|
Post by David Zabriskie on Oct 31, 2007 7:54:25 GMT 8
I'm not sure where to go on this, but I happened to find a Noemfoor Island site and felt that this is, I think, where my dad was in WWII. I remember Dad telling me about his jump on the island where they were dangerously low and when they jumped several soldiers were injured, including my dad. I would like to know if there is some way of confirming whether my dad was part of this unit or not. I've been advised by the Army that Dad's military papers were all distroyed in a fire in St. Louis Missouri. If you can assist me and/or guide to someone that can, I'm looking for information on a John Franz Zabriskie, a Kansas boy from Holton, Kansas. Dad was in a reserve unit that was sent to the South Pacific.
David Zabriskie
|
|
|
Post by EXO on Oct 31, 2007 9:16:26 GMT 8
Yes, the Noemfoor drop was negligently low – the commander’s aircraft apparently made no adjustment for the height of the island, reducing already slim margins. Neither was the Landing Zone clear - there were many injuries when men dropped on earthmoving equipment on the drome. No unit other than the 503d PRCT was dropped, so if your father was on that drop, then he was 503d. If your father jumped on Noemfoor, then that may allow you to pin him to a Company, as not all 503d battalions jumped. What else do you know of his war? Exo
|
|
|
Post by David Zabriskie on Oct 31, 2007 9:35:34 GMT 8
Thank you very much for responding.
All I remember are the things that Dad had mentioned when I was younger. He died in 1984 and any paper history was gone in a strained relationship with his then current wife and my half brothers/sisters. Dad's military records were burned in a fire at the military records building in St. Louis Missouri, so I could not find anything such as a DD214. Do you know of any publication that might mention names of soldiers that were dropped? Dad started out in the national guard in Holton Kansas. I'm sorry I don't have anything tangible to go on.
David Zabriskie
|
|
|
Post by EXO on Oct 31, 2007 9:58:15 GMT 8
There's a listing in The Return To Corregidor by Templeman, though I had a fast look at it and didn't see a Zabriskie. This means nothing great, though, as
(a) I could easily have missed the entry (not in alphabetical order) and (b) Templeman missed a lot too when he compiled the list, for the jump lists themselves weren't complete. Your dad isn't in the Kansas state picture, which showed those Kansas men upon their return to Mindoro from Corregidor.
Again, this isn't definitive, because many men who were injured or wounded were still in hospital when this series of photographs were taken. As you say, your dad was injured on a jump. I used to have a database search on the site, but I don't know how to set it up again, as I changed ISP and don't have access to anyone who knows what they are doing. [ If anyone reading this knows how to set up a database search,and is ready to volunteer their services, I'd be pleased to hear from them. ]
I heard scuttlebut that, post the St. Louis fire, the government had other ways to confirm certain aspects of WWII service, but haven't run this to ground. At this point in time, given that you say you have exhausted official avenues, if you don't have anything further, your father's status as a jumper at Corregidor could only be confirmed by another trooper confirming "I know Z, he jumped with Y in X's plane," or some such statement.
Not many men around to vouch nowadays. And of course, only two battalions jumped on the 16th. The remainder came by beach landing on the 17th. Where does this leave us? That there is no definitive list of men who jumped on Corregidor.
EXO
|
|
|
Post by Tom Aring on Nov 2, 2007 0:50:15 GMT 8
An online source you may want to look into below. They may charge you for the research if you have someone do the research for you, but they are THERE and familiar with the vast archives and how it works, (or not.........I believe they found a map of Hungary in the Corregidor map location the first time they looked for it) I got a map of Corregidor by using such a vendor working independent of the Archives, but with access to the records. It took almost 6 months and a lot of money but was worth it to me. Hope this helps and good luck............ www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html
|
|