Found Uncles AAF discharge papers, questions on theater ribbons, etc.

[RelicHunter99]

So I was able to obtain discharge papers from my uncle who I knew, based on a picture, was in the Army Air Force in WW2, but I had no idea where.

 

Turns out he was a sergeant in the 1352nd AAF Base Unit, which I believe did search and rescue in the Pacific theater. Does anyone know more about their involvement in the war?

It says his decorations and citations were the Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon W/1 Bronze Battle Star (Central Burma), and 4 Overseas Bars.

 

What would these 4 overseas bars be?

 

It also says his Military Occupational Specialty and No. was Clerk Typist 405, and his qualification was MM w/Carbine.

So does this just mean during training he was a qualified marksman? And that during the war he was a clerk? How does one obtain the rank of sergeant as a clerk?

Anyone that can enlighten me to some of this info, I would greatly appreciate it.

[kklinejr]

The four overseas bars state that he was outside the continental US for 2 years of overseas service (6 months each). Yes, he served as a clerk in the war and was qualified on the carbine as a marksman as well (lots of non-front line men were well qualified with various weapons, but their services will still required behind the lines). As for sergeant...the "brainpower" specialties were readily promoted in relationship to ability- especially in the AAF.

 

Hope this helps!

[Johnny Signor]

drop this guy an e mail he's a pretty good CBI knowledge man, tell him "Siggy" sent you , he knows me , good luck !

[email protected]

[jgawne]

He had qualified on a carbine (he may have shot other weapons, but only officially qualified on the Carbine. And 405 was the MOS for clerk typist. I have the official description of this on my website at

http://www.fatherswar.com/8thinfdiv/WW2/ww...W2_MOS_LIST.htm

 

While this does not mean he actually WAS a clerk, it means he has been trained as one, and thus most probably that was what he did. Typing was actually not a common skill in 1941 among men, and so men who could type were in high demand.