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Stories of the Lost Program 29 April 2016

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StoriesofLostimageOn Friday, 29 April at 2:00 p.m., I will be presenting Stories of the Lost.

A continuation of “Finishing the Story,” we will explore the records available to tell the stories of those who died in service. We will also discuss those who took care of our Soldier Dead, the Graves Registration Service men. Learn about their job and the reasons it took so long to have our soldiers repatriated and what happened to the personal effects during the course of recovery and repatriation.

This is an Indian Trails Library program which will be held at the Buffalo Grove Alcott Senior Center.

Hope to see you there!

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

Book Launch – World War II Writing

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Today I’m happy to announce the launch of two new books to help you with your World War II writing!

Stories from the World War II Battlefield Volume 3: Writing the Stories of War (paperback)

This book contains a short how-to prepare to write the stories and over 500 writing prompts plus a workbook section.

and

Stories from the World War II Battlefield: World War II Writing Prompts (paperback and Kindle)

This book contains over 500 writing prompts.

StoriVol3 cover screenshot tempes from the World War II Battlefield Volume 3: Writing the Stories of War (paperback)

Stories can save us.

Stories have the power to heal.

Stories help us preserve the past and provide hope that history will not repeat itself. For some cultures, storytelling is the primary method for transmitting a family or group’s collective history. For others, writing the stories to share with family or the world, is the method.

When we write, we must ask ourselves, what writing really matters? Consider the words you write as your legacy. Find ways to share your writing to document your life, to remember those who are no longer here, and to honor those who survived a time when the world was collapsing in chaos.

All the tools researchers need to start writing the stories of World War II from a U.S. perspective or overseas theater of war perspective, to honor those who lived in those chaotic years, are included in this volume.

The tools include:

  • Reasons to write the stories of war.
  • Tips to help you organize your thoughts and sources before you write.
  • Writing formulas to help you organize your stories.
  • More than 500 writing prompts covering multiple themes for writers in the U.S. and overseas.
  • Suggestions on how to share your stories on memorial websites and through books.
  • Additional resources for writing the stories of war.

This is the most important reference guide researchers need to begin writing the stories of World War II.

Vol3 WP Cover tempStories from the World War II Battlefield: World War II Writing Prompts (paperback and Kindle)

Stories can save us.

Stories have the power to heal.

Stories help us preserve the past and provide hope that history will not repeat itself. For some cultures, storytelling is the primary method for transmitting a family or group’s collective history. For others, writing the stories to share with family or the world, is the method.

When we write, we must ask ourselves, what writing really matters? Consider the words you write as your legacy. Find ways to share your writing to document your life, to remember those who are no longer here, and to honor those who survived a time when the world was collapsing in chaos.

This important reference guide contains more than 500 writing prompts covering multiple themes for writers in the U.S. and overseas. Explore these prompts as you write your stories of war.

Want to see what some of the prompts look like? Check back here every day in May for Military Memories Writing Prompts. You can write your own on your blog and tag them with #militarymemories.

Do you need help learning how to do World War II research or need to hire a researcher to help you? Please feel free to contact me for more details.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

WWII Education – What Do VA Index Card Codes Mean?

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Abbreviations, codes, numbers, and ……. confusion.

Is this how you feel sometimes when you are looking for World War II information?

Sometimes the most difficult part of starting World War I or World War II research is locating vital pieces of information to move a search forward. This is especially important if the Official Military Personnel File burned. Are you looking for information on a service man or woman’s service number, unit, enlistment and discharge dates? The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO, has a great resource for World War I and World War II researchers. The VA Index.

The VA Index

VA Index card
VA Index card example

The VA Index is available for World War I and World War II service members. What is on the Index and why do you need it?

  • Full name of soldier, sailor, or Marine
  • Unit in which they served (not always on the card.)
  • Address
  • ENL: Date of enlistment
  • DIS: Date of discharge (often if the soldier was KIA, the death date is written on the card.)
  • SN: Service/serial number
  • A lot of letter codes with numbers. World War I cards may have more letters than World War II. There are many more codes than this, but these are the commonly seen ones on these cards.
    • C: Veterans Claim number
    • XC: Prefix X indicates veteran is deceased.
    • K: US Government Life Insurance. Issued when veterans converted their War Risk term (T) insurance into permanent policies or made direct application for this type of insurance.
    • N: National Service Life Insurance. Term insurance issued veterans during WWII.
    • V: National Service Life Insurance. This type of policy was issued when veterans converted their term insurance (N) or made the initial application permanent.
    • I: Permanent or Total Disability Claim or death payment of term insurance (WWI ONLY)
    • A: Adjusted Compensation (Bonus)
    • T: War Risk Insurance (WWI ONLY)
    • R: Rehabilitation (WWI ONLY)
    • CT: WWI Certificate (issued with bonus)
    • Z: Merchant Marine service number prefix.

