John R. Sonier

[jhr]

I am looking for anyone who served with my Dad during WWII - he went by the nickname of Johnny. He was on Guadacanal and was both a cook and drove Jeep for a Colonel. He was active duty for 18 months during 1942-1943.

He also served with the CCC's but I do not know where or when.

I would also like to know how to get a copy of his military records so that I will know what type of awards he earned and what was his hightest rank.

[GailA]

Military records from that time span were destroyed in a fire. I tried to get my dad's and found that out. Mine served in the Pacific too. 503rd PRCT "The Rock Force". He put the flag back up on Corregidor.

[cavan]

You might want to try again on those records.
In the 1970's there was a big fire in the records center in Missouri. It was said that many records were destroyed. The fire was on the front page of the Wash. Post and the NY Times. Soon thereafter, 30 years after WWII, a certain judge suddenly added to his biography that he had won 5 medals in WWII.

When I discovered this sudden addition I was suspicious to say the least. Circa 1995 I contacted the Federal Records Center and they told me that they had been able in the years since the fire to reconstruct from other sources many of the records that had been destroyed. So you should not rule out the possibility that those records *NOW* are available even though in the past you were told that they had been destroyed. [Incidentally I got a letter from the Records Center that he never won the medals.]

[GailA]

I tried last Nov and got back the fire story. Dad collected VA disability for malaria, would they have his records?

[cavan]

I really don't know, sorry.
All I know about the whole situation was in my prior posting.