Posted on 01/26/2015 5:34:12 PM PST by budda1954
Hi all. My father past away recently, and while cleaning out his house, we found some old army uniforms. I suspect they were one of my mothers brothers uniforms. They have a number ink stamped inside F-2817, that I would guess would be an identification tag of some sort. Also, there are no other id's on the uniforms except for a 6th Armored Division patch. Any help would be appreciated. Does anyone know of an internet site where I can type in a name of a relative to finds dates of service, etc.?
Thanks.
The code most likely represents the first letter of his last name followed by the last four digits of his service number. Post oe send me a picture...if I don’t know I can find out.
http://6tharmoreddivision.com/
They have a database search.
Correct guidance.
Go here first.
From there you can follow up with alumni groups, museums, etc
From my Army days, that is most likely a laundry mark. The F being the first initial of the soldier’s last name and the last 4 digits of his Army serial number.
a good book to help you with your search is “Finding Your Father’s War” by Jonathan Gawne. http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Your-Fathers-War-Understanding/dp/1932033149
If you have your relative’s name and hopefully birth place as a minimum you can go to the National Archives website: www.archives.gov And from there go to http://www.archives.gov/veterans/ and you can put in a request for his personnel file; please note that nearly 80% of ww2 files were destroyed in a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO; however many records were partially reconstructed.
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That’s probably the first letter of his last name and last four digits of his social security number.
Which is very sad. I am able to get most of my four great-grandfather's Civil War records but not my Father's WWII records.
Yes. The Civil War records, both unit and personnel, are at the main Archives building on the Mall in the center of Washington DC. And at various state archives.
Here is NARA’s account of the fire:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html
What is not mentioned are the allegations of it either being deliberately set by a disgruntled employee, or accidental from a cigarette that was left on a shelf or ashtray and never properly put out.
It is possible that it was the last four numbers of his US or RA serial number, as opposed to his SSAN.
I entered AD in June of '69 and was issued a RA #****4823.
It was used exclusively for a few months, until such time as the SSAN replaced the RA/US/NG/AUS numbers. Prior to that, the SSAN, while a part of your records, was not used as an identifying number for DOD purposes. I do not think it was put on dog tags until about mid-'70's
So, remember that when searching data bases...the number may not match his SSAN, but could match his Service Number (SN).
I still have a pair of OG trousers with the first letter of my last name and the last four numbers of my RA number, stamped onto the small flap that covers the seam at the back of the trousers.
In fact, they're stiff as a board from the starching they received, which common in those days.
Probably dates back to about mid-1970.
Good luck with the search.
it shall not be the barren Barracuda, my promise.
It was used exclusively for a few months, until such time as the SSAN replaced the RA/US/NG/AUS numbers.
I went RA on June 30, 1969 and was given an RA number.
Next day, July 1, 1969, DOD went to the SSN as you said.
Funny thing, as much as they drilled into us, "always remember your service number!", I still remember my RA number 40+ years later :-)
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