Ww2 records

[blairandsoniataggart]

Hi

I have the enlistment records of my grandfather's brother who enlisted in Boston in 1943 but cannot find any other information about where he served and what unit etc. His name is Charles Henry taggart born in 1921 and I know my grandfather served during the end of the war in the navy but I can't really find too much on Charles he died in 1994 and I never met him. His father was Charles Dalzell taggart and his mother was grace R taggart. Any help or insight would be great

Thanks

Blair

[MaxD]

What are the records you have exactly?  Do they have any Army Form numbers (usually top right of the sheets).  Are you able to post scans of them or any part of them?

If they are not his service record then  you will have to apply for them, they are still with the Ministry of Defence.

MaxD

[blairandsoniataggart]

Hi

He served in the US army so that's where I am having the problem

[medpat]

No records online for the armed services from the early 1920 onwards so they will still be with MOD.

This is the link for obtaining UK service records:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

You don't need a service number as long as you have a date of birth and you need his death cert.. He  died around the  25 yrs ago, if it is  25 yrs or more there is no problem accessing his records but under 25 yrs it's the next of kin or by the next of kin's permission. It costs £30 and can take several months to get the documents.


This doesn't apply then as it's for UK services only.

[MaxD]

Sorry - I assumed Boston Lincolnshire!! (Memo to self, never assume, check)

US records :

https://www.archives.gov/veterans

MaxD

[kentishkiwi]

Hi Blair

Last year I was in a similar position to you with not having much information on a family member who served in the US Army. I was lucky as he died in the war so a bit more information was available on him. However once I learnt that many of the service records were lost in a fire at the archives in 1973 I decided to use a researcher. I had read how long it takes to get much back from the archives whereas the researcher is on the ground there. He pulled off records for 2 other family members as well. I didn't even have a service number for one of them. I can really recommend his services. Even with the basic details you may receive, it will allow you to do some further research elsewhere if desired. On one of my men I got very little but was able to find diaries etc on the internet once I had the basic details of his service . If you are really keen Geoff the researcher will copy the units day reports but that can be quite an expensive exercise. I did it on one of me guys and it was an eye opener.  If interested the website is https://goldenarrowresearch.com . Another website which I believe is also linked with Geoff is www.mymilitaryservicerecords.com There is loads of information on both. I am based in the UK and payment is easy.
I don't know if you are on Ancestry but I notice against his name an entry in the New York Passenger lists 1820 - 1957 for 1946 on the Lejeune.The list is US servicemen leaving France and arriving NY on 3 April 1946. I did notice his ASN is very slightly different to his SSN. Maybe just coincidence and not him but I notice his release date was 8 April 1946. (For anyone else reading this I picked these details up from the US Dept of Veteran affairs BIRLS Death files on Ancestry)

Regards
KK