Military Ancestors...

[Dame]

Turns out Grandpa Joe's great-grandfather (also Josiah) served in the War between the States. He was in the Virginia militia. Died in 1862 from Typhoid just after returning home. He was discharged for being over 35.

I did not know this before this thread. Thanks @Gunpowder.

 

[Devildoc]

My great grandfather served in a regiment of the NC cavalry. He was young, and the story goes that he was an indentured servant on a farm and the farm owner sent him to serve in his place. I believe he lost part of her leg.

Given that my mother's family is from Eastern Virginia and Eastern North Carolina, I would not be surprised if there were several others that were in the war as well.

 

[nobodyvl]

Just remembered that my grandpa died serving the South Vietnamese Army. There's a picture of him on an alter wearing a beret of some sort.

Don't know anything about him (or even his name) and after my grandma died recently(other side of the family) kind of regret not learning more about my family.

 

[nobodyvl]

 

[Dienekes]

Any pictures in uniform?

 

[Dienekes]

I was too late to come back and edit once I found the info, but it turns out he flew 100 combat and reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam. Other units: Squadron Commander of 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Bergstrom AFB. He was assigned to Ramstien AFB, Germany where he served with NATO in 4 ATAF and AAFCE. He finished his distinguished career as a Colonel serving as Vice Commander of the 17th Air Force at Sembach AB, Germany. It also says he flew missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I love learning about family.

 

[SpitfireV]

Sounds like my first wife...

Just having a think, I suspect my mum has a photo of my great uncle but I'll have to check. He was taken prisoner in North Africa and held on an Italian POW ship. By some accounts they didn't put up some kind of POW signal flag on the ship and she was torpedoed by a British submarine and he died in the hold. From memory one of the men who managed to get out of the ship later went and visited my great uncle's mother to apologise he didn't do more. Poor fella that would have been hard to deal with, especially in those guys.

MV Sebastiano Veniero (1940) - Wikipedia

 

[Muppet]

I have to dig some pics out. I have one of my mom and dad, both in uniform, after Nam.

My pop has a bunch of pics of my grandfather. He landed on DDay, was involved with the liberation of Buchenwald. I'm told, there are some pics of Zeady (yiddish, endearment) carrying a prisoner of that camp, Zeady was a medic. I'm told, Zeady was never right after coming home, typical PTS issues (shell shock, back then). He would watch the Three Stooges and when he would see the nazi skits, he would bellow out loudly, laughing, then he would be quiet. I miss him.

 

[Gunpowder]

Turns out Grandpa Joe's great-grandfather (also Josiah) served in the War between the States. He was in the Virginia militia. Died in 1862 from Typhoid just after returning home. He was discharged for being over 35.

I did not know this before this thread. Thanks @Gunpowder.

Illness and injuries took more lives than combat...disease was rampant then... a soldier surrounded by other soldiers from various locations from around the south and you had a recipe for disease and illness'

 

[Gunpowder]

I was too late to come back and edit once I found the info, but it turns out he flew 100 combat and reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam. Other units: Squadron Commander of 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Bergstrom AFB. He was assigned to Ramstien AFB, Germany where he served with NATO in 4 ATAF and AAFCE. He finished his distinguished career as a Colonel serving as Vice Commander of the 17th Air Force at Sembach AB, Germany. It also says he flew missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I love learning about family.

Very honorable and brave pilot..keeping him alive by learning about him

 

[Gunpowder]

Just having a think, I suspect my mum has a photo of my great uncle but I'll have to check. He was taken prisoner in North Africa and held on an Italian POW ship. By some accounts they didn't put up some kind of POW signal flag on the ship and she was torpedoed by a British submarine and he died in the hold. From memory one of the men who managed to get out of the ship later went and visited my great uncle's mother to apologise he didn't do more. Poor fella that would have been hard to deal with, especially in those guys.

