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My father was a veteran of the 87th. How can I found out
more about his experiences? |
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First and foremost, join
the Association! We publish a fine quarterly newsletter, The
Golden Acorn News, which alone is worth far more than the
modest yearly dues. You may also request a roster of members
from your father's unit. Using this roster, you may be able
to locate some of your dad's old buddies. |
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How do I get my medals, or those of a family member? |
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From the National Personnel Records Center web site:
"... veterans may request issuance
or replacement of their medals and awards. Family members
may only request medals and awards of living veterans by obtaining
their signed authorizations. For deceased veterans, requests
will be accepted from next-of-kin (unremarried widow or widower,
son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister of the
deceased veteran)."
Details
can be found here.
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I know my grandfather was in the 87th, but I'm not sure
what unit. How can I find out? |
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- Be aware that there was also an 87th Infantry Regiment,
which was part of the 10th Mountain Division. So
first you must confirm that he was in the 87th Infantry
Division.
- One of the best places to look for this information in
on the military discharge. Please note, however, that even
if your grandfather did serve in the 87th, this may not
be detailed on his discharge, as he may have served in other
outfits as well.
- Submit a Standard
Form 180 to the National Personnel requesting your grandfather's
service records. Unfortunately, there was a fire in 1973
which destroyed about 80% of the Army's records for the
time period between 1912 and 1960. You may, however, be
in that lucky 20%, so it's worth a try.
- This information can often be found on medical records.
Request a copy of your grandfather's Service Medical Records
(SMR) your Regional
Veteran's Administration office.
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What is the National Personnel Records Center? |
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The NPRC is a division of the National Archives. They serve
as the repository of government personnel-related records,
both military and civil service. Here are some relevent links:
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