to provide me.

[Allan H.]

Telegrams were delivered by messenger to the recipient as quickly after the message was received as possible. They were not mailed to the recipient.

 

I knew a Korean War veteran who told me that he was a bike messenger for the Western Union agent as a young teen in WWII. He would ride his bike to the address and hand deliver the message. He told me that when he started the job, that he loved it, because most people tipped him for the delivery. He said that in the beginning, the telegrams were usually good news, like messages about marriages or the birth or a child. When the US got involved in the war, the messages were commonly from soldiers and sailors telling the family that they had arrived at different posts etc. safely. Again, he would get tips and enjoy being a part of the good news. After the US went into North Africa and began fighting in the Pacific, the telegrams began to be those dreaded ones. Telegrams were sent for servicemen being killed, wounded or missing in action. These messages were really hard on him as he said that people would sometimes blame the messenger. Even though he made good money for a kid, he eventually quit his job because the news he was bringing to families took such a toll on them.

 

Allan

[Dave]

Well...this is all in my book, but until Schiffer publishes it...it exists on my computer and in my head!

Answers (I'm assuming you're asking about WW2, as that's what these are based on):

 

1. Western Union hand-delivered the telegrams. I don't know of any that were mailed; I've never seen a Western Union telegram with a postage paid envelope for a death notification before.

 

2. Depending on when the person died, it could range anywhere from a matter of days to a matter of months. That all depended on if they were MIA, or the number of casualties being taken at that time, etc.

 

Hope that helps!

Dave

[tbirdismypride]

That was perfect!! Many thanks to you both!!!

[Garandomatic]

For sake of documentation, I'll go check my KIA binder... Jack R Elliott, 179th Inf, 45th Div.

[Garandomatic]

Like dave says above, circumstances depended upon the nature of the end... my guy was reported missing and his family got the telegram October 28, 1944. It's the clipped out, typed kind, and said he was MIA since October 8. The KIA telegram was a handwritten version, no date, but it says "8th" on it. I figure that is November 8th. The family received a letter from the War Dept. confirming and explaining MIA status dated October 31. Another letter dated November 10 confirmed his death.

 

This man wrote home nearly every day(I've got all his letters home) . He's the reason I drink Budweiser at Christmas, as he asked his dad to get a case for the war would be over by then.

[Bodes]

My great uncle was WW2 KIA....Mom said the family was notified while in church....Mom heard it from one of the neighbor's kids....

 

I have some of his personal items...Peak cap, unit citation ribbon bar, purple hearts, dogtag and other paperwork.....My cousin says she has the telegram, but has continually refused me to see it.....Bodes