Military Records
Dorosan, Dorotec R320453 (Mus. Spec. 5th Cl.)
Is (Mus Spec. 5th Cl.) the military unit ? It looks to me like the rank not unit. clarification appreciated.
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it does sound like a rank (maybe Music Specialist 5th class). But please post your batch’s “Batch Code” so we can look at it in context, and maybe help you identify the military unit. The Batch Code is the letters and numbers starting with M and enclosed in [. ] brackets at the end of the batch name. It looks like MXXX-XXX.
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You're welcome - any time.
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Am I to put this in Reviewing? M9n5-nz5
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That is the batch code, @joanlittle22. Hold on to the batch and go ahead and ask your question.
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It looks the batch code M9NG-NB6
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Hi.
That was the Batch Code - thanks. And you're correct - that is a rank. For these military records, when you can't find Enlistment Date or Military Unit/Branch information on your batch image, you're allowed to look at (usually prior) reference images to help determine it. Below (at the bottom) is a screen snip of the top of reference image -1 Click on the bottom vertical toolbar icon to show or hide the reference images. It looks like an open book. From reference image -1, we can see that the Military Unit is Service Company, 15th Infantry. The military branch (probably Army) is "Not Given." as you correctly indexed.
We can also see that most of these soldiers (see the two exceptions below) do NOT have an actual enlistment date listed (or a higher priority military date). So, per item #4 of the Field Help (purple question mark) for the Enlistment Date fields (see below), you may use the Roster Date (May 31, 1921) as a substitute for their enlistment date. Enter those roster date values in the Enlistment Date fields of the first entry and click on the "Copy forward to like fields" icon (6th from the right in the horizontal toolbar) to propagate those common roster date values to all the entries.
The two exceptions see item #3 of the enlistment date Field Help) are the following two soldiers, for whom you would use their higher priority retirement dates as their "enlistment" dates. So go back and adjust those "enlistment dates" for the two soldiers below who retired during the month - Month and Day for Thomas Lynett and just the day for Eddie L Mott.
Field Help for Enlistment Date Fields:
"Many types of events may have been recorded. In the enlistment fields, type information only about the following events, according to this priority list. (If multiple events were mentioned, use the one highest in the priority list.)
- Date of enlistment.
- Date of events indicated by words such as "appointed," "mustered," or "inducted."
- Date of discharge or retirement.
- Date when a roll was taken or roster was created.
- Date when the soldier or sailor was wounded."
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Thank you so helpful. I am new and am going to do as many military records as I can until I know I can do them without your notes. I fear a couple previous ones I made some mistakes. I will ask more questions in the future. Bart
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One minor comment on the discussion. From the screen snippet it is apparent that Mus Spec 5th Cl. is not a military rank. It is more like a job assignment or specialty. You'll notice at the top of the list on the right side it says "PRIVATES 1st CLASS, CONT'D." This is the actual rank. The Mus Spec 5th Cl is most assuredly a Musician Specialist 5th Class where 5th Class is a sort of ranking within the job specialty. These job specialties are generally restricted to certain ranks so assuming 'class' is ascending order, Mus Specs 1st to 3rd class might be restricted to Privates and Mus Specs 4th and 5th class are Privates 1st Class and Corporals. It's confusing I know, especially as they are using 'classes' in both job specialties and ranks. This whole meshugah may also be restricted to enlisted ranks as I notice on the left side of the snippet, the Captain is just that. Officers 'command and lead' and may not have a job specialty.
This also appears to be a British military unit listing but the same rank vs job specialty thing occurs in the US military.
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I withdraw the "appears to be a British military unit". It could be either.
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Excellent point on the distinction between rank and specially. Thanks for making it.
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I just came across a gravestone with Tec5 US Army on it and a family note said the man was a Sergeant/Tec5 so that seems to confirm what I wrote. It also points out that VA gravestones for military personnel don't always show their rank except insofar as a Tec5 is restricted to certain ranks.
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I would also say it may be another hint this job specialty instead of rank on a gravestone is restricted to enlisted personnel. I can't think of an officer gravestone I have ever seen that does not list an actual rank.
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