2 Replies Latest reply on Dec 27, 2017 7:41 AM by Stanley Kober

    Military information about deceased WWII veterans

    Stanley Kober Newbie
    Stanley Kober Dec 24, 2017 2:59 PM

      For the last 10 years I have been assisting a VFW comrade (now 94 years old) in trying to get the remains of his father [CPT Warren C.M. Lessing (O-916 612) extricated from a plane crash in Botwood Bay, Newfoundland, Canada in October 1942 and putting together some facts about his Dad. The following information is still outstanding after checking with many sources: 

       

      Meaning of designation G4-404-2889 is unknown

      Reported for Duty on September 17, 1942 at Miami Beach

      Class 56m(?) unknown as to content, instructors, students, etc. except for a “Lt. Fetter” in condolence “Telex” to wife of CPT Lessing

      Possible member of OSS, but nothing can be substantiated in search

      Member 653rd Tech. Sch. Sq. September 18, 1942, but can’t find out about the unit being in Miami at that time

                              Billeted at Roney-Plaza, Miami Beach September 21, 1942

                              Member of 1252nd Engineer Combat Battalion, but again, cannot find out anything

       

      Any help would be much appreciated as his son is not in the best of health at 94 years old.

      Thanks.

        • Re: Military information about deceased WWII veterans
          Cara Moore Lebonick Adventurer
          Cara Moore Lebonick Expert Dec 26, 2017 5:36 PM (in response to Stanley Kober)

          Dear Mr. Newbie,

           

          The Mortuary Affairs department with the U.S. Army Quartermasters handle retrieval and burial of deceased American military personnel. It was previously called Graves Registration Service. You may contact them directly regarding these affairs.

           

          The Individual Deceased Personnel Files for the WWII-Korean War period are held at the National Archives at St. Louis. You can learn more about these from this presentation. They may provide valuable insight into the details of the death and remains. You may request this file via email at stl.archives@nara.gov

           

          A list of OSS member records held at the National Archives in College Park, MD can be accessed in this searchable PDF. I was not able to locate any persons named “Lessing” on this list but you may request additional searches for related records from archives2reference@nara.gov or possible related civilian federal service from stl.archives@nara.gov

           

          The National Archives at St. Louis also hold Morning Reports for this time period and branch. You may wish to search the morning reports to find out more about the unit to answer your final few questions.

           

          I hope these additional resources can provide you with more information!

           

          Best,

           

          Cara Moore Lebonick

          National Archives at St. Louis

            • Re: Military information about deceased WWII veterans
              Stanley Kober Newbie
              Stanley Kober Dec 27, 2017 7:41 AM (in response to Cara Moore Lebonick)

              Thank you Cara.

               

                        I have already contacted the St. Louis archives for the IDPF and have received whatever they have.  Apparently 6 pages are missing from their copy as well as the one I received from another request directly from JPAC (when they had that name) when the Army transferred the records to them.

               

                        I will contact the Quartermaster—Graves Registration for whatever they might have on file.  I do know that I have records from the Quartermaster in the IDPF from 1942 and they were really not very helpful as they said at the time that he had been recovered and buried in Canada!  Which turned out to be false.

               

                        I have already contacted the St. Louis archives for any records that they might have regarding the units, but I did not specifically ask for the morning reports.  The units by name were negative as I recall, but will ask for the morning reports as you recommended.

               

               

               

               

               

              Stan

               

               

               

              Stanley A. Kober, KC2ZXB

               

              (sakober@yahoo.com)

               

              Past Post Commander (2005-2013)

               

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