The Holy Grail Edition – Research Tour Travelog
The National Personnel Records Center is really hallowed ground for a military researcher. I arrived at National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis a half hour early for my scheduled start of research at 7:30. Assistance from the staff was outstanding, and I made some wonderful new contacts, in addition to folks I’ve worked with for the better part of two decades. While there, I researched files for:
- Leo Boutte – Navy
- Raymond Grenier – Navy
- Bernard S. Snyder – Marines
- Robert Struble – Navy
It is wonderful to go in and retrieve these files myself, and cuts a lot of waiting time for my clients. I can’t ask for anything better. This is the same location that burned in a horrific 1973 fire, which destroyed thousands upon thousands of military service records of our nation’s servicemen and women.
My work was completed by 11 a.m., so I drove to the Mid-Rivers Mall in St. Peters, Missouri, and picked up “The Orchard Keeper” by Cormac McCarthy and “The Astronaut Wives Club” by Lily Koppel.
At about 3:00, I reached Fulton, MO, and visited the excellent National Churchill Museum. Besides learning a lot about this remarkable leader, I also saw a great exhibit on loan from the Smithsonian about American soldiers receiving mail from home from the Civil War to the present.
Spent the night in Columbia, MO, where it remains hot and humid, and took my first selfie without being photo-bombed by my thumb.
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Wee Willie and the photo that started it all
My father was Paul D Jessop, he spoke of your Grandfather a lot. My father passed away in 2011 .The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Hi Bill, Thanks for putting this together. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. He was on the waterpolo team. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." There is a B-17G tail gunner's compartment on display at the 390th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to this crew. Regards, Nick VeronicoBill’s WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randy’s Flying Circus
Hi! Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? I am curious to know more about him.Women in WWII: Cornelia Clark Fort
Interesting....very hard to know the 'who hit who'.....Fort had enough flying time to be a instructor, I know nothing about the other pilot. If Pastor Jeff had information on her being talked into a situation, I would love to know if reliable. Regardless, so many losses in so many ways.... My take is the WAFS/WASPS deserve a bit more of history's 'time in the books'. Many thanks for the commentary, StarrRemembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze
Bill, Are you still working on this blog? Rosemarie is my mother in law. She passed away 10 years ago. Her (and Roberts') son Robert Maze Jr is alive and well. I was googling Admiral Radford and ended up googling links... Thank you for your efforts here. Kim WoodsFrom Panatella to Ploesti
I’m looking for information on My Great great GRANDFATHER WAS ON A B-24 LIBERATOR CALLED: Diamond li
Bill’s WWII Almanac
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