Looking for more details on my great grandfather Pvt. Paul G Absher. He was killed in action on August 23 1944. He was with the 315th infantry regiment. I believe he was killed during the Liberation of Vexin in France. Was just looking for more information on him.
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
Military service personnel files and individual medical reports for the period in which you are interested are in the custody of the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. You should complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail to the Military Personnel Records, National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. You may also apply online. Please be aware that there was a fire at the Records Center in 1973 and some records were destroyed.
Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPFs) for the U.S. Army for the period 1940-1976 for U.S. Army personnel with surnames that begin with the letters A-L are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis (RL-SL), 1 Archives Drive, Room 340, St. Louis, MO 63138; Phone: 314-801-0850; Fax: 314-801-9187; email: stl.archives@nara.gov.
Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPFs) for the U.S. Army for the period 1940-1976 for U.S. Army personnel with surnames that begin with the letters M-Z are in the legal custody of the Department of the U.S. Army. Requests for these files must be made using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and submitted to the Department of the Army, US Army Human Resources Command, ATTN: AHRC-FOIA, 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue, Department 107, Fort Knox KY 40122. Requests may also be submitted via email to the following address: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.foia@army.mil. When submitting your request please be sure to include the following: (1) State that you are requesting access to the file under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA; (2) Provide the full name of the individual, their date of death, and service number, if available; (3) State your willingness to pay applicable fees; (4) Include a daytime telephone number in case they need to contact you.
The Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR) has custody of the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917- (Record Group 407) and the Records of U.S. Army Operational, Tactical, and Support Organizations (World War II and Thereafter) (Record Group 338). Military unit files among these records consist mostly of historical reports, after action reports, unit journals, and general orders. These records do not include personnel information, nor do we have a name index to these records.
General orders, as referenced above, do include information about the official bestowal of medals on individual service personnel. However, these records are arranged by unit, thereunder by date and thereunder by general order number. We would need this information in order to search our records. If you have a copy of his discharge certificate, this information might be included therein.
Selective Service records for individuals who served after World War I and born before 1960 are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis, ATTN: RL-SL, P.O. Box 38757, St. Louis, MO 63138-0757; Phone: 314-801-0850; Fax: 314-801-9187; email: stl.archives@nara.gov. There are two types of records: the ledgers and the cards. The ledgers are in the public domain and not restricted by privacy. The cards are considered personal information and written permission for release, a death certificate, and/or an indication that the information is requested for genealogical purposes should accompany the request for copies of the cards. Please use the enclosed form to request a search of these records.
World War II U.S. Army Enlistment Records are in the custody of the Electronic Records Division (RDE) and are available via AAD (Access to Archival Databases) on the National Archives website at: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/. Click on "World War II" under the category section. A list of the databases relating to WWII will appear and select the first database to search the WWII U.S. Army Enlistment Records.
We invite you to continue the conversation with community members on History Hub, but should you have follow up questions for the staff at Archives II, please email us at archives2reference@nara.gov so that we can assist you further.
We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!
Sincerely,
Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR)
[24-07931-PBB]
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
Military service personnel files and individual medical reports for the period in which you are interested are in the custody of the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. You should complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail to the Military Personnel Records, National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. You may also apply online. Please be aware that there was a fire at the Records Center in 1973 and some records were destroyed.
Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPFs) for the U.S. Army for the period 1940-1976 for U.S. Army personnel with surnames that begin with the letters A-L are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis (RL-SL), 1 Archives Drive, Room 340, St. Louis, MO 63138; Phone: 314-801-0850; Fax: 314-801-9187; email: stl.archives@nara.gov.
Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPFs) for the U.S. Army for the period 1940-1976 for U.S. Army personnel with surnames that begin with the letters M-Z are in the legal custody of the Department of the U.S. Army. Requests for these files must be made using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and submitted to the Department of the Army, US Army Human Resources Command, ATTN: AHRC-FOIA, 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue, Department 107, Fort Knox KY 40122. Requests may also be submitted via email to the following address: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.foia@army.mil. When submitting your request please be sure to include the following: (1) State that you are requesting access to the file under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA; (2) Provide the full name of the individual, their date of death, and service number, if available; (3) State your willingness to pay applicable fees; (4) Include a daytime telephone number in case they need to contact you.
The Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR) has custody of the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917- (Record Group 407) and the Records of U.S. Army Operational, Tactical, and Support Organizations (World War II and Thereafter) (Record Group 338). Military unit files among these records consist mostly of historical reports, after action reports, unit journals, and general orders. These records do not include personnel information, nor do we have a name index to these records.
General orders, as referenced above, do include information about the official bestowal of medals on individual service personnel. However, these records are arranged by unit, thereunder by date and thereunder by general order number. We would need this information in order to search our records. If you have a copy of his discharge certificate, this information might be included therein.
Selective Service records for individuals who served after World War I and born before 1960 are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis, ATTN: RL-SL, P.O. Box 38757, St. Louis, MO 63138-0757; Phone: 314-801-0850; Fax: 314-801-9187; email: stl.archives@nara.gov. There are two types of records: the ledgers and the cards. The ledgers are in the public domain and not restricted by privacy. The cards are considered personal information and written permission for release, a death certificate, and/or an indication that the information is requested for genealogical purposes should accompany the request for copies of the cards. Please use the enclosed form to request a search of these records.
World War II U.S. Army Enlistment Records are in the custody of the Electronic Records Division (RDE) and are available via AAD (Access to Archival Databases) on the National Archives website at: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/. Click on "World War II" under the category section. A list of the databases relating to WWII will appear and select the first database to search the WWII U.S. Army Enlistment Records.
We invite you to continue the conversation with community members on History Hub, but should you have follow up questions for the staff at Archives II, please email us at archives2reference@nara.gov so that we can assist you further.
We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!
Sincerely,
Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR)
[24-07931-PBB]
