Verify Everything: Photographs and Records in an OMPF or IDPF Must Never Be Accepted at Face Value

One of my military research students asked a question about a photo of a sailor he is researching. The name listed on the photo, obtained from the NPRC in St. Louis had a name that was slightly misspelled – or was it? The service number on the photo was also different than one he found online through a story someone posted on Fold3. This led to him questioning – is the photo of the person I’m researching? Is the Fold3 entry accurate?

Long story short – I did a little digging and discovered the photo with service number is the person he is researching. The surname had a typo in it. The Fold3 entry also has a typo – the writer put a ‘5’ instead of a ‘6’ at the start of the service number. This is why we verify everything – especially if someone else wrote it and published it online. Errors happen by humans – whether we type them online or a military record contains them.

The Big Mistake

One of the biggest mistakes family historians and military researchers make is assuming that every document and photograph found in an Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) or an Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) is automatically accurate. It is also assumed every document contained in those files actually belongs to the individual we think they do. However, when we assume instead of going through every photo and document with a fine-tooth comb – we miss things. We tell the wrong story.

While these records are among the most valuable sources available for reconstructing a veteran’s military service, they were created by people in stressful and horrific circumstances. People on a good day make mistakes. People in combat or near combat, in a hospital, or dealing with war and death on a daily basis can make mistakes.

Clerical errors, filing mistakes, typographical errors, misidentified photographs, and documents accidentally placed in the wrong file all occur. In 16 years of doing this work, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve also made my own mistakes by thinking I had the right photograph or information – until I took a closer look.

In some cases, researchers like myself, have even discovered photographs of the wrong individual included in a personnel or death file, creating confusion that can be repeated for generations if left unverified.

Evaluate and Verify the Information

Every piece of information in an OMPF or IDPF should be evaluated alongside other records based on military branch. Compare names, service numbers, serial numbers, dates of birth, units, locations, casualty reports, morning reports or muster rolls, payroll records, unit histories, burial records, and other contemporary documents to ensure the information tells a consistent story.

Photographs deserve the same level of scrutiny. Ask where the image originated, whether it is identified on the reverse, whether it matches the individual’s age, rank, insignia, service number, uniform, and time period. For verification against family photos – ask the family whether other family photographs exist to support the identification. A single photograph, no matter how convincing, should never be treated as definitive proof of identity without corroborating evidence.

I Too Have Gotten It Wrong

In 2013 when I was writing my first set of WWII research books, I requested dozens of IDPFs. Back then they were so easy and quick to get and I could use them as a start point for research. They were invaluable in helping me to create my 2-part research strategy to research any veteran even if the records burned from WWI – Vietnam.

William F. Cowart or Richard Courtleigh?

One Marine came forward from the other side – William F. Cowart. He was killed on Tarawa in November 1943. I requested his IDPF. Back then I don’t know who originally scanned the file but it was short and I was given a photo. A photo I assumed was him until later when I looked at the service number and realized – it was not William F. Cowart. I was able to find that service number in Marine Corps Muster Rolls and identify the Marine as Richard Courtleigh.  

I re-requested Cowart’s IDPF and OMPF. I also requested Courtleigh’s IDPF. When I received the files, Cowart’s IDPF was much longer and contained not one, but TWO photos. One was Courtleigh and the other was Cowart.

Courtleigh’s IDPF contained no photo. It was stuck in Cowart’s and no one has bothered to put it into his.

USS Oklahoma Sailor or an Army Soldier?

A few years ago I was looking at the IDPF for a sailor who died aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Pearl Harbor attack. Included in these files are lists of personal effects. Imagine my shock and surprise when I saw a list of items that were recovered like paper, wool clothing, books, photos, etc. Ummmm that ship was partially submerged so how did this all survive?

It didn’t. That personal effects list was for an Army soldier. Graves Registration put the sheet in the wrong file. Both men had a surname in the letter ‘C’. Now when you know some WWII context – like the ship was underwater so how did this stuff survive – it will make you look at the form to verify WHO is listed. But we should be verifying every document in a file actually belongs to the person we are researching first.

Your Invitation

Good military research is built on verification, not assumptions. The goal is not simply to collect documents but to reconstruct an accurate account of a service member’s military experience. Using the 2-part research strategy and verifying the information you receive in a file is accurate is the foundation on which you will build your veteran’s story with accuracy.

Take your time questioning inconsistencies and resolve the conflicting information. Seek out help when needed. Verify every document and photograph you receive to protect the integrity of your research. This allows you to tell the correct story.

The most rewarding discoveries often come from investigating the records that don’t quite fit, because those apparent errors can lead to a deeper understanding of both the individual and the historical record itself. Plus you might just tell the story of someone who has been forgotten in time. When you share that story – you may help someone else add to their family history.

Would You Like to Learn More?

Join my newsletter list at my online course site and grab a free copy of my new PDF The Research Roadmap. This will guide you through the information you need to start a project and which classes to take to move your research forward.

If you would like to learn how to research, click here to see upcoming small group coaching sessions to learn how to use Fold3, NARA Catalog, research Army or Navy service, find POW records, and more. These sessions come with extensive workbooks, plenty of Q&A for attendees, my 2-part research strategy and the replay. Need a researcher? I am taking research and book clients – email jennifer@ancestralsouls.com to set up a free consult to discuss your project.

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