7 Replies Latest reply on Jan 20, 2020 4:14 PM by Lauren Stauffer

    Searching for information on Joseph Lesanskey, a private in WWI

    Wayfarer
    Lauren Stauffer Dec 7, 2019 8:14 PM

      Hello

      My great grandfather, Joseph Lesanskey was a private in WWI. He was born in 1888 and died in 1939. He resided in Mount Carmel, PA, married my great grandmother Mary, died in NY, buried in Mount Carmel, PA. Honestly that is all I know about his military history or about him.

      Anything would be helpful

      Thanks

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        • Re: Searching for information on Joseph Lesanskey, a private in WWI
          Jason Atkinson Ranger
          Jason Atkinson Expert Dec 11, 2019 3:33 PM (in response to Lauren Stauffer)

          Dear Ms. Stauffer,

           

          Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

           

          We suggest that you begin by requesting a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and individual medical reports for enlisted men of the U.S. Army who were separated from the service after October 1912 and prior to 1957 are in the custody of NARA's National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. In many cases where 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 will be issued. Please 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. 

           

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

           

          2 people found this helpful
            • Re: Searching for information on Joseph Lesanskey, a private in WWI
              Wayfarer
              Lauren Stauffer Dec 11, 2019 6:29 PM (in response to Jason Atkinson)

              Hello, Thank you for answering and your suggestions. If I go through the National Personnel Records Center, I would need his service number and/or social security number and I do not have that. No family has that either and for some reason the funeral home does not either. Do you have any suggestions on how to get those? Thanks

                • Re: Searching for information on Joseph Lesanskey, a private in WWI
                  Jason Atkinson Ranger
                  Jason Atkinson Expert Dec 12, 2019 11:22 AM (in response to Lauren Stauffer)

                  Dear Ms. Stauffer,

                   

                  Thank you for posting your follow-up request on History Hub!

                  For general information, it is not required to provide every detail requested in the GSA SF-180.  Fill it out to the best of your knowledge and the staff at NPRC will do their best to find responsive files using the information provided. The more details provided, the easier it is for NPRC to locate the correct files, especially if there is more than one person with the same name. 

                   

                  For additional information about Joseph Lesanskey, we searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series titled Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 in the Records of the Selective Service System (World War I) (Record Group 163) that includes a registration card for him. These records are in the custody of the National Archives at Atlanta (RE-AT). For access to these records, please contact RE-AT via email at atlanta.archives@nara.gov. 

                   

                  We also located a series titled Lists of Inductees, 1917 - 1918 (for Pennsylvania) in Record Group 163 that may include information about him. For access to and/or copies of the listing that includes Joseph John Lesankey, please contact the National Archives at Philadelphia (RE-PA) via email at philadelphia.archives@nara.gov.

                   

                  The draft registration card records have been digitized and are available online through our partner Fold3 and may be viewed here. There may be a fee to access these records through Fold3, however you may view Fold3 for free at any National Archives location and at some public libraries.

                   

                  In addition, we searched Ancestry and located the following records that may be a match for your great-grandfather. There may be a fee for viewing these records on Ancestry, however, as with Fold3, Ancestry can be viewed for free at any National Archives location and at some libraries.  You also may be able to request copies of the birth and death certificates listed from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.


                  In addition, we located a listing for a Joe Lesankey age 21, in the 1910 United States Federal Census, living at 211 East Avenue, Mt. Caramel, Pennsylvania with wife Mary and aunt Mary Krull. There may also be listings for him on the 1920 and 1930 censuses. For more information about researching Federal Census records, please see here:  https://www.archives.gov/research/census

                  1 person found this helpful
              • Re: Searching for information on Joseph Lesanskey, a private in WWI
                Elliot Schneider Ranger
                Elliot Schneider Dec 11, 2019 9:34 PM (in response to Lauren Stauffer)

                Lauren,

                 

                He Enlisted in 1917 in Mt.Carmel. PA with Batt F. 310th Field Artillery or F.A.

                 

                His service number is # 1777238

                 

                Enlistment 11/4/1917 to 6/2/1919

                 

                Hope this helps you a little further.

                 

                 

                V/r

                 

                 

                Elliot Schneider

                1 person found this helpful
                • Re: Searching for information on Joseph Lesanskey, a private in WWI
                  John Plunkett Wayfarer
                  John Plunkett Dec 12, 2019 3:19 PM (in response to Lauren Stauffer)

                  Ancestry has  copies of a  number of documents:-

                  1) Pennsylvania Veterans Compensation Application

                  2) War service Form

                  3) Statement of Service card

                  4) Bonus Application Card-Approved

                  5) Victory Medal Card- approved for the FRANCE clasp. He seems not to have been at the front.

                  6) Ingoing and outgoing Transport Manifests

                   

                  Most of the information gleaned from these records are in the following replies except that he was not wounded and was 0% disabled from the war. He became a private 1st. class.

                   

                  Still I am sure that there are stories to discover and adventures to explore.  It was, after all, The Big Show. I honor him for his service to country.

                  Anything could have happened- just luck.

                  john

                  1 person found this helpful