Request a search

The VA Index is searchable by NPRC staff for a fee of about $5. Just mail a letter to

NPRC

1 Archives Dr.

St. Louis, MO 63138

What other resources have you used to start your World War I or World War II research? Please share in the comments.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

Faces of War: Researching Your Adopted Soldier

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Next week I am releasing a new book specifically for those living overseas who have adopted a grave officially or unofficially, through an Adoption Foundation at an American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) cemetery. Faces of War: Researching Your Adopted Soldier.

Description:

Facesofwar cover lowresThe American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) operates and maintains 25 permanent American military cemeteries overseas. In many of the countries in which these cemeteries are located, men and women officially and unofficially, through Adoption Foundation programs, adopt the graves of American service men and women in the ABMC cemeteries.

Researching the service and life of a soldier while living in Europe, has its challenges, primarily because the records they need are located in archives in the United States. There is also the challenge of the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The fire destroyed roughly 80% of the Army, Air Corps/Army Air Forces, and National Guard personnel files. This is not however, the end of the story where researchers are concerned.

All the tools researchers need to start exploring their World War I or World War II soldier, civilian, sailor, or Marine’s service, are included in this volume.

The tools include:

  • The basics of starting research and creating a timeline of service.
  • Resources and strategies for online and offline military research.
  • Resources for obtaining a wide range of information on a soldier’s death and burial.
  • Instructions for ordering and using military records to reconstruct service history for men and women.
  • And, tips for placing the soldier into historical context using higher level records.

Through examples, checklists, and document images, researchers are taught how to locate and analyze records for any branch of the military. This volume focuses more on World War II records, but the process for a World War I soldier and records created, are similar. Once you understand the research process, it can be applied to either war.

This book will be available early May. Please subscribe to my newsletter for further details on the release of this and other books.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

McHenry County Genealogical Society Conference

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Are you interested in a day full of World War II Education?

On Saturday, 9 July I am presenting four programs at the McHenry County Genealogical Society Conference.

Register for the conference.

Day in Infamy ImageThe Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

All the records burned! A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, in 1973, destroyed approximately 80% of the Army, Air Corps, and National Guard records. This is not the end of the research possibilities for these soldiers. Many alternative record sources exist to reconstruct service history for these branches. Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Learn how to research the records of World War II for any branch of the military in this informative program.

Navigating World War II Records on Fold3 Fold3 image

Researching the service of a World War II soldier is more than the Official Military Personnel File we might locate. That file is helpful in creating a timeline of military service, but we must move beyond it to find more of the story. Looking beyond the individual records, we can find unit histories, battle reports, mission reports, war diaries, and other higher level materials, which provide context in which to put our soldier.

Many of the records you need to research your soldier’s service, are not online. However, Fold3.com has digitized many unit level records from the National Archives at College Park, MD, to help you with your research. As with any digitized collection, searching by your soldier’s name will not usually yield you enough of the materials available.  There are many tips and tricks to locating the gold within the massive amount of paperwork available.

This new program, available Summer 2016, will teach you how to navigate the extensive records of Fold3.com. The tips you learn in this program will help you with any digitized record set.

Stories of the Lost screenStories of the Lost

A continuation of “Finishing the Story,” we will explore the records available to tell the stories of those who died in service. We will also discuss those who took care of our Soldier Dead, the Graves Registration Service men. Learn about their job and the reasons it took so long to have our soldiers repatriated and what happened to the personal effects during the course of recovery and repatriation.

Beyond PH imageBeyond Pearl Harbor: Exploring Advanced World War II Records

The follow-up to The Day That Lived in Infamy. After briefly touching on the basics of getting started and obtaining the OMPF, attendees will learn about additional records to trace the service of their soldier, sailor, or Marine in World War II.

This conference will be held in Crystal Lake, IL.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

The Day That Lived In Infamy Program 10 April 2016

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Day in Infamy ImageAre you looking for WWII Education in the Chicago area?

This Sunday, 10 April at 2:00 p.m., I will present The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records at the Winnetka-Northfield Library District.

All the records burned! A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, in 1973, destroyed approximately 80% of the Army, Air Corps, and National Guard records. This is not the end of the research possibilities for these soldiers. Many alternative record sources exist to reconstruct service history for these branches. Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Learn how to research the records of World War II for any branch of the military in this informative program.

Hope to see you there!

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

WWII Education – Researching Your Adopted Soldier

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FacesofWar imageOver the last few years I have met many people in Europe who adopted a grave or name on the Wall of the Missing at an American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) cemetery. Some of these researchers have a good grasp on how to do the research, beyond what limited information they can find online. Others need more assistance. To help anyone overseas who has officially or unofficially adopted a soldier’s grave at an ABMC cemetery, in early May I will launch a new book.

