Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

My Dad's Discharge

Discussion in 'Military Service Records & Genealogical Research' started by formerjughead, Feb 11, 2011.

  1. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2008
    Messages:
    5,627
    Likes Received:
    1,006
    In the spirit of Carl trying new things I figured I would get my stuff together and figure out how to scan and post up my Step Dad's Discharge:
    [​IMG]

    I will note, that much to my chagrin, this document does not exactly jive with the stories he has given over the years. I think it just goes to prove you can't believe everything you hear no matter what the source.
     
  2. Victor Gomez

    Victor Gomez Ace

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
    Messages:
    1,292
    Likes Received:
    115
    Things do not always jive but I kind of think if things were not always in order, they were more interested in getting out and going home than to have every I dotted and t crossed. My dad was definitely some places not recorded and when they decided to discharge him he was discharged from a group that no longer existed (as they just chose to write something down that was correct when he first went in) as they changed organization making him join another group as the war progressed. His location of discharge was near his home and distant from the places he trained and I figure they were not very well informed about his locations after his assignment changed. If you consider how many came home all at once, demobilization was an incredibly large job considering the numbers. I am sure all my dad cared about was getting to come home and be with his bride.
     
  3. VET76

    VET76 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2011
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    3
    I have noticed the same thing. From what my Dad, and Aunt tell me, there was never any mention of my Grandpa being a "ammo carrier". They said "Dad never said anything about carrying ammo". But as it turns out, wouldnt it be a waste of time to send your "ammo carrier" to "Ranger Training"? Anyhow, it is what it is, and you have to realize the shear volume of troops these administrative people were dealing with, and this was without the assistance of a computer back then. For the most part I am pleased with the accuracy of my Grandfathers paperwork, at least according to the very few stories that he told. Thanks for posting that formerjughead, I find this stuff very interesting.
     
  4. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2008
    Messages:
    5,627
    Likes Received:
    1,006
    No that's not what I mean at all. I think my dad embellished his experiences a bit. Nothing major a couple of extra campaign stars on his EAME ribbon, rank he never held and that kind of stuff. Nothing real big, just the stuff you would tell a wide eyed 9 year old kid that had no concept of what it meant to go to war.
     
  5. belasar

    belasar Court Jester

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Messages:
    8,515
    Likes Received:
    1,176
    You have to remember that these clerks were the desendants of the guys at Ellis Island. I worked for a man who's family came through there named Bucko. It was shortened by them from Buchinsky. A fine old Polish name!

    Just saw your post, all I can echo is what W.C.Fields said "There is a sucker born every minute" :)
     
  6. VET76

    VET76 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2011
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    3
    My Grandfathers birthdate was off by one day as well. He was born 22 February, but on his discharge paperwork it said 23 February. I have no doubt these clerks were busy, and probably all they could do just to keep up with the documentation.
     
  7. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2008
    Messages:
    5,627
    Likes Received:
    1,006
    Box #34 has him arriving in Europe 16 days before he left the United States. I am sure that there were more than a few issues with record keeping. IT's more of an amusing anecdote than a complaint.
     
  8. chibobber

    chibobber Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    446
    Likes Received:
    173
    Things do not always jive with the paper work.My dad was a truck driver heavy,but no badge listed on discharge.He used to carry his military drivers license with him because he was proud of the fact that he was a combat truck driver.(5 battle stars)
    no mention of his EIB he had.The archieves found some of his paper work and is preserving it now. hope to find a pay slip to prove the EIB.Man that fire sure messed things up and made life more interesting.
    Bob
     
  9. Victor Gomez

    Victor Gomez Ace

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
    Messages:
    1,292
    Likes Received:
    115
    Formerjughead, just understanding what you meant but I also read he was wounded while serving in France, so for me, if he embellished a bit I guess I would understand and hope others would as well....none of us are perfect, he served our country(in Africa too) and I am certainly respectful of his service despite his possible faults.
     
  10. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2008
    Messages:
    5,627
    Likes Received:
    1,006
    I think you are missing my point. I don't care if he embellished, My point is that what we belive to be often times is not and you have to take family stories with a grain of salt. I am not going to offend myself by saying the stories don't match the paperwork, it is what it is.
     
  11. macrusk

    macrusk Proud Daughter of a Canadian WWII Veteran

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2007
    Messages:
    2,804
    Likes Received:
    563
    Location:
    Saskatoon
    When doing genealogy it is always important to find what we call primary source material. Stories change over time and memories fade or get confused with other stories. However, it is the stories that inspire us to look for the family or individual information, and sometimes the stories provide the lead necessary to look somewhere we might have missed by only using the readily available official documentation.

    Good Luck in your quest to find more information!
     
    formerjughead likes this.
  12. belasar

    belasar Court Jester

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Messages:
    8,515
    Likes Received:
    1,176
    I had a similar situation with my father who let everyone have the impression that he served during WWII. After he passed we learned that he was not selected/drafted as he was working in a 'essential' industry and was listed as a sole provider for a family. Family legend has it the he had a relative on the draft board who quietly set his paperwork aside. No way to prove it now, but he was the right age and never got into uniform.
     
  13. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,288
    Likes Received:
    2,605
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Brad, I was glad to see you put up your step-dad's discharge. It's always interesting to see the source of the motivation for hanging around here. I just realized that I never posted my father's discharge, so I'll need to get on that. Thanks for the nudge.
     
  14. brndirt1

    brndirt1 Saddle Tramp

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2008
    Messages:
    9,713
    Likes Received:
    1,501
    I had sort of the opposite problem with both my own Father and my ex-Father-in-law. Neither of them wanted to talk about the war at all, or if they did only in very limited fashion. I have found out a few things over the years, but with my Dad now well into mid-Alzheimer's I probably won't know much more until I get access to his records and stuff he keeps in a safe deposit box. If then.

    Both of them seemed to have more of an inclination to tell me "humorous incidents" rather than heroic ones. All of my Mother's brothers, and my Dad's one brother-in-law who served have passed on and their stories are likely gone for good.
     
  15. Victor Gomez

    Victor Gomez Ace

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
    Messages:
    1,292
    Likes Received:
    115
    I do get the point that family stories may not be accurate and I can disregard those things and see the paperwork and documented service which still inspires my respect for what our veterans and soldiers did to perform their duties. I paid great attention to my father as he did not often speak of things during the war with the exception of the happy moments. As to classing this as a family story I think they may be strictly from his perspective but as he was a very humble person I never got a feeling of "imbellishing" his story. If anything my dad credited others more than himself and would only say he was honored to have served and happy for what he learned. My mother confirmed some of his stories and also documented his service with a scrapbook she created that is still intact. I will say we can't all always fit in the same mold so to speak and I see a soldiers record as speaking for its self and our memories are what they are for each as individuals.
     
  16. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2008
    Messages:
    5,627
    Likes Received:
    1,006
    That's the way I looked at it. I figure the more of these things we can get up here in one place the easier they are to figure out. These are such a tangible piece of history with a great deal of information.
     
  17. C.Evans

    C.Evans Expert

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Messages:
    25,883
    Likes Received:
    857
    I have no :salute:s yet but, your Stepdad has my fullest respect ;-))
     

Share This Page