How To Find Out About A Relitives Service In The Korean War

In the view of filmmaker Ken Burns, The Vietnam State of war—his documentary with codirector Lynn Novick—isn't meant to provide answers nigh a state of war that helped conductor America into an era of political and social turmoil. Instead, information technology raises questions.

Post-obit in the steps of Burns' previous documentaries on World State of war Ii and the Ceremonious War, The Vietnam War hits hard with intense footage and emotional accounts from American military and their families, protesters, and Vietnamese combatants and civilians. In 10 parts and 18 hours, the film shares a range of perspectives from witnesses to a complicated, chaotic history.

Vietnam War History

The United States had backed Vietnam's Communist Viet Minh coalition against Japanese invaders during World War II, so switched sides as Viet Minh fought French republic for independence in the First Indochina War.

In 1954, a now-independent Vietnam was divided into Communist North and antiCommunist South. Communist-sympathizing guerrillas chosen Viet Cong launched attacks in the South in the late 1950s, prompting the United States to send military advisors to South Vietnam. More than troops followed—23,300 by 1964—as the Northward lent support to the Viet Cong. Escalation continued until 1968, with 536,100 troops in Vietnam. The number decreased under President Richard Nixon's "Vietnamization" programme to hand over the conflict (technically the correct term for it, as the United States never alleged war) to South Vietnam. Combat troops were withdrawn in 1973, though the state of war continued until S Vietnamese capital Saigon brutal in 1975.

A total of 2.7 million Americans served, at 22 years quondam on average. Between vii,500 and eleven,000 were women. About 300,000 were wounded, and 58,000 killed. Injuries disabled tens of thousands. More than than 1,200 are unaccounted for to this day.

Troops returned domicile with picayune to show for their cede, many having witnessed the unimaginable, to a public disgusted with the war and distrustful of the U.s.a. government. Some struggled to arrange to noncombatant life and suffered from mail service-traumatic stress disorder. The state of war still causes debates: Was it necessary or not? What went incorrect?

No wonder so many veterans didn't talk virtually their wartime experiences, and then many families didn't enquire—leaving siblings and children to wonder, years later, what their loved ones had been through. Start discovering the answers with these strategies for researching your relatives' Vietnam War service.

Finding Vietnam War Discharge and Service Records

Like any genealogy project, this one starts at dwelling house. Search for messages, discharge papers and photos relating to your veteran. Talk to him or her if possible—encounter tips below from The Vietnam State of war senior producer Sarah Botstein. Endeavour to larn bones details such equally whether the person was drafted or volunteered, the service number, dates of service, training locations, when deployed, unit served in, and places stationed. Read about the war to familiarize yourself with locations, operations and events mentioned in records.

Adjacent, request military machine personnel records from the National Archives' National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. These can include Department of Defense form 214 (called the DD 214 or Separation Documents, which record a discharge), personnel records from the person'due south Official Military Personnel File, and medical records. Termed "nonarchival" considering they document people separated from the military less than 62 years ago, these records fall under restrictions to protect veterans' privacy.

Requestors must be the service member him- or herself, or if deceased, a spouse who hasn't remarried, a parent, a child or a sibling. Follow these instructions in making your request. Provide every bit much identifying information as you know, including name, service number, SSN, and branch and dates of service. If you lot're requesting a deceased veteran's records, you'll demand to supply proof of death, such equally a decease certificate or obituary, and sign an affirmation saying you're next of kin.

NPRC will initially transport the DD 214, which provides the person'south service number, data well-nigh service dates, promotions and reductions, awards and commendations, and medical treatment. You tin ship NPRC a follow-upwards request for more data, which might include exit papers, identification card applications, and clothing issuances.

Y'all may have heard that many 20th-century war machine records were destroyed in a 1973 fire at the NPRC. The fire affected files of those discharged before 1964, then chances are your Vietnam veteran'south records survived. If not, you can request a Certificate of Service with bones information from other records. Read more near the fire and damaged records.

Like veterans of the Earth Wars, those returning from Vietnam could register their belch at a local courthouse—a helpful substitute for a missing DD 214. Yous may need to visit the courthouse or send a request, merely you might notice discharges among digitized court records at FamilySearch. Search the online catalog for the county and look under the court records heading. The catalog entry will link to digitized records, if they exist. Luckily, an index book listing my dad's discharge in 1969 is amid the site's digitized county courtroom records. I'll need to request a copy of the record from the courthouse.

