Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2010 2:35:10 GMT 8
A little over a year ago, I began preparing for my 50-year high school reunion which is scheduled for the fall of 2011. I knew there were 16-18 of my classmates who had served in the military services. It would be appropriate to prepare a special recognition for them. I was hoping to get two or three pictures and a brief summary of their service (Branch of service, term of service, final rank, primary and secondary military occupational specialty and perhaps a brief statement concerning military service). Some of them are missing or deceased, others have been slow to respond, and others have been very corporative.
Then it occurred to me that I knew very little of my father’s military service. I began a review of his service via the WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge and WD AGO Form 100, Army Separation Qualification Record. I was familiar with most of the contents of those documents and realized there were a couple of discrepancies (Form 53-55, item 31 – Military Qualification Badges should have included “Basic Parachutist Badge”; item 41 – Service Schools Attended “None” should have been “Infantry Paratroop” (Form 100 specifically states that Service School was attended and he graduated)) which seemed minor at the time.
ENTER CORREGIDOR.ORG – I stumbled across one of the FAQ and the related answers which suggested that dad was eligible to receive an additional four decorations which were not recorded on his discharge papers. They were the Bronze Star (apparently regs were changed to allow the award of the Combat Infantryman Badge “to be considered as a citation in orders” for the Bronze Star), American Campaign Medal (apparently the “aggregate period of 1 year” stateside was not recognized in his records), World War II Victory Medial (authorized by Congress 1 month before dad’s separation), and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation (authorized by the Philippine government in 1946 – after dad’s separation).
On July 19th, after reviewing AR 600-8-22 specifically for the items listed above, I prepared a letter to the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, St. Louis, MO requesting a review and verification of all of dad’s decorations. On October 18th I received a reply from the NPRC with verification of all the decorations and authorization to reissue to the family, except for the Basic Parachutist Badge and was instructed to “provide official documentation that the veteran was recommended for this award”. That occurred even though I had specifically pointed out that he had completed the Service School “Infantry Paratroop” and graduated as specified on Form 100. In addition, I will need to submit documentation to the new U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, KY (that facility has been under construction for the past two and a half years – it has been interesting to watch the progress). That letter and accompanying documentation was mailed on Tuesday.
On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at NPRC (MPR) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files. The affected record collections are described below.
Branch; Personnel and Period Affected; Estimated Loss
Army; Personnel discharged 11-01-1912 to 01-01-1960; 80%
Air Force; Personnel discharged 09-25-1947 to 01-01-1964 with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.; 75%
I was very lucky that dad had several copies of his documentation made and stored in different areas. He also had them recorded at his local county clerk’s office when he returned home.
Well, the bottom line is, Corregidor.org was very instrumental in this effort.
Bob Hansen, U.S. Army, 1962-1965
Then it occurred to me that I knew very little of my father’s military service. I began a review of his service via the WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge and WD AGO Form 100, Army Separation Qualification Record. I was familiar with most of the contents of those documents and realized there were a couple of discrepancies (Form 53-55, item 31 – Military Qualification Badges should have included “Basic Parachutist Badge”; item 41 – Service Schools Attended “None” should have been “Infantry Paratroop” (Form 100 specifically states that Service School was attended and he graduated)) which seemed minor at the time.
ENTER CORREGIDOR.ORG – I stumbled across one of the FAQ and the related answers which suggested that dad was eligible to receive an additional four decorations which were not recorded on his discharge papers. They were the Bronze Star (apparently regs were changed to allow the award of the Combat Infantryman Badge “to be considered as a citation in orders” for the Bronze Star), American Campaign Medal (apparently the “aggregate period of 1 year” stateside was not recognized in his records), World War II Victory Medial (authorized by Congress 1 month before dad’s separation), and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation (authorized by the Philippine government in 1946 – after dad’s separation).
On July 19th, after reviewing AR 600-8-22 specifically for the items listed above, I prepared a letter to the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, St. Louis, MO requesting a review and verification of all of dad’s decorations. On October 18th I received a reply from the NPRC with verification of all the decorations and authorization to reissue to the family, except for the Basic Parachutist Badge and was instructed to “provide official documentation that the veteran was recommended for this award”. That occurred even though I had specifically pointed out that he had completed the Service School “Infantry Paratroop” and graduated as specified on Form 100. In addition, I will need to submit documentation to the new U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, KY (that facility has been under construction for the past two and a half years – it has been interesting to watch the progress). That letter and accompanying documentation was mailed on Tuesday.
On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at NPRC (MPR) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files. The affected record collections are described below.
Branch; Personnel and Period Affected; Estimated Loss
Army; Personnel discharged 11-01-1912 to 01-01-1960; 80%
Air Force; Personnel discharged 09-25-1947 to 01-01-1964 with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.; 75%
I was very lucky that dad had several copies of his documentation made and stored in different areas. He also had them recorded at his local county clerk’s office when he returned home.
Well, the bottom line is, Corregidor.org was very instrumental in this effort.
Bob Hansen, U.S. Army, 1962-1965