Faces of War: Researching Your Adopted Soldier will provide step-by-step guidance to help you research your adopted soldier.

Book Description:

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) operates and maintains 25 permanent American military cemeteries for World War I and World War II overseas. They also oversee 27 federal memorials, monuments, and markers worldwide. In many countries, primarily in Europe, men and women officially and unofficially, through non-ABMC Adoption Foundation programs, adopt the graves of American service men and women in the ABMC cemeteries. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) does not offer a grave adoption program. These programs are set up by private groups.

Grave adopters participate in Memorial services, leave flowers at the grave throughout the year, take photographs for family members and researchers, conduct research on the soldier or battle in which he fought and died, and honor the soldier who helped free their country.

Researching the service and life of a soldier while living in Europe, has its challenges, primarily because the records they need are located in archives in the United States. There is also the challenge of the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The fire destroyed roughly 80% of the Army, Air Corps/Army Air Forces, and National Guard personnel files. This is not however, the end of the story where researchers are concerned.

All the tools researchers need to start exploring their World War I or World War II soldier, civilian, sailor, or Marine’s service, are included in this volume.

The tools include:

  • The basics of starting research and creating a timeline of service.
  • Resources and strategies for online and offline military research.
  • Resources for obtaining a wide range of information on a soldier’s death and burial.
  • Instructions for ordering and using military records to reconstruct service history for men and women.
  • And, tips for placing the soldier into historical context using higher level records.

Through examples, checklists, and document images, researchers are taught how to locate and analyze records for any branch of the military. This volume focuses more on World War II records, but the process for a World War I soldier and records created, are similar. Once you understand the research process, it can be applied to either war.

Want to learn more?

See all my World War II research books on my website.

Subscribe to my newsletter to learn about new book releases, programs, and receive discounts throughout the year.

If you need assistance with research or writing your soldier’s story, please feel free to contact me. I am taking new clients at this time.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

WWII Writing – The Legacy of Trauma

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Volume 3 cover web

I am finishing the writing for Volume 3 of my Stories from the World War II Battlefield series on writing the stories of war. This book contains over 500 writing prompts to help you write the stories of war, from a U.S. or European perspective.

When I was creating the writing prompts, I spent an entire day thinking, writing, and crying, over a subject I was not sure if I should include. The trauma of war.

Today I am thinking about my grandfather, who was born this day, 17 March 1906 in Chicago.

My grandfather, Joseph Holik, served in the US Naval Armed Guard for almost two years, 1943 – 1945. In July 1945, he was removed from his ship and sent to a Naval Hospital in California for treatment. His mind was not what it should have been and Grandpa Joe ended up living the rest of his life in the VA Hospital. My grandmother essentially became a single mother when he went to war, with three boys under 12 at home. When I started researching and writing the stories of my family, this is one story I was not ready to touch. The last few years, being a single mother myself, really brought the story closer and I could see similarities between me and my grandmother.

My grandfather’s story has been too painful for me to really get close to until this year. I never knew my grandfather. I only heard whispered stories about his service and his life. Each story was different and even my grandma didn’t tell me much while she was alive and I was asking questions.

Have you every stopped to consider the words we speak, and those we do not, affect us, our families, descendants, and everyone else they might touch?

Have you ever thought how the trauma of war filters down through the generations and affects those of us who were not even alive during the war?

This is the first in a series of articles I will write about the Trauma of War and how it affected me, my family, possibly my kids, and how we can heal.  The idea has been swimming in my head for a while, but it wasn’t until I started reading the book, Gated Grief by Leila Levinson, that it really pushed me to the edge of, ‘Now is the time to start really dealing with and sharing this.’

For now, I encourage you to think about the questions I posed in this article. Feel free to share how your family spoke of, or did not, the war and the effects on the soldier and family.

Purchase the book Stories from the WWII Battlefield: Writing the Stories of War and start writing your stories today. Then explore the research and writing courses on my course websites WWII Education and Finding the Answers Journey.

© 2016, Jennifer Holik

WWII Education – Spring 2016 WWII Programs

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US Researcher imageThis spring I am presenting several programs in the Chicago area on researching and writing the stories of WWII service men and women. I hope to see you at one of my programs.

Tuesday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.

Finishing The Story

Tracing the life of a World War I or II soldier can be challenging. Researchers have been conditioned to believe “All the Records Burned!” Some did, but an abundance of other resources exist to reconstruct service history. Many researchers are unaware of the numerous military records and resources available.

In this program, explore the lives, service, and deaths of Michael Kokoska, Frank Winkler, and Robert Brouk. Genealogical, historical, and military records will be shown and discussed. Jennifer will demonstrate how to write the stories of your soldier through a brief reading from her books Stories of the Lost and The Tiger’s Widow. This program will be held at Ashton Place in Willowbrook for the West Lake Shore Unit of the Illinois Retire Teachers Association Membership Meeting.

