Need info on my Dad's DFC citation

[clintonh8r]

My Dad was awarded the DFC in World War 2. He was an Army Air Corps pilot, flying C-47s in CBI, North Africa and Italy.

I need assistance in getting a copy of the award citation. I am having his medals framed to present to my nephew and I'd like to be able to tell him what his Pop-pop did to earn the award.

Can someone tell me whom to contact, presumably in the DoD?

Many thanks.

[MeganC]

I know from my own grandfather that you might not be able to find out anything because millions of military records burned up in a fire in St. Louis a long time ago.

[RedMDer]

The VFW that my Dad belonged to helped by contacting in his case the Department of the Navy to get his record, medals, etc.

[4yearlurker]

I tried to find info on my dad who also was in the Army Air Corp in WW2. I wrote to I think St. Louis and I received a letter in reply that his files had burned in a fire. My brother in law wrote for his dad's files (he was an Island hopping Marine in WW2.) and received a fat envelope with all kinds of info. He found out his dad flunked out of radio school!

[colorado tanker]

Military Times has a database, but be warned, a lot of them have been issued. You might pop it up on google with his name.

http://valor.militarytimes.com/search.php?medal=6

Wiki also has a list, but as usual YMMV with Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Recipients_of_the_Distinguished_Flying_Cross_%28United_States%29

Good luck.

[hinckley buzzard]

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

[Leroy S. Mort]

Try the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR)

[smokingfrog]

http://valor.militarytimes.com/search.php?medal=6

[smokingfrog]

http://www.dfcsociety.net/the-medal/#

[bigbob]

Contact your local veterans service office or the equivalent, they’ll help. And all due resped to your father for his service and valor. My dad earned a Silver Star as well as several Bronze and the PH so I fully understand your pride and desire to share this history. Good luck.

[GreyFriar]

Here is the Wikipedia entry for the DFC, which is accurate.

World War II[edit]

During World War II the medal’s award criteria varied widely depending on the theater of operations, aerial combat, and the missions accomplished. In the Pacific oftentimes commissioned officers were awarded the DFC, while enlisted men were given the Air Medal. In Europe some bomber crews, often the sole survivors of their wing or group, received it for completing a tour of duty of twenty-five sortees; elsewhere different criteria were used.[4]

During wartime, members of the Armed Forces of friendly foreign nations serving with the United States are eligible for the Distinguished Flying Cross. It is also given to those who display heroism while working as instructors or students at flying schools.

Colonel Francis S. “Gabby” Gabreski, USAF, received 13 Distinguished Flying Crosses—the most earned by any individual. He is followed by Admiral Stan Arthur, USN, with 11 DFCs.

Thus there are several variables in what he did to receive it as an award, to include the combat theater.

Also contact the US Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB. Here is its website: http://www.afhra.af.mil/

If you know the USAAF unit your father belonged to, they may be able to track down your fathers DFC as they have copies of the records of many of the USAAF units active in WWII.

[razorback-bert]

My father flew the Hump and lost his metals, I used my congresscritter to him new ones, citations and miniatures.

[Born to Conserve]

Gather every scrap of data you can — information about his crew or plane, his wing, squadron, group, etc. Any dates or places would be important. Missions, even anecdotes could tie something in.

Good luck.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

If personnel files were destroyed in the St. Louis Personnel Center fire years ago, don’t despair. You can search unit records at the National Archives in College Park, Md. (NARA II) and maybe find After Action Reports, unit Roosters, Orders of Battle, and citation reports for individuals.

I see them all the time during my research at NARA 2. Also, there are registered professional researchers you can hire to look for them if you cannot get to the Archives.

Go to the College Park, Md. NARA 2 website for more information.

[SunTzuWu]

Bookmark and Thanks everybody for all the helpful suggestions and links.

[clintonh8r]

Thanks, everybody, for the great information and suggestions.

Here’s some information, if it helps.

My dad enlisted in 1940, age 20. After 12/7/41 he applied for flight training and was accepted. He trained in Coffeyville, Kansas, and in Altus, Oklahoma. He went to multi-engine training and ended up flying C-47s in Burma, Egypt, Greece, Sicily and Italy. He met his mission quota and rotated back to the States before D-Day. He mustered out as a captain and then was promoted to major in the Air Force Reserves. He flew the hump while in CBI and supplied Italian partisans prior to the invasions of Sicily and Italy.

[Doc91678]

Ping!
I was discharged in 1960 and my records were lost too. I had to supply the Military from my personally saved 201 files.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Go here: https://vetrecs.archives.gov/VeteranRequest/home.html

Be VERY specific about your request. Tell them you want award citations.

[trebb]

If you are anywhere near a military base/post/fort, check in the personnel office - there’s usually retired vets on volunteer duty who would be happy to assist with such an endeavor.