You can get military records from:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/
Or if you are a fairly recent Vet you can contact:
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/
http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/PC03MLTR.html
http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp
Ask for the DD214 which is the discharge paper when you fill out the appilcation for the record. The application is online on those sites.
no
APTO on World War II discharge papers stands for "Assembled for Transportation." It indicates that the individual was processed for discharge and was awaiting transportation to their home or next assignment. This designation was part of the administrative procedures for soldiers returning from service.
Try the "American War Library." If you have a copy of his Discharge papers and you know the General Order that issued the BSM, then you can request a copy of it from the National Archives. If not, they you would have to research the files or hire someone to do this. Note, that in 1947 there was a rule change that awarded the BSM to any soldiers who fought in combat as an infantryman and had been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. So it is possible that he did not earn the BSM for a specific action and after the war he ordered his discharge papers, it would show he earned the BSM.
the wd stands for 'war departmnet' not sure about the rest though sorry. can you ask him?
SWPTO: Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations
no
No dependents.
APTO on World War II discharge papers stands for "Assembled for Transportation." It indicates that the individual was processed for discharge and was awaiting transportation to their home or next assignment. This designation was part of the administrative procedures for soldiers returning from service.
regular army
Try the "American War Library." If you have a copy of his Discharge papers and you know the General Order that issued the BSM, then you can request a copy of it from the National Archives. If not, they you would have to research the files or hire someone to do this. Note, that in 1947 there was a rule change that awarded the BSM to any soldiers who fought in combat as an infantryman and had been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. So it is possible that he did not earn the BSM for a specific action and after the war he ordered his discharge papers, it would show he earned the BSM.
Check the Unit he was in most of units have a historianwho should have the info.
Veterans Administration
the wd stands for 'war departmnet' not sure about the rest though sorry. can you ask him?
If it's not on his discharge papers, he didn't serve.
Gerard. Lionetti
SWPTO: Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations
"Ryukyus GO 105 WD 45" on World War II discharge papers indicates the soldier served in the Ryukyu Islands during the Okinawa Campaign, which was part of the broader Pacific Theater. "GO" stands for "General Order," while "WD" refers to the War Department, and "45" signifies the year 1945, when the campaign occurred. This notation helps detail the specific theater of operation and the context of the service during the war.