I am trying to find information about my father's (Eldon Fransein) military history in the Second Marine Division in WWII. Here he is front on Guadalcanal in 1942.
I am trying to find information about my father's (Eldon Fransein) military history in the Second Marine Division in WWII. Here he is front on Guadalcanal in 1942.
Thank you for posting your question on History Hub in regards to your father's military service in World War II!
We would recommend, if you have not already done so, to request your father’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and medical records of Officers and Enlisted Personnel of the U.S. Marine Corps who were separated from service after 1904 and prior to January 1, 1999 are located at NARA’s National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. Certain information in the records is not available to the general public without the written consent of the veteran or the next of kin. You may apply online at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/. Or you can download Standard Form 180 (SF-180) and send in your request via postal mail.
To download an SF-180 please visit our website at the following: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf
For a complete copy of a personnel file, in Section II, on the line for "Other" (Specify), write "Complete copy of every page of personnel file - not an extract."
The OMPF is primarily an administrative record, containing information about the subject's service history such as: date and type of enlistment/appointment; duty stations and assignments; training, qualifications, performance; awards and decorations received; disciplinary actions; insurance; emergency data; administrative remarks; date and type of separation/discharge/retirement, and other personnel actions.
Once you have your father’s OMPF file, you can use the information contained in it to request additional information from the National Archives. We have a variety of records that might help shed additional light on your father’s service, such as USMC Muster Rolls and Geographic Files.
Muster Rolls are quarterly or monthly reports of personnel attached to a particular unit or station. US Marine Corps Muster Rolls are located in Record Group 127: Records of the U.S. Marine Corps. Muster rolls typically contain the surname, given name, and middle initial of each individual, and may also contain an individual’s rank, service number, and enlistment date. Muster Rolls contain lists of both officers and enlisted personnel, with officers listed first, and include notes on personnel movement and changes.
The Marine Corps muster rolls are on microfilm. The 1798-1958 Marine Corps Muster Rolls, which were on microfilm and are arranged monthly, have now been digitized and are available online through a partnership with Ancestry.com. These rolls can be viewed via Ancestry and are searchable by name.
For World War II we have operational records for various locations where military engagements took place, known as "Geographic Files." The records include not only reports of Marine combat operations, but also reports of U.S. Navy ships supporting some Marine operations. Many of the documents originate at the tactical unit level, often as low as battalion or company, accompanied by maps and sketches.
If you are interested in any of these, once you have the OMPF, be sure to include the names of any battalions and any relevant dates or locations in an email to archives2reference@nara.gov, so we can best assist you.
We hope this assists you with your research!
Sincerely,
Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR)
RR2RR 25-03895-SH
Thank you for posting your question on History Hub in regards to your father's military service in World War II!
We would recommend, if you have not already done so, to request your father’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and medical records of Officers and Enlisted Personnel of the U.S. Marine Corps who were separated from service after 1904 and prior to January 1, 1999 are located at NARA’s National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. Certain information in the records is not available to the general public without the written consent of the veteran or the next of kin. You may apply online at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/. Or you can download Standard Form 180 (SF-180) and send in your request via postal mail.
To download an SF-180 please visit our website at the following: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf
For a complete copy of a personnel file, in Section II, on the line for "Other" (Specify), write "Complete copy of every page of personnel file - not an extract."
The OMPF is primarily an administrative record, containing information about the subject's service history such as: date and type of enlistment/appointment; duty stations and assignments; training, qualifications, performance; awards and decorations received; disciplinary actions; insurance; emergency data; administrative remarks; date and type of separation/discharge/retirement, and other personnel actions.
Once you have your father’s OMPF file, you can use the information contained in it to request additional information from the National Archives. We have a variety of records that might help shed additional light on your father’s service, such as USMC Muster Rolls and Geographic Files.
Muster Rolls are quarterly or monthly reports of personnel attached to a particular unit or station. US Marine Corps Muster Rolls are located in Record Group 127: Records of the U.S. Marine Corps. Muster rolls typically contain the surname, given name, and middle initial of each individual, and may also contain an individual’s rank, service number, and enlistment date. Muster Rolls contain lists of both officers and enlisted personnel, with officers listed first, and include notes on personnel movement and changes.
The Marine Corps muster rolls are on microfilm. The 1798-1958 Marine Corps Muster Rolls, which were on microfilm and are arranged monthly, have now been digitized and are available online through a partnership with Ancestry.com. These rolls can be viewed via Ancestry and are searchable by name.
For World War II we have operational records for various locations where military engagements took place, known as "Geographic Files." The records include not only reports of Marine combat operations, but also reports of U.S. Navy ships supporting some Marine operations. Many of the documents originate at the tactical unit level, often as low as battalion or company, accompanied by maps and sketches.
If you are interested in any of these, once you have the OMPF, be sure to include the names of any battalions and any relevant dates or locations in an email to archives2reference@nara.gov, so we can best assist you.
We hope this assists you with your research!
Sincerely,
Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR)
RR2RR 25-03895-SH
