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How to research WW2 vets


History Man
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History Man

I will keep trying. they said they cant find his service records. they sent me a letter stating that so maybe he was enlisted not officer. thanks for any help.

 

 

Has anybody used eVetRecs on the NARA website?

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Has anybody used eVetRecs on the NARA website?

 

No, as technically unless you're the vet's NOK, you aren't supposed to. I've been sending FOIAs and SF-180s since the late 80s when I started researching uniforms (etc) in my collection. In the past few months, I've been using redbirdresearch and so I haven't done as many requests lately though.

 

If I were you, I'd send (or fax) in the SF-180 to do it the proper way, or pay redbirdresearch to get it done for you.

 

Dave

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Cobrahistorian
If I were you, I'd send (or fax) in the SF-180 to do it the proper way, or pay redbirdresearch to get it done for you.

 

Insert shameless plug here:

 

Or Historic Military Research! ;) www.historicmilitaryresearchinc.com

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Insert shameless plug here:

 

Or Historic Military Research! ;) www.historicmilitaryresearchinc.com

 

Do you do research at St Louis? I didn't know! Might have some stuff for you!

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Cobrahistorian
Do you do research at St Louis? I didn't know! Might have some stuff for you!

 

Dave,

 

Not just yet. I'm strictly in the DC/MD/VA archives locations (Marines, Navy, AF, and all NARA locations). Will probably be headed to St. Louis later in the year though. I can pretty much do anything at the unit level in the DC area, but personnel records obviously are a bit more geographically challenging.

 

Jon

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All right History Man...

 

Here's some advice for you. I know you're very much desiring to get some information on your guy, but take a deep breath and slow down.

 

First, understand that the keys to research are generally patience, thoroughness, and persistence. It may take you months, MONTHS to get the information that you may want. Heck, there are some times you may NEVER get what you want.

 

I see by your threads that you are collecting various things, your signature says so. It sounds as if you want to start researching things too, its hard to not do so once you start seeing what sort of great info you can get.

 

The first thing you need to do is to go to the Research thread right here on this various forum. Take several hours, yes HOURS, and read the pinned threads and learn from them. Then read people's topics and posts about research; you'll learn even more there.

 

You can find that all here: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...hp?showforum=88

 

The next thing you need to do is learn how to do your own research. YOURSELF. And AFTER you spend a lot of time reading the Research section threads. Yes, there are people here on the Forum who can find lots of great info. Often their sources have come at a lot of personal expense (i.e. their hard earned $$$), with a lot of time spent learning what is out there and how to access it, etc. And yes, sometimes they will help you too. But understand that that help takes THEIR time away from things they could be doing other than your research, so any help anone gives you is a gift of their time, and thus hard to quantify, but their own time to help you nonetheless. So if people help you, that's awesome, if not, that's fine too. No one here is obligated to helping you learn and do your own research work. Complaining about others not helping you is most certainly not going to help you in the long run either. For starters, your thread is in a terrible place to attract any help in the first place. Realize too that most of the time detailed research on people, as noted or quoted or referred to here on the Forum, is info that people have gotten by paying the $$$ and simply waiting, filing multiple requets, etc. There is some great info out there, and for free too, but there is also a certain amount that only comes from sending in records requests and paying for the info, paying a researcher to do it for you, or going to the records places yourself, whether they are

local to you or across the county.

 

With that said, good luck with your search, learn what it takes to do the research yourself, you'll be much better served in the long run, and above all, have some patience! The info will come in time.

 

MW

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