Anyone ever request military records?

[JackBootedThug]

Of a deceased family member? I know a fair amount about my one grandfather’s service history but I know almost nothing about my other grandfather. He was one cool mofo back in the day. Wonder what all is involved and if it’s possible for me as a grandchild to request it…anybody ever try it?

 

[Ben Waylin]

I lost my DD-214.

Prepare to fill out an online form, and wait 8 months to get a notarized copy from the VA.

 

[watson503]

This might help you some, JBT:

https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

 

[JackBootedThug]

Thanks!

 

[JackBootedThug]

oh boy-getting interesting already. not sure when my paternal grandfather went in but my father was born in 43. my aunt said he had to be home before then and I said it's not possible. He was in France and we didn't invade France until 1944.... I asked if she knew what year they got married and she has not responded yet. Just so you know my grandfather used to get drunk and call France trying to find his old girlfriend over there. And my grandmother would get so mad....it was hilarious. Imagine us sitting at the kitchen table while my drunk grandfather is yelling at a french telephone operator. The whole time my grandmother is just staring daggers into him and mumbling under her breath and yelling at him to hang the phone up....lol....and I'm like 6 or 7 at the time wondering what the fuck was happening....

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

I lost my DD-214.

Prepare to fill out an online form, and wait 8 months to get a notarized copy from the VA.

I got mine from the Town hall. Free. All I had to do was drive there.

 

[84superchamp]

His DD 214 should tell you everything you need to know. My military papers have been in a file for many decades now, so I have no idea what a search for them would be like…good luck!

 

[Thumbpicker]

oh boy-getting interesting already. not sure when my paternal grandfather went in but my father was born in 43. my aunt said he had to be home before then and I said it's not possible. He was in France and we didn't invade France until 1944.... I asked if she knew what year they got married and she has not responded yet. Just so you know my grandfather used to get drunk and call France trying to find his old girlfriend over there. And my grandmother would get so mad....it was hilarious. Imagine us sitting at the kitchen table while my drunk grandfather is yelling at a french telephone operator. The whole time my grandmother is just staring daggers into him and mumbling under her breath and yelling at him to hang the phone up....lol....and I'm like 6 or 7 at the time wondering what the fuck was happening....

 

[jdel77]

What like this?

 

[JackBootedThug]

First request sent in. Apparently they get over 20k requests a week so not sure how long this will take but pretty painless and easy.

 

[Minte]

A few years ago I requested a copy of my DD214 from DOD. I called and spoke to a person rather than doing the online event. I had the copy in my hand in about a week.

 

[70 Mach 1]

I did for myself, had to fill out a form online at the national archives

i forgot all about it, heard nothing. then about 9 months later got a letter in the mail with all my achievements listed

 

[Ben Waylin]

I did for myself, had to fill out a form online at the national archives

i forgot all about it, heard nothing. then about 9 months later got a letter in the mail with all my achievements listed

Yep. Same here..

It had been so long, I gave up and just forgot about it.

8 months later I get my damned DD-214 in the mail.

 

[70 Mach 1]

oh boy-getting interesting already. not sure when my paternal grandfather went in but my father was born in 43. my aunt said he had to be home before then and I said it's not possible. He was in France and we didn't invade France until 1944.... I asked if she knew what year they got married and she has not responded yet. Just so you know my grandfather used to get drunk and call France trying to find his old girlfriend over there. And my grandmother would get so mad....it was hilarious. Imagine us sitting at the kitchen table while my drunk grandfather is yelling at a french telephone operator. The whole time my grandmother is just staring daggers into him and mumbling under her breath and yelling at him to hang the phone up....lol....and I'm like 6 or 7 at the time wondering what the fuck was happening....

its very easy to fall in love in France. i did back in 1984. Toulon France
sometimes i do what your grandfather did especially on holidays
and that was 40 yrs ago.

was a great relationship. we never spoke. just pointed and nodded
after while i learned some French and she some Brooklyn English, then had our first argument

after that we decided to go back to pointing

then i shipped out and somehow lost her contact info that she wrote down for me

 

[JackBootedThug]

Damn…just found out my great uncle who died a couple years ago was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Had no idea and it was never mentioned to me. He made it to 104. I didn’t even know he died. I was only around him a few times and didn’t know him hardly at all. There were 5 or 6 brothers in my grandfather’s family and they all served in ww2. Just never had any contact with them.