21 Replies Latest reply on Dec 19, 2018 9:35 AM by joan stachnik

Air Force Archives

joan stachnik May 19, 2018 12:16 PM

Hi, can anyone tell me what type of information might be contained in "war diaries"? In one of HIstory Hub's blogs on military research, there was reference to a private website (airforcehistoryindex.org) that had a searchable index to some AFHRA records. I noticed that some of the content is described just as war diaries or diaries, with no more mentioned in the abstract. Just wondering what these type of information these documents might contain. I'm currently looking for information on two specific Troop Carrier Groups/Squadrons active during WWII. thanks, joan stachnik

Re: Air Force Archives

Elliot Schneider May 20, 2018 9:07 PM (in response to joan stachnik)

Hello Joan

What types of troop carrier information are you seeking, I have some related to my grandfather who was with the 101st, 501st PIR during WW2 kn ETO, European Theater of Operations. Also another Uncle who serves with the 326th Engineer A/B Company which was attached to the 101st. Do have some sketches of troop carriers with the records from him.

Elliot Schneider
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- Re: Air Force Archives
  
  joan stachnik May 21, 2018 10:11 PM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
  
  Hi Elliot. Thanks for the reply. My dad was in the 320th GFAB of the 82nd Airborne. He was on 2 glider missions that I know of...Normandy and Market-Garden. I know something about the Normandy flight but am trying to get more on the Market-Garden operation (what glider he might have been on, dates, etc). I thought the Troop Carrier Squadron records might be of help. Wasn't sure what the war diaries might contain. Thanks, joan
  
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  - Re: Air Force Archives
    
    Elliot Schneider May 22, 2018 5:38 PM (in response to joan stachnik)
    
    Hello Joan,
    
    Do you mind if I do some digging through my records, I know that both the 82nd, and 101st were both in Market-Garden mission.
    
    Elliot Schneider
    
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      joan stachnik May 22, 2018 10:52 PM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
      
      Thank you. Any help would be appreciated. joan
      
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      - Re: Air Force Archives
        
        Elliot Schneider May 23, 2018 8:42 AM (in response to joan stachnik)
        
        Joan,
        
        I may have found your honey pot. Please contact me at schnee59@uwosh.edu
        
        Thanks,
        
        Elliot Schneider
        
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        Elliot Schneider Jun 3, 2018 5:26 PM (in response to joan stachnik)
        
        Hello Joan,
        
        Not sure if you have research the Dwight Eisenhower library, but I would recommend contacting them. This may provide useful material to your research. They have helped me out allot. For your reference the 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion information is located in box #6. Hope this provides you with some additional information.
        
        eisenhower.library@nara.gov
        
        Thanks,
        
        Elliot Schneider
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        joan stachnik Jun 3, 2018 8:40 PM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
        
        HI Elliot, thank you. Yes I did contact the Eisenhower Library. They were kind enough to send me what they had. joan
        
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  - Re: Air Force Archives
    
    Elliot Schneider Jun 28, 2018 2:45 PM (in response to joan stachnik)
    
    Joan, what was you fathers last name, came across some morning reports.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Elliot Schneider
    
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      joan stachnik Jun 29, 2018 8:50 AM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
      
      HI Elliot, my dad's last name was Stachnik. Which unit are the morning reports from? thanks, joan
      
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        Elliot Schneider Jun 29, 2018 9:23 AM (in response to joan stachnik)
        
        Good Morning Joan,
        
        They are from the 320 GFA, so you know possibly what Company #
        
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        joan stachnik Jun 30, 2018 3:44 PM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
        
        Thanks Elliot. My dad was in the HQ battery. I have searched through morning reports for the 320th/HQ for the time of his service and found several mentions. What dates are you looking at? I might have seen them. Thank you, joan
        
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        Elliot Schneider Jul 2, 2018 9:24 AM (in response to joan stachnik)
        
        Hello Joan
        
        They are from the HQ BTRY 320 GFA, they are from Feb 1944, and Oct-Nov 1944. Glad you found some morning reports with him mentioned.
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        joan stachnik Jul 2, 2018 4:43 PM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
        
        Elliot, thank you very much. I have seen the MR for those months. joan
        
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  - Re: Air Force Archives
    
    Michael Brown Dec 6, 2018 3:33 PM (in response to joan stachnik)
    
    Joan,
    
    The services kept fairly good records of operations, the trick is finding them. I once had a very detailed record of the 82nd Airborne Market Garden Operation. It contained all aircraft and gliders by tail number with there specific loads. It had a recap of the entire operation to include maps of where each glider ended up and the condition. It was an inch thick 8.5" X 14" report. The one I had came from a veteran and I think was marked copy number of a large number of copies. Some of the information you seek may well be in such a document that may be with the 82nd operation records. Hope this is helpful - happy holidays.
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      joan stachnik Dec 12, 2018 2:17 PM (in response to Michael Brown)
      
      Hi Michael, do you happen to remember the title of the record? There is a website (a miitary library I believe) that has digital copies of a number of WWII documents. I did find one on Market Garden. But I don't recall seeing a list of gliders and specific loads. Any additional information about the document would be appreciated. Thanks, joan
      
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        Michael Brown Dec 14, 2018 10:40 PM (in response to joan stachnik)
        
        Joan,
        
        Sorry to say, I don't recall much else about it. It was one of two documents that passed through my hands about 45 years ago. The two were basically the same, one for the 82nd and the other 101st. They were 8.5" by 14" printed on unruled pencil tablet paper at least a inch thick. Map and load pages folded out as attachments. As best as I can recall - titled 82nd Airborne and second one 101st Airborne - Market Garden. Both titles contained a little more verbiage - I just don't recall what it was.
        
        Michael
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        joan stachnik Dec 17, 2018 11:27 AM (in response to Michael Brown)
        
        Thanks! joan
        
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        Elliot Schneider Dec 17, 2018 12:47 PM (in response to joan stachnik)
        
        Joan,
        
        Where are you in your Research these days. Have you found anything else pertaining to the Troop Carrier Group that was assigned to carry your fathers Glider or have you found the glider glider pilot that transported him and his crew.
        
        Elliot Schneider
        
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        Re: Air Force Archives
        
        joan stachnik Dec 19, 2018 9:35 AM (in response to Elliot Schneider)
        
        Hi Eliot, thanks for the follow-up. I was able to identify my dad's specific glider for D-Day but not for Market Garden. Have pretty much run out of resources to check, although I do have some papers still to read. But I'm guessing such detailed information is likely lost. Same for my dad's hospitalizations in Belgium. Thanks for asking, joan
        
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Re: Air Force Archives

Rebecca Collier May 23, 2018 10:17 AM (in response to joan stachnik)

Dear Ms. Stachnik,

Thank you for posting your request to History Hub!

We searched the records of Army Air Forces during WWII and located several war diaries. The contents of these often contained a historical narrative and a journal-style listing of the events for a day, week or month depending on the activities of the unit. Sometimes they include correspondence.

We hope that this information is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

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  joan stachnik May 23, 2018 11:27 AM (in response to Rebecca Collier)
  
  Ms. Collier, thank you for the reply. I did receive a number of files from the Air Force archives (AFHRA) which included the diaries, so lots of reading to do! joan
  
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