How can I find out more info about what battles my grandfather was in during WWII?

Question

My grandfather fought in WWII.  When I was growing up my parents told me not to ask my grandfather about his involvement in the war because the memories were too painful.  Out of respect, I never asked him about the war.  He died a year or two ago and for the longest time I've always wondered what battles he was in.  I don't know what battalion etc that he was in.  About the only thing I knew growing up for sure about his involvement in the war was that he was part of the US invasion force to invade Germany.  I've been able to find census information online about when he was born and I think I found out that he was drafted out of Evansville, Indiana.

Does anyone know of ways that I can find out what battalion/regiment/company/division he was in and from that likely find out what battles he fought in?

I always imagined him storming the beaches of Normandy when I was growing up, but I'm not sure if he was ever a part of that or not.  I don't think my family knows the particulars of his time in the military either.  If there are some online search engines, archives or libraries I could contact I'd appreciate it.

Emily M · Accepted Answer

I will assume that he was from Evansville or at least from Indiana.

Does anyone in your family have copies of letter that he sent home?  Those may have some of the information you are seeking.

You can contact the Indiana State Archives (first link) and request copies of the information they have on your grandfather.  If he applied for and received a bonus from Indiana, there should be a copy of his DD214, discharge certificate, on file at the Indiana State Archives.   That will have some information that will help you further.

You can also look to see if he is mentioned on the Browning Evansville local history site (second link).

When the government shutdown ends, you (or your parent if he continued serving for several years after the war ended), can request copies of his military records via the eVetRecs  system (third link).  Note that many WWII era records were lost in a fire so you might not get much, but medical records were not stored in the same place.  So request his medical records too.

Once you know your unit,you can use Google or another search engine to find out where his unit served.

Liz · Answer

You can generally find some general information on ancestry.com.  This can be a starting point.  You can get a free trial subscription for two weeks.  Sign up first.  Then go to search, specify "Military," and then input all of the information you already know.  This will probably yield some military records, like pension records, draft registration cards, enlistment records, etc.

M · Answer

The US Army Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA has a wealth of information.  I used their research services to find my ancestor's involvement in World War I. I knew that my great-uncle had driven a tank, and that my grandfather had suffered a poison gas attack, but the Institute filled in the details for me.
You should be able to find out which battalion he was in, and from there, which battles he fought in. They might have maps, battle history, and other interesting tidbits for you. Happy hunting!

http://www.carlisle.army.mil/AHEC/USAMHI/default.cfm
 http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/usamhi/researchinquiries.cfm

Maxi · Answer

I would suggest you need to look for his military record in the US as he was a US serviceman, however as he was part of the Allied forced under British military instruction, based somewhere in the UK, it might be worth looking at British resources and some factual history about WW2.....

As a child we  perceive all types of things hero type behaviour, but as we get older we realise that these men and women gave us freedom and many died doing so, each and everyone of them played their part regardless of what they did.......... my maternal grandmas brother was killed aged 19 years in France, well before the US even entered the war and my fathers uncle, to me a lovely gentle old man fought and never spoke about it, it was only when I began my research did I find out more he really was a hero, recognised as one, his medals ( which I was given) are of the highest honour given, not just campaign medals.........

This is the website in the UK for forces records, it is a fee paying site http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/ww2-records

This will give you an overview http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/

Americans when they arrived http://www.nww2m.com/2012/01/january-26-1942-american-soldiers-arrive-in-great-britain/

This is the DDay museum http://www.ddaymuseum.co.uk/d-day/the-museum

NARA your own National Archives http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/331.html

UK archives ( but I think you will find it is only for UK personell http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/default.htm

If you find other family members who died in either WW1/WW2 then this will help http://www.cwgc.org/

Observer · Answer

you could obtain a copy of his military records from the National Archives, or you could attempt to locate him on muster rolls that are on ancestry.com.

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How can I find out more info about what battles my grandfather was in during WWII?

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