I wrote the first article in a new series to provide answers and healing for families of WWII war dead, called, Demanding Answers About WWII War Dead. In this article I explained I was reading a 361 page Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for a Jewish WWII soldier named Harvey.
361 pages, in this instance, is a lot of information. Often in the larger IDPFs, there are multiple copies of documents. Or as in the case of some, like Glen Miller’s, it is over 600 pages because each time it was requested by an author, historian, or other person, it was copied and that copy was included in the overall file.
In this 361 page document, there are some duplicate copies of documents, but overall, the pages contain different information. After reading through it, I have a few options to organize all the documents and my thoughts about the file contents in preparation to pull pieces out and create mini PDFs to share in the articles.
- I can print it and arrange the pages chronologically (I’ll likely do this).
- Create a timeline of service/events based on the documents.
- Create a list of documents with the PDF page number, which stand out and require explanation.
Digesting 361 pages of information and all the “small” details contained in the letters is quite a task. George, Harvey’s father, is every historian’s dream because he cites his sources so to speak. He documents in most letters, the response letter with date from the military, which allows readers to refer to each letter. Can you do this by putting the documents into chronological order? Yes. But just viewing the PDF of the 361 pages, or writing a history of Harvey’s death, requires this level of detail created by his father.
George picks up on details most of us ignore as we view these files. In his letters, he questions EVERYTHING. The details offer us a glimpse into the IDPF we might otherwise ignore and offers a great teaching opportunity. For example, on the Inventory of Personal Effects Document it says at the top and bottom
R E S T R I C T E D
George questions this word at the bottom of the form as it appears to have been typed after the words: Any additional pertinent information: [with a space for that below.] Yet he seems to miss the word RESTRICTED at the top of the form typed exactly the same way. This means the form is restricted and not to be distributed to everyone.
This may seem like an inconsequential detail, but to a man who was seeking every scrap of evidence he could get about the death, burial, length of time to receive information, personal effects, and burial details for his son, this one word represented something of great importance.
Are you looking at these seemingly inconsequential details in all your military records? Are you paying attention to the smaller details or just looking to answer one or two questions and overlooking the rest? We all do it, focus on one thing and miss other details that could move our research forward or answer other questions we have. What have you found in your records?
© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center
Yesterday I was interviewed and filmed for the business, in Chicago at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. People strolled in and out of the building while we were filming and one young woman listened to the stories I told as Scott asked questions while he filmed. She and I had several short conversations about the work I do, the History degree I have (Bachelor only) and the adventurous, inspirational, traveling, healing, love-filled life I have created with my business. She too has a history degree. It reminded me that several years ago I gave a talk at my alma mater, The University of Missouri-Rolla – now Missouri S&T, to the history club about thinking outside the box. I’d like to share a few thoughts with history majors around the world and let you know, there are many other choices available besides going for your Masters or Ph.D. and teaching or being a scholar. ANYTHING is possible if you choose it.
comes next?
Maastricht, the most southern city of the Netherlands, was liberated on the 13th and 14th of September 1944. The Ninth Army established its headquarters in Maastricht and stayed there for about five months.
About 800 American soldiers were in Maastricht and surroundings, in part preparing for Germany. They were also protecting the area and Antwerp harbour (all the American supplies were there) from V1’s and V2’s, launched from Germany.
127th AAA and 131st AAA Gun battalion had their gunpits in Maastricht and in the neighbourhood. It was their responsibility to protect the whole area from attacks by planes and bombs. The soldiers belonging to these units were the ones who took down enemy planes and the so called Buzz-bombs. In many cases they succeeded as reports show and Antwerp harbour was “safe”.
In the meantime the coldest winter of the 20th century arrived and the soldiers had to do their duty under extreme circumstances. In the days around Christmas it was minus 32F, extremely cold, and some had to sleep in their tents. An American chaplain, Father Dobrzynski, together with some Brothers of the Immaculate Conception of Maastricht, thought about how to give the boys a kind of Christmas Feeling in these days. They knew of a cave, the Schark cave, which was very safe, and where a Mass could be held on Christmas Eve.
The cave was prepared. Sal Barravecchia, one of the soldiers, created a beautiful mural in which he showed how Freedom was guarded from all sides. About 260 American soldiers attended Mass. After Mass they had coffee and donuts. Most of the soldiers were staying Maastricht, and some came from the Ardennes, where the fighting in the Battle of the Bulge was raging on. They were taken to Maastricht by their trucks.
After Mass they all wrote their names on the wall with charcoal. This wall is still preserved.
Not all the names on the wall can be read, because sometimes people swept their coats along the walls or tried to touch the names. We, the SHAK board, would like to know whether there are families who know that their grandfather attended Mass in 1944. Are there sons, daughters, grandchildren or other relatives who could help us in completing the list of names?
Should you be interested, the list of names is presented on our 
Many research clients have wandered into my life the last seven years. Some create more of a connection than others due to the type of project we work on together. There are clients who want the facts and only the facts. Then there are others who seek to heal things within themselves and their family, often without realizing that is one reason they hired me. When those clients show up, often, a vulnerable exchange takes place between us both. When that happens, we are both affected and both healed, whether we are conscious of it or not.
Chichester Cathedral is large. Not as large as Canterbury Cathedral, but still large. It is a place where you can find serenity and a bit of yourself around each corner or hidden within a sunlit prayer room. Like any cathedral, everywhere you look there is something intricate and beautiful to see. There are paintings, tombs, stained glass, arches, floors, signs, candles, flags and banners for military regiments, and people wandering through it all. Of course there were places to light candles, which I always do. Often to Mother Mary as she guides me, but also to Archangel Michael when possible, or military shrines. I was able to light candles for the 30th Division soldiers, who were definitely there with me in the cathedral. I guess I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was.
I learned I love nature more than I thought! I’m not a woman who likes to go play in the dirt and get her hands all dirty. That’s never been me. A few months ago I learned I had the capacity to communicate with trees, plants, and the earth. Sitting in the Bishop’s Garden felt so joyful. I even wrote about it in my journal.
It’s a beautiful day in the Netherlands. Our staff at the WWII Research and Writing Center have been busy creating new things. We can’t wait to share!