Sunday, April 10, 2:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

All the records burned! A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, in 1973, destroyed approximately 80% of the Army, Air Corps, and National Guard records. This is not the end of the research possibilities for these soldiers. Many alternative record sources exist to reconstruct service history for these branches. Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Learn how to research the records of World War II for any branch of the military in this informative program. This program will be held at the Winnetka-Northfield Library District.

Friday, April 29, 2:00 p.m.

Stories of the Lost

A continuation of “Finishing the Story,” we will explore the records available to tell the stories of those who died in service. We will also discuss those who took care of our Soldier Dead, the Graves Registration Service men. Learn about their job and the reasons it took so long to have our soldiers repatriated and what happened to the personal effects during the course of recovery and repatriation. This is an Indian Trails Library program which will be held at the Buffalo Grove Alcott Senior Center.

Saturday, May 14, 1:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

All the records burned! A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, in 1973, destroyed approximately 80% of the Army, Air Corps, and National Guard records. This is not the end of the research possibilities for these soldiers. Many alternative record sources exist to reconstruct service history for these branches. Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Learn how to research the records of World War II for any branch of the military in this informative program. This program will be held at the Sandwich Public Library District.

Saturday, May 21, 2016, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Writing World War II Stories

Have you researched your World War II soldier and need tips on where to go next? Have you organized your materials – digital and paper records? Have you written the story? Are you unsure where to start? Through writing prompts, a writing formula, and time to write, attendees will work through the process of beginning a soldier’s story. Attendees are asked to bring a laptop or IPad, or paper and pencil, to work through writing prompts. A book will be available for purchase covering this topic in-depth, with workbook sections. This event will be held at the Orland Park Library.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik

WWII Research Collective – Meet Hughes Glantzberg

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When I launched my website, I started a World War II Research Collective. In this group are researchers around the world who specialize in WWII units, battles, theaters of war, or types of research. To help you get to know the researchers better, I’ll be doing some Q&A with them.

Hughes1
Hughes Glantzberg

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was introduced to computers back in the 1960s when I served in the US Air Force. When I got out I went to work for IBM where I gained more knowledge about computers. I worked on hardware and software as well as teaching about the computers I worked with. After 28 years with IBM, I retired and decided to start my own computer consulting business.

In 2000, I found out about an Association of men who served in the 461st Bombardment Group (H) during WWII. Unbeknownst to me, my father had served with this organization. This peaked my interested and in 2001 I became the webmaster of their website (461st.org) and editor of their newsletter, The Liberaider. A few years after that I became the Historian for the Association. As I learned more about the 461st and what they did to help win the war in Europe, I learned about other bomb groups that worked with the 461st. Some of these groups had websites and some didn’t, but I knew that there were stories from all the groups that needed to be told. I started doing websites for those that didn’t have one. The problem was to tie those websites together somehow. I knew they all belonged to the Fifteenth Air Force, but I was unable to find a website for the Fifteenth. I finally decided to start one where I could show the overall structure of the organization. The result is www.15thaf.org.

Today I help people interested in learned about their relative(s) who served in the Fifteenth regardless of the bomb or fighter group they were assigned to. If an organization has a website, I simply link to it. If they don’t have one, I create one for them where I can post information as I receive it.

When and how did you become interested in World War II?

I became interested in WWII in 2000, when I was invited to attend a reunion of the 461st Bombardment Group (H) Association.

What is your main focus of research?

My main focus is on the Fifteenth Air Force and specifically on the 461st Bombardment Group (H).

Why is this area of research important to you?

This area is important to me because my father was the Commanding Officer of the 461st. He had never talked about it and I wanted to find out what had happened back then.

Have you met family members of soldiers you have researched? Do you have a story you can share about that?

I’ve met many veterans and family members. I love to hear the stories the veterans have about their time during WWII. As editor of the newsletter for the 461st, I have published numerous stories from both the veterans and their families. The Liberaider is published twice a year and is 40 pages of stories I’ve collected over the years.

Do you have a story about a great discovery or closure to a project?

It’s difficult to point to a single story that I would classify as a great discovery. All the discoveries I come across are great which is what I try to document them on the various websites. I guess discovering what my father did back then was perhaps the greatest discovery of all as I have no idea he had even been in WWII. Some of the things he did back then are absolutely amazing.

What are your websites?

15th Air Force

49th Bomb Wing

Is there anything else you would like people to know before they contact you?

Although I do get back to everyone who contacts me, I am rather busy and sometimes it may take a while for me to respond. I will respond and prefer to have E-Mail so I have that reminder in front of me until I reply. I have several E-Mail addresses – president@461st.org, historian@461st.org, editor@461st.org and webmaster@461st.org dedicated to the 461st. People may contact me at any of these addresses or my general address of hughes@glantzberg.us.

© 2016 Jennifer Holik