Researching War machine Draft Records

The NPRC besides has post-WWII through Vietnam-era Selective Service (typhoon) records for men born before 1960. The draft registration carte du jour (SSS Course i) may contain information such as name, Selective Service registration number, age, appointment and identify of nascency, ethnicity, identify of residence at the time of registration and basic physical description.

These details might audio dull, only there's more than to be institute for draftees who appealed their pick: The classification history (SSS Form 102) may contain name, date of nativity, classification, date of mailing notice, date of appeal to the lath, date and results of the armed forces concrete exam, entry into active duty or noncombatant work in lieu of induction, date of separation from active duty or noncombatant work, and general remarks. You can society copies of these records for a fee.

Learning Nearly Casualties and the Missing

If your veteran was injured or killed in the state of war, search for casualties online in National Archives databases. Datasets include Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam War (the same databases are on genealogy sites such as the free Access Genealogy). Besides see state-level casualty lists.

Burials in national military machine cemeteries are recorded in the VA's Nationwide Gravesite Locator. The names of those who died in service are engraved in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, DC. Visiting the memorial to make a rubbing of your loved one's name is a powerful experience (you also can asking a rubbing by mail). Search Fold3's life-size photo re-cosmos of the memorial for gratuitous; click a person'due south proper name in your search results to view the name on the wall and if bachelor, details such equally the casualty location and engagement.

For information on the National Archives' records related to POWs and those reported MIA, see the National Archives' finding assistance. The two,504 individuals who went MIA are named in the American Battle Monuments Committee website's searchable database and on the commission's Tablets of the Missing memorial in Honolulu.

The Defense Pw/MIA Accounting Agency is responsible for determining the fate of missing personnel and identifying remains of the dead. The bureau's website states information technology'due south "not authorized to expend resources for requests exterior the telescopic of our mission," and then it doesn't answer to inquiry requests. You can come across its list of those notwithstanding missing online.

Vietnam Military Service Awards

Awards are noted on the DD 214. (The Vietnam Service Award was given to all who were honorably discharged, so you won't find related specific details.) You lot too can search the National Archives' database, Records of Awards and Decorations of Laurels During the Vietnam War. The same data is in the Ancestry.com database Vietnam War, Awards and Decorations of Laurels, 1965–1972. The source files, from National Archives' Tape Group 472, make up Fold3's gratuitous Vietnam Service Awards drove.

Endeavor searching for the person's name. But because many awards were made to unabridged units, information technology's a better bet to run a keyword search for the battalion, brigade or division, or for places where the person was stationed. You might find the date of the accolade and a clarification of the action for which it was given.

For case, my dad was in the 14th Engineer Battalion (Gainsay), and a keyword search for 14th engineer returns long memos describing the battalion's meritorious service in building bases and bridges, maintaining roads, constructing airfields and other duties. Virtually occurred before my dad'due south tour, merely the documents tell me the kind of work he did. You lot can see pictures of Vietnam medals and link to information about them.

Photos and Documents

Fold3 has photos of personnel, locations and more, organized by military branch. Use the research yous've gathered for clues, and search for the person's proper name, company, service unit, locations and more. My dad had mentioned existence at FSB (burn back up base of operations) Nancy, and I establish several photos. Googling FSB Nancy too led me to a YouTube video of the base from a helicopter.

In her enquiry for The Vietnam War, Botstein used Texas Tech Academy'southward online Virtual Vietnam Archive of more than 4 million pages of scanned documents, photos and recordings. Yous'll observe after-action or "lessons learned" reports, news manufactures, newsletters of veterans groups, letters, finding aids for Vietnam-related collections, photos and footage of troops, memoirs, oral histories, maps, pictures of insignia and more than. (The website Records of War Vietnam lets you browse many of Texas Tech'southward reports and other resources by service branch and unit.) Virtually items are digitized on the site, simply some copyrighted items, such every bit the Pacific Stars and Stripes newspaper, are available only offline by asking.

Also effort the National Archives online itemize. Information technology'southward unlikely you lot'll notice someone by proper noun, merely you may find correspondence, records and photos relating to your relative's service. My search on Vietnam engineers led to identified photos of Marine Corps engineers, a glossary of jargon troops used and more. Adding 14th brought upward catalog records for 14th Engineer Battalion operational reports; I'd demand to contact the athenaeum to request copies.

You can use filters adjacent to your search results to see only photos, or select "archival descriptions with digital objects" to view only items that are digitized.

