Official dates of WW2 service

Question

My friend insists her father served in WW2 but he wasn't drafted into the Army until 1950. Since WW2 was officially over 9/2/45, I can't see how this is possible.

History Hub Info · Answer

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 The WWII Victory Medal is awarded to all service members who served honorably from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946. All veterans receive this award for just one day of active duty in that date range. 
 The World War II Army of Occupation Medal (AOM) is a decoration awarded to members of the U.S. Army and Air Force who served in specific regions of Europe or Asia following the end of WWII. A "Germany Bar" device is worn with the medal by personnel who served in the following locations in Europe during the accompanied dates: 
 
 Germany (9 May 1945 to 5 May 1955) 
 Austria (9 May 1945 to 27 July 1955) 
 Italy (9 May 1945 to 15 September 1947) 
 West Berlin (9 May 1945 to 2 October 1990) 
 
 A "Japan Bar" device is worn by personnel who served in the following locations in Asia during the accompanied dates: 
 
 Japan (3 September 1945 to 27 April 1952) 
 Korea (3 September 1945 to 29 June 1949) 
 
 The VA state the following in the context of Eligibility for Veterans Pension : Under current law, we recognize the following wartime periods to decide eligibility for VA pension benefits: 
 
 Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for Veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters) 
 World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918) 
 World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946) 
 Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955) 
 Vietnam War era for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975) 
 Vietnam War era for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam (August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975) 
 Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation) 
 
 When considering the dates of service of a veteran, keep in mind that an individual might have more than one term of service, that they might have served in more than one branch of service at different times, and also that many World War II veterans registered for the draft after completing their military service. 
 Should you wish to further research the veteran in question, we recommend that you request a copy of their Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) . OMPFs and individual medical reports for those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during 1940s and 1950 and separated from the service more than 62 years ago are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis. In many cases where Army and Army Air Corps personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire , proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service may be issued if enough information can be located. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard OMPFs were largely not affected by the fire, with some exceptions. 
 You may use eVetRecs to submit your records request online. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. Alternatively, you may complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. If there is any information requested by the forms that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file. If you want the complete record, where it asks which items you are requesting, please specify that you want the entire file. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. For more information see Request Military Service Records . 
 Records of service members who separated from all military obligations (including reserves time) 62 years prior from the current date can also review the records in the Archival Research Room at the National Archives at St. Louis. Please see the linked website for more information. Email stlarr.archives@nara.gov for further assistance prior to making an appointment. 
 Since some veterans registered with their state or local veterans service agencies after they separated from service, we suggest that you contact the state or county veterans agency where the veteran lived for additional assistance. Please review the NPRC web page Other Methods to Obtain Military Service Records for more information. Please be advised that registering discharge papers with local and state authorities was optional, so we cannot guarantee that these types of organizations will have his records. 
 Selective Service records for individuals who registered after World War I and were born before 1960 are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis ( RRPO) . There are two types of records: cards and classification histories. The individual Draft Registration Card (SSS Form 1) may contain information such as: name, Selective Service registration number, age, date and place of birth, ethnicity, place of residence at time of registration and basic physical description. The Classification History (SSS Form 102) may contain: name; date of birth; classification and date of mailing notice; date of appeal to the board; date and results of armed forces physical examination; entry into active duty or civilian work in lieu of induction (may include date, branch of service entered and mode of entry, such as enlisted or ordered); date of separation from active duty or civilian work; and general remarks. Please complete a Form NA-13172 to request a search of these records and email it to RRPO at stl.archives@nara.gov . 
 If you know which units he was in, you may wish to research the units. For many units, there are a wide variety of histories already published which document where they served. These might be found by searching online, in libraries, and in book retailers. 
 If you have questions about locating unit records, you may ask here on History Hub or contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RR2R) at archives2reference@nara.gov . 
 We hope this is helpful with your research!