Research WW2

LegacyUser

Hi all, a friend of mine has approached me and asked me to help in searching for info on his family members service during the war. After doing a bit of legwork it seems you either have to pay for that info or go through a lengthy request process. Is there any way around this? or maybe independent researchers on here who could help?

Anitra Whittle

Hello @JordanO'Brien JordanO'Brien​,

I'm thinking a bit more information would help. Do you have names, places of birth and death, and a Family Tree person ID. Probably WWII?

 

I checked the Research Wiki and got this:

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Main_Page

 

You can get to the Research Wiki, when signed into FamilySearch, click on the ? mark on the upper right. A dialogue box appears. Go to the bottom left and select Help Center. When at Help Center click on Research Wiki. Then put in United States World War II.

 

There are several wiki pages to search through.

Enjoy.

That is my best without more information.

Thank you for the question,

Anitra

 

LegacyUser

Hello Anitra and thank you for the reply.

 

I have names of the family members with a brief description of each.

 

1) John Thomas Cockran (Sometimes went by "Jack"), US Navy, Pacific Fleet, was on a ship when the war ended. DOB: 18 Dec 1925, Missouri USA. He said because his brother was killed in the war, and he had a problem with his left hand, he was rejected from every service twice before the Navy took him and he became a Radioman.

 

2) Charles Frank Cockran, Pilot, United States Army Air Forces. Was told he flew in D-Day. Shot down sometime after. Older than my grandfather and died before my grandfather joined the Navy.

 

3) Daniel Beaton

DOB: August 20, 1925

Served in U.S. Navy during World War II as a radar instructor.

 

4) Paul Epstein

Believe he served in the Navy during WWII, but don't know more than that

 

5) William Epstein

He was a cadet platoon sergeant (not sure what that means), died in an accident before he could graduate. Family rumor is he was the first Jew accepted to West Point, but not sure if that's true.

 

6) Mildred Clinton (Solomon)

She traveled as far as we know with the State Department, but curious of there's anything.

 

7) Anna Solomon

Served in WWII in the UK and France as far as I've been told

 

This is all the info we have and I know it isn't much to go on but we are hoping to find anything we can on any of these members of the family.

Patricia Jensen

@JordanO'Brien JordanO'Brien​  If these people are in FamilySearch Family Tree, please share their ID's. I would have more information to use in the searching. I have a Fold3(Military) account and I could check and see what might be there.

LegacyUser

Hi Patricia thank you for you're comment.

 

I have tried to find them on the family tree but have had no luck, nor anywhere else I am afraid. We would appreciate that so much if you found anything on you're Fold3 account

Patricia Jensen

@JordanO'Brien JordanO'Brien​  Do they have this?

Patricia Jensen

@JordanO'Brien JordanO'Brien​  Looks like he was in the 49th squadron and 313th group. I googled that and found this page

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/49th_Troop_Carrier_Squadron. It tells you what his group was involved in. If they want more detailed information they'll have to wait since this is the note I ran into while looking up how to get to his file:

 

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is Closed - Except for Emergencies

 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the NPRC is closed except for emergencies. While we remain in this state, we will continue servicing emergency requests associated with medical treatments, burials, and homeless veterans trying to gain admittance to a homeless shelter. Please refrain from submitting non-emergency requests such as replacement medals, administrative corrections, or records research until we return to pre-COVID staffing levels.

 

You can check out this FamilySearch Wiki page about WWII records:

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/World_War_II_United_States_Military_Records,_1941_to_1945

 

 

LegacyUser

Patricia thank you so much that newspaper page is fantastic, something they hadn't seen before!

LegacyUser

Fortunately I stumbled across the MIA crew report for the 24th of March so was able to confirm the 49th squadron, 313th troop carrier group just now.

LegacyUser

I managed to uncover quite a bit of information on him but not so fortunate with his brother John Thomas Cochran who was U.S Navy with the rank of RM3