Oral Histories

Firsthand accounts from those who experienced the same things your relative did can give you insight into his story. Texas Tech makes its oral histories available through the Vietnam Eye and Archive Oral History Project. Also explore the Library of Congress' Veterans Oral History Project. Search at that place by keyword or scan by disharmonize, branch and other terms. At the US Army Center for Military History, select Archival Material to hear selections from interviews. This site too has photos and downloadable documents with data on the war.

Vietnam Veterans Groups and Websites

Several sites, such as The American State of war Library and VetFriends have message boards where veterans reminisce and enquire about buddies. You lot could search for mentions of your veteran's proper name or military unit, or you could post a request for any memories of him.

Find veterans groups online and on Facebook by searching for Vietnam and the unit your relative served with. I institute a folio for the 14th Combat Engineer Battalion Clan with issues of the Swampy Scout, a typewritten newsletter published past battalion members serving in Vietnam. They included a breakdown of activities by visitor. Your efforts will bring you lot a lot closer to understanding the experiences of your loved one.

vietnam service medal — A Vietnam service medal.

Tips for Interviewing a Vietnam Veteran

How do yous fifty-fifty begin to approach the topic of Vietnam with a veteran when you've never really talked almost it before? Remember that but because someone hasn't talked about information technology doesn't mean she'due south unwilling—some people don't share until they're asked. And if the time hasn't been correct in the past, it may be at present.

You'll need to broach the topic to accept the veteran sign a DD 214 asking. Try bringing up a book you've read or watching The Vietnam War with the veteran.

"I would recommend not watching the film alone," says senior producer Sarah Botstein. "Watch it with someone who was live during that time. It'll definitely get a conversation started." And so ask the person if he or she minds sharing some memories with yous—whether now or during a subsequently visit.

Earlier you talk, "learn the history—not just specific to that person," Botstein says. Use the resources in this article to assemble information and assist you set your questions. Too consult these suggested questions.

Botstein spends hours talking with veterans to institute a comfort level before filming. You already know your veteran (and you're not going on Idiot box) so y'all can build rapport by covering the basics first. "Beginning chronologically with the facts," Botstein recommends. Inquire the person's name, birth date, hometown, where he went to high schoolhouse and college (if applicable), and reason for entering military machine service. Work into the topic by request nigh preparation, feelings in the beginning days of service, thoughts about the new surroundings, the food, base life, and keeping in touch with family.

Then y'all can enquire the person about his assignments, fellow soldiers who stand out in memory, and combat experiences. If you have details on where the person served or operations he was role of, you tin ask specifically for memories of those places and events. Enquire if the person has any photos or other mementos he can evidence y'all, as well.

Don't interrupt to ask for more details near a retention. Instead, brand a note and enquire afterwards the person has finished his thought. Be patient during silent pauses while the person tries to call up long-ago details. At that place's no need to leap in right abroad if he gets emotional; instead, give him a few moments to regain composure. You also tin ask if he'd like to switch topics for awhile.

Take notes, simply yous'll also want to preserve the stories by recording the interview. Use a digital recorder or smartphone app such as Hullo-Q or Easy Vocalisation Recorder (Android) or Just Press Record (iOS). Practice with your equipment ahead of time, and recall extra batteries or charging cords.

Vietnam War Websites and Books

How to Read a DD 214
National Archives: Vietnam War Records
Online Vietnam War Indexes and Records
Records of War Vietnam
Request Veterans Records
US Army Center of Military History
Us Air Force Historical Research Agency
US Coast Guard Historian's Office
US Marine Corps History Sectionalisation
Us Naval History & Heritage Control
The Vietnam Middle and Archives at Texas Tech University
The Vietnam War: A Flick by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick
Vietnam State of war Overview
Vietnam War Commemoration Maps
Vietnam War Timeline
The Girl in the Picture: The Story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph, and the Vietnam War by Denise Chong (Penguin)
The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War (reissue ed.) by Frederick Downs Jr. (Norton & Co.)
Vietnam: A History by Stanley Karnow (Penguin)
Vietnam: A History of the War past Russell Freedman
(Vacation Firm)
Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day State of war past Michael MacLear
(St. Martin'due south Press)
The Vietnam State of war: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (Knopf)
A Vietnam War Reader by Michael H. Hunt (University of North Carolina Printing)

A version of this commodity appeared in the September 2017 issue of Family unit Tree Mag.