Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guide to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II U.S. Army

by Jonathan Gawne

Overview

A guide to learning more about your relatives’ experience serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.

In this fully revised edition of Finding Your Father’s War, military historian Jonathan Gawne has written an easily accessible handbook for anyone seeking greater knowledge of their relatives’ experience in World War II, or indeed anyone seeking a better understanding of the U.S. Army during World War II.

With over 470 photographs, charts, and an engaging narrative with many rare insights into wartime service, this book is an invaluable tool for understanding our “citizen soldiers,” who once rose as a generation to fight the greatest war in American history.

“Jonathan's Gawne’s book is a 5-star blueprint, well-written and beautifully illustrated, to deciphering a loved one’s WW2 U.S. Army service.” —The Commander’s Voice

“A great read not only for genealogists wishing to research an ancestor, but also for those who simply have an interest in the United States Army during World War II . . . written so that anyone, even those with no military background, can understand, yet also includes more advanced information . . . detail is phenomenal . . . a must read reference book for any professional genealogist or military historian.” —APG Quarterly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781636240107
Publisher:	Casemate Publishers
Publication date:	01/04/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	818,025
File size:	56 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Jon Gawne is considered one of the leading experts on the history of American Army uniforms and equipment in both world wars. His numerous articles for Militaria Magazine have covered everything from the shortage of winter clothing during the Battle of the Bulge to the history of dog tags. His writings have been translated into many languages, including French, Italian and Czech, and are equally popular in both Europe and the US. He has been a technical consultant for films and museums. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and a small spoiled dog, in a house overrun with books, documents and military memorabilia.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Third Edition 6

Note on Sources 9

The War in a Nutshell 12

Section 1 Introduction to Army Units 33

Background information on the composition of the World War II U.S. Army

Section 2 Individual Records 113

The various Army records pertaining to an individual soldier

Section 3 Organizational Records 149

The Army's records of what a man's unit did during the war

Section 4 Finding Records 183

Places around the country where you can find records of your soldier's service

Section 5 Tangible Evidence of Service 215

Identifying what you may already have and what it can tell you about your relative's service

Appendices

Appendix A The Infantry and Airborne Divisions in World War II 270

Appendix B The Armored and Cavalry Divisions in World War II 284

Appendix C Army Groups, Armies, and Corps in World War II 289

Appendix D Major Army Commands of World War II 315

Appendix E The Army Air Forces in World War II 326

Appendix F Vehicle Markings in World War II 342

Appendix G The Campaigns of World War II 351

Appendix H Official Abbreviations Used in World War II 359

Appendix I The Green Books and Select Bibliography 364

Appendix J Draft Classifications 378

Appendix K Concentration Camp "Liberator" Units 380

Appendix L Common MOS Definitions 383

Editorial Reviews

"Jonathan's Gawne's book is a 5-star blueprint, well-written and beautifully illustrated, to deciphering a loved one's WW2 US Army service."

The Commander's Voice

"The author also gives tips on how to interpret military documents, such as orders and service records. The book is liberally illustrated and contains extensive appendices and a useful bibliography."

WWII History Magazine