Our family doesn't know alot of details. We believe the crash was in England. We don't know for sure, there was some sketchiness that my grandma recalls. Before he left for England, she remembers alot of military men coming around asking questions. We would like to know what kind of jet he was in. We know in Korea he flew F-80 fighters. I assume he may have been in an F-86. His name is James Tedder. I think he was born in 1925. Anyone know where I might find details on this?
Thanks!
Joey
My Uncle Ken was killed in about the same time. He had flown bombers in the war, left the military, decided he didn't really like the civilian life of an auto mechanic, and went back in as an instructor. RCAF was training Israeli pilots at the time. He touched wings with a trainee and died.
I'd like to get into the Canadian military records someday and get more info- I've got his RCAF horsehide bomber jacket, although I grew through it when I was about 14...
Records of that era were sketchy compared to today but they do exist if ya dig far enough. Lemme send some emails out, get back to ya, promise!
There isn't much you can't get these days via the Freedom of Information Act. Start here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html
fasted58 wrote: Records of that era were sketchy compared to today but they do exist if ya dig far enough. Lemme send some emails out, get back to ya, promise!
Thank you!
Joey
Contact the Air Force directly. They have historians that deal with these kinds of inquiries. Also, there is a very knowledgeable group on the WIX (wardbird information exchange) that may be able to point you in the right direction.
Osterkraut wrote: There isn't much you can't get these days via the Freedom of Information Act. Start here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html
Thanks! We will fill out a request. I didn't even think of that. Do you think it should be filled out by me, or my grandma, who is his little sister?
Joey
My brother recently requested and received a copy of my uncle's military records (he was killed in Belgium in WWII.) It wasn't a difficult thing to do - he sent in the request, and after a while a big envelope with papers showed up in the mail.
He had no children and all his siblings are dead so we were the next of kin, in your case it may be easier for your grandmother to request the records since she's the closest relative.
There was a big fire in a central records warehouse in 1973 that damaged or destroyed many of the older records; my uncle's records were mostly intact but some of the pages were charred around the edges, hopefully your uncle's records are still available.
joey48442 wrote:Osterkraut wrote: There isn't much you can't get these days via the Freedom of Information Act. Start here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.htmlThanks! We will fill out a request. I didn't even think of that. Do you think it should be filled out by me, or my grandma, who is his little sister? Joey
I dont' think it matters who requested it, I learned about FIA records requests via a website that outs military impostors (the guy on the jousting show isn't actually a SEAL), and they were getting records for completely unrelated persons.
Osterkraut wrote: There isn't much you can't get these days via the Freedom of Information Act. Start here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html
thanks for the link! this thread has motivated me to find out as much as i can about my dad's service (USMC in the Pacific towards the end of WW2). he died in 1990 and never spoke much about where he was or what he did.
AngryCorvair wrote:Osterkraut wrote: There isn't much you can't get these days via the Freedom of Information Act. Start here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.htmlthanks for the link! this thread has motivated me to find out as much as i can about my dad's service (USMC in the Pacific towards the end of WW2). he died in 1990 and never spoke much about where he was or what he did.
No problem! Post up if you get good results.
stuart in mn wrote: My brother recently requested and received a copy of my uncle's military records (he was killed in Belgium in WWII.) It wasn't a difficult thing to do - he sent in the request, and after a while a big envelope with papers showed up in the mail.
neat... I need to request info on my grandpa... like most WWII vets he didn't talk much bout the war (and honestly with some of the things they likely saw why would they?) he claimed to be a cook in england... but that man couldn't boil water without burning it and his sword that I inherited is engraved with a city in the middle of germany...
so may have to check into that... thanks
AngryCorvair wrote:Osterkraut wrote: There isn't much you can't get these days via the Freedom of Information Act. Start here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.htmlthanks for the link! this thread has motivated me to find out as much as i can about my dad's service (USMC in the Pacific towards the end of WW2). he died in 1990 and never spoke much about where he was or what he did.
The island hopping that Marines did in the Pacific was some of the most tough and emotionally scarring battles that have taken place in the last century. You father was truly a great man and I understand his desire to not talk much about it. There is a book I have here sitting in front of me that I haven't gotten around to finish reading yet called With The Old Breed. It will really give you a good grasp of what amphibious assault is really about. I was in the air wing of the Marine Corps from 98 to 03. Atleast 60% of the history we learned was in the Pacific during WWII. From Peleliu to Iwo Jima to Okinawa, these stories are something worth planting yourself and listening if someone is willing to share.
I'm tempted to pull up my both of my grandfather's records. My current knowledge is limited to;
Maternal, Army, WWII, enlisted before the war, left behind in the Philippians when MacArthur withdrew.
Paternal, Navy, WWII, enlisted Dec. 8, 1941, South Pacific, aviation mechanic, mostly swung wrenches on PBYs. I'll skip the 2nd hand war stories from him for now.
Yeah, I know my dad was in the USAF during Korea. He was in the missile program at Canaveral. Maybe I will FIA his records and see what exactly he did. Thanks for that info!
Anti-stance wrote: I was in the air wing of the Marine Corps from 98 to 03. Atleast 60% of the history we learned was in the Pacific during WWII. From Peleliu to Iwo Jima to Okinawa, these stories are something worth planting yourself and listening if someone is willing to share.
iirc from hearing him talk about the unit, he was in MAG32 which was part of the 2nd Marine Air Wing. he talked about being in China, but that might have been after the fighting ended?
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