Searching for info on my Grandfather

So, I have been looking for a long time for some info on my grandfathers military history. All I know is that he was drafted in WWII, his enlistment number, when he was enlisted and according to family he was landed in Normandy on D-day.

Ive tried a NARA search and that came back with no results, Im guessing due to the fire in the 70s

Anyone know how I could find out more info or who I would need to contact?

 

If you have the funds,hire a researcher. PM me and I'll tell you who I use.

 

Im not looking to hire a researcher, but if I did have a few of those Ive already looked into

 

John DeWitt Markle Jr
born 13 Feb, 1918
enlisted 18 Mar, 1941 in Jamaica NY
release date 4 Oct, 1945
service number 32108275

I have a picture of him in his OD dress uniform with a Staff sergeant patch on the left sleeve, what I believe to be an infantry collar pin, and two ribbons that I cant make out on my picture.

My aunt has at least one of his ribbons I will see if I can get her to send me a picture of it and any other pictures she may have as well as a better one of him in his dress uniform.

 

I'm not trying to push the point, but if you want to find out the unit(s) in which he served, where his unit was on any given day, promotion dates, transfer dates, etc, hiring a researcher is the way to go.

Since you don't want to do that, you could try contacting the county where he lived immediately after the War to see if he filed a copy of his discharge paper there. Soldiers were advised to do so as they were being discharged. Also, local historical/genealogical societies can sometimes have records or newspaper archives from which information can be found.

If the photos have a good clear picture of his DUI pin, that will be very helpful, though even the general shape may help if there is also a good shot of his shoulder sleeve insignia.

 

As TD has stated,discharge papers are a good source of information,however they sometimes reflect the last unit assigned to but not the unit he was in during action,A lot of GIs were assigned to units to build points to return home.
We are not trying to discourage you,just give you a little bit of info on our experience in doing research.
Good Luck.

 

I really don't have money to hire a researcher right now so Im gonna go ahead with the discharge papers.

The only picture I have on hand is a picture of a picture and the original is from the 40s so it's not the clearest but I do know there is no patches on his sleeves except the s/Sgt chevron, there's the 2 collar pins the one on the left is infantry and the two ribbons that I can't make out what they are.

Yes that is his grave stone.

 

As of now this is the only picture I have

 

It could be, I'm gonna see if I can get the actual picture scanned in tomorrow. That may help with identification, some editing may help as well.

From what little I've been told that would certainly be a ribbon he should have.

My aunt has the only ribbon I've actually seen in person and I believe it to be the ww2 victory ribbon but it's been so long ago I can't be sure. It also doesn't really seem to fit one of them he has here. Then again. I have no idea when this picture was taken, but I would guess later in his military career given the rank

 

His VA furnished memorial shows he has a file with the VA. You might contact them to see if they have other records on file. These are separate from the records at NARA, so would not have been in the fire. Also, the cemetery where he's buried needed a copy of his separation paper to send to the VA to order the bronze memorial. If you live close to the cemetery you could inquire whether they have a copy or his separation paper in their files. Can't see any DUI, and the patch would be on his left shoulder which we can't see.

 

OK I reached out to one of my aunts and she has his discharge papers and is sendin me a copy.

She did tell me some information from it though.

Battles and campaigna were Eastern Mandates, Ryukyus, and southern Philippines.

Decorations and citations were American defense service medal, Asiatic pacific service medal, good conduct medal, and Philippines liberation ribbon.

All of his children say they have never seen any of the ribbons, medals or even his uniforms. A friend told me to contact the Dept of Defense and I could get that from them, anyone know anything about that?

 

So the discharge papers came in today and they say his occupation was a section chief. He was in BTRY B 304th FA BN.

Under qualifications it says 45 pistol mkm 67% 22 Nov 43, m-1 rifle(*) under remarks (*) 142 14 Jun 42.

Also under remarks it says lapel button issued which I'm guessing is the ruptured duck pin, and ASR score 111.

 

The 304th Field Arty. Bn. was an organic unit of the 77th Infantry Division.