Know anything about military awards?

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RIZZY
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In the beginning, I could not find any of my dad's military insignia so I went ahead and requested his full military records and medals. Then, I found the box where he kept his medals. Among them, he had a Purple Heart and two Bronze stars. Today, I get a letter back from the records center with a list of the medals they could verify. It did not list a purple heart and it doesn't specify if he had one or two bronze stars.

The purple heart in his collection comes with the paperwork stating his name and all that. My dad rarely ever talked about his time in the military so it's not like he would have faked any of this. In fact, I distinctly remember him constantly making jokes about his Purple Heart because the injury, he accidentally gave to himself. He was cutting through the bush with a machete and accidentally cut himself. LOL He always said he didn't understand why they awarded him one.

Anyway, what does it mean that they can't verify the Purple Heart?

Also, I thought I was going to get more information about his service. His cousin seems to think my dad was a 2nd Lieutenant but most of the paperwork says private/E3. My brother and I also strongly remember my dad being in both the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne but we've been told by other people that isn't possible. Neither my brother, nor I, know much about the military and we're just curious. I honestly wanted to update his obit because I left it vague on purpose so that it wouldn't be wrong. So...will I not get anything about his rank, etc?
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"If you’re the next of kin of a Veteran who has passed away
You can request a copy of the Veteran’s military records in any of these ways:

Mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
Get Form SF 180 to download
Write a letter to the NPRC. Send it to:
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138

Visit the NPRC in person
Contact your state or county Veterans agency
Hire an independent researcher"

https://www.va.gov/records/get-military ... e-records/
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RIZZY
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Anonymous 1 wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 4:07 pm "If you’re the next of kin of a Veteran who has passed away
You can request a copy of the Veteran’s military records in any of these ways:

Mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
Get Form SF 180 to download
Write a letter to the NPRC. Send it to:
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138

Visit the NPRC in person
Contact your state or county Veterans agency
Hire an independent researcher"

https://www.va.gov/records/get-military ... e-records/
Thank you. I have done that and gotten the letter back. There is a phone number at the bottom but the last time I called, they didn't seem to have a lot of info for me. Maybe that's because the request wasn't completed yet and they hadn't yet been able to verify my identity. Plus, since I found his medals, I'm scared they will cancel the order. I was planning on putting the second set into a nice shadow box for my brother, that way we both have them. I don't know if that is ethical or not but it's what I want to do. I remember on CM, there were a ton of military spouses so I thought someone here might know and I wouldn't have to call.
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Baconqueen13
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Purple Heart may not have made it into service records especially if your dad served in the Vietnam or Korean wars or during ww2 or if it was awarded after he discharged.
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RIZZY
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Baconqueen13 wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 4:15 pm Purple Heart may not have made it into service records especially if your dad served in the Vietnam or Korean wars or during ww2 or if it was awarded after he discharged.
I had no idea. Thank you!
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Quorra2.0
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I might be able to answer a few questions. Do you know how long your dad served? Or which state he was deployed to Vietnam from?

If Kentucky it would most likely be the 101st, if NC it would be the 82nd. His Purple Heart certificate should have his rank listed. It’s Rank, Name, serial number. You can go to the American War Library to research further I do think you have to dl their software to search the database so you’ll need to be on a PC/laptop though that might have changed. Its been a while since I used it for some research.

I believe with Army an E3 is a PFC(private first class). There would have been 2 paths to obtaining a commissioned officers rank, 2nd Lieutenant. The first would be college. So if he had graduated college prior then he would have started as a 2nd Lt. If he graduated during it’s possible, if he went to officer candidate school. The other way would be to get promoted through the ranks. The last enlisted rank he would have held with this path is a CW5.

I’m not as familiar with Army, few relatives but most my relatives are/were Marines or Navy. So idk if possible or not to go from 82nd to 101st. I think that information is also available through the American War Library but can’t be 100% sure.
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RIZZY
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Quorra2.0 wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 8:22 am I might be able to answer a few questions. Do you know how long your dad served? Or which state he was deployed to Vietnam from?

If Kentucky it would most likely be the 101st, if NC it would be the 82nd. His Purple Heart certificate should have his rank listed. It’s Rank, Name, serial number. You can go to the American War Library to research further I do think you have to dl their software to search the database so you’ll need to be on a PC/laptop though that might have changed. Its been a while since I used it for some research.

I believe with Army an E3 is a PFC(private first class). There would have been 2 paths to obtaining a commissioned officers rank, 2nd Lieutenant. The first would be college. So if he had graduated college prior then he would have started as a 2nd Lt. If he graduated during it’s possible, if he went to officer candidate school. The other way would be to get promoted through the ranks. The last enlisted rank he would have held with this path is a CW5.