MV Sebastiano Veniero (1940) - Wikipedia

During our American Revolution, the British placed thousands of Patriots in prison ships...some say 11,000 died aboard them...

 

[racing_kitty]

I have one aunt that served in the Air Force. My maternal grandfather was in the Army Air Corps, and met my grandmother (who was also serving) in post-war Europe; he eventually retired with his commander’s wings as a Buff pilot.

Dad enlisted in the Army, but he came down with pneumonia twice during basic, and was medically separated before he could graduate. My dad’s dad was a Merchant Marine in WWII. Before him, two of his relatives were blockade runners during the Civil War. Growing up, one of my great aunts told stories that her daddy told her about “Thuh Wawuhr” (rough phonetic spelling of a southern drawl), and I don’t mean WWI. I wish I could remember them.

Going back further, my brother actually was able to trace relatives that fought in the American Revolution. I’d like to find his notes, so I can look up some names.

Sadly, I don’t have any photos right now.

 

[Kheenbish]

Grandpa was a Scout and Raider during WW2. Has some insane stories involving disarming mines on the beaches of Normandy before DDay. I'll try to get some pictures or more stories, he keeps to himself a lot these days.

 

[ShadowSpear]

Crazy question: I know you can request military records for a relative, but do those records ever include official photos?

 

[Gunz]

Crazy question: I know you can request military records for a relative, but do those records ever include official photos?

I've never heard of that, but you could include it in your FOIA SF-180 Form. There are many different documents you can request. It's not just limited to DD214s and medical records, so, conceivably, you might be able to get official photos, too.

Incidentally, my wife has been doing Ancestry.com for a number of years and you'd be amazed at the wealth of records, documents and photos it gives you access too, including certain military records. She was looking for her bio-Dad's Marine Corps fighter squadron from the Pacific in WW2...and ended up with unit rosters, photographs, combat histories, his duty stations etc. She was able to follow his movements from California to Hawaii to various Pacific islands.

It's another valuable resource for info on military ancestors.

 

[Gunpowder]

Crazy question: I know you can request military records for a relative, but do those records ever include official photos?

One of my grandfathers was a merchant seaman during WWII. His ship along with several other merchant ships we're sunk when they ran into a minefield. He along with 4 other seamen were rescued by a French Corsair. Never having met him I requested his records from St Louis. I received actual certificates, fingerprint card and a photograph of him...having never seen a picture of him was surprising. My little brother looks very much like him!

 

[Gunpowder]

Crazy question: I know you can request military records for a relative, but do those records ever include official photos?

Not sure where this response should be redirected...as it pertains to Military History....

Your question has jogged my memory regarding WWII Merchant Marines. Somewhere back in the early 1980's, Congress or the Department of the Navy determined the WWII Merchant Marines are to be considered as having served in the military during wartime. I received a DD214 as well as the aforementioned documents

 

[Gunpowder]

I've never heard of that, but you could include it in your FOIA SF-180 Form. There are many different documents you can request. It's not just limited to DD214s and medical records, so, conceivably, you might be able to get official photos, too.

Incidentally, my wife has been doing Ancestry.com for a number of years and you'd be amazed at the wealth of records, documents and photos it gives you access too, including certain military records. She was looking for her bio-Dad's Marine Corps fighter squadron from the Pacific in WW2...and ended up with unit rosters, photographs, combat histories, his duty stations etc. She was able to follow his movements from California to Hawaii to various Pacific islands.

It's another valuable resource for info on military ancestors.

I too have doing genealogy for the past 40+years...much of the information you are seeking has already been identified and in most cases certified. Just remember...most of what you find is not what you expect. Example..one of my Native ancestors was hung for train robbery along with his three white cohorts...wasn't expecting to find that information.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Example..one of my Native ancestors was hung for train robbery along with his three white cohorts...wasn't expecting to find that information.

Wow.

 

[Gunpowder]

Wow.

Having been hung in Arkansas I thought maybe by Judge Parker...no-go there ...but the newspaper articles can be found online.