I’m not as familiar with Army, few relatives but most my relatives are/were Marines or Navy. So idk if possible or not to go from 82nd to 101st. I think that information is also available through the American War Library but can’t be 100% sure.
Cool, thank you. I'm not sure but I've never heard him talk about KY. I have heard him talk about the Carolinas. He served for a little less than two years and I know he had to go back over at least 2-3 times. He did go to college first and I think he was part of the ROTC while he was in school, I don't know if that makes a difference. I will look up the certificate and see what I can see!
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Quorra2.0
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RIZZY wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:42 am
Quorra2.0 wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 8:22 am I might be able to answer a few questions. Do you know how long your dad served? Or which state he was deployed to Vietnam from?

If Kentucky it would most likely be the 101st, if NC it would be the 82nd. His Purple Heart certificate should have his rank listed. It’s Rank, Name, serial number. You can go to the American War Library to research further I do think you have to dl their software to search the database so you’ll need to be on a PC/laptop though that might have changed. Its been a while since I used it for some research.

I believe with Army an E3 is a PFC(private first class). There would have been 2 paths to obtaining a commissioned officers rank, 2nd Lieutenant. The first would be college. So if he had graduated college prior then he would have started as a 2nd Lt. If he graduated during it’s possible, if he went to officer candidate school. The other way would be to get promoted through the ranks. The last enlisted rank he would have held with this path is a CW5.

I’m not as familiar with Army, few relatives but most my relatives are/were Marines or Navy. So idk if possible or not to go from 82nd to 101st. I think that information is also available through the American War Library but can’t be 100% sure.
Cool, thank you. I'm not sure but I've never heard him talk about KY. I have heard him talk about the Carolinas. He served for a little less than two years and I know he had to go back over at least 2-3 times. He did go to college first and I think he was part of the ROTC while he was in school, I don't know if that makes a difference. I will look up the certificate and see what I can see!
Definitely start there. When you requested his records did it include his discharge information? Or whether he enlisted or was drafted? That’s a very short time to serve but if he was injured, depending on the injury he may have been medically discharged. 🤔 I’ll ask my dad this week and see if he might have additional suggestions on getting information.
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Quorra2.0 wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 11:04 am
RIZZY wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:42 am
Quorra2.0 wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 8:22 am I might be able to answer a few questions. Do you know how long your dad served? Or which state he was deployed to Vietnam from?

If Kentucky it would most likely be the 101st, if NC it would be the 82nd. His Purple Heart certificate should have his rank listed. It’s Rank, Name, serial number. You can go to the American War Library to research further I do think you have to dl their software to search the database so you’ll need to be on a PC/laptop though that might have changed. Its been a while since I used it for some research.

I believe with Army an E3 is a PFC(private first class). There would have been 2 paths to obtaining a commissioned officers rank, 2nd Lieutenant. The first would be college. So if he had graduated college prior then he would have started as a 2nd Lt. If he graduated during it’s possible, if he went to officer candidate school. The other way would be to get promoted through the ranks. The last enlisted rank he would have held with this path is a CW5.

I’m not as familiar with Army, few relatives but most my relatives are/were Marines or Navy. So idk if possible or not to go from 82nd to 101st. I think that information is also available through the American War Library but can’t be 100% sure.
Cool, thank you. I'm not sure but I've never heard him talk about KY. I have heard him talk about the Carolinas. He served for a little less than two years and I know he had to go back over at least 2-3 times. He did go to college first and I think he was part of the ROTC while he was in school, I don't know if that makes a difference. I will look up the certificate and see what I can see!
Definitely start there. When you requested his records did it include his discharge information? Or whether he enlisted or was drafted? That’s a very short time to serve but if he was injured, depending on the injury he may have been medically discharged. 🤔 I’ll ask my dad this week and see if he might have additional suggestions on getting information.
I'm not sure. I know he enlisted, he was not drafted. He was sent home due to injury at least once but I don't think he was medically discharged. Do I find that on his DD214?
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Quorra2.0
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RIZZY wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 11:10 am
Quorra2.0 wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 11:04 am
RIZZY wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:42 am

Cool, thank you. I'm not sure but I've never heard him talk about KY. I have heard him talk about the Carolinas. He served for a little less than two years and I know he had to go back over at least 2-3 times. He did go to college first and I think he was part of the ROTC while he was in school, I don't know if that makes a difference. I will look up the certificate and see what I can see!
Definitely start there. When you requested his records did it include his discharge information? Or whether he enlisted or was drafted? That’s a very short time to serve but if he was injured, depending on the injury he may have been medically discharged. 🤔 I’ll ask my dad this week and see if he might have additional suggestions on getting information.
I'm not sure. I know he enlisted, he was not drafted. He was sent home due to injury at least once but I don't think he was medically discharged. Do I find that on his DD214?
Yes, the DD214 is the certification of release or discharge so it should have the date and place he entered into active duty, date/placed released from duty, address for both entry and discharge last rank and duty assignment, MOS, military education, awards/medals etc.
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