Brick wall on Military Service

[Truckie117]

Hi
I was doing research on my Fathers military service.
I sent for his records using his DD214 and due to the fire they had there are no records. I know he was in the 11th SFG in the 60's. I remember when he got a telegram that the unit was being activated due to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
He never talked about his service like most true professionals you do what you do and don't ask for praise. Just after 9/11 we lost him to a long battle with cancer.
I have been going through papers my Mom gave me and I know he was in Japan with 11th Airborne 511th PIR but he stayed in Japan with the 8th Army when 11th went back to Germany. Then he went to Korea but I have no idea what unit he was with in the 8th or what happened till his discharge.
I thought I might work backwards if he would have to have given prior service records to the SF unit when he reenlisted. Which might give the unit he was assigned to in Korea. I have the discharge or end of contract from SF if anyone would like to take a look.
Thanks

[wet dog]

Hi
I was doing research on my Fathers military service.
I sent for his records using his DD214 and due to the fire they had there are no records. I know he was in the 11th SFG in the 60's. I remember when he got a telegram that the unit was being activated due to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
He never talked about his service like most true professionals you do what you do and don't ask for praise. Just after 9/11 we lost him to a long battle with cancer.
I have been going through papers my Mom gave me and I know he was in Japan with 11th Airborne 511th PIR but he stayed in Japan with the 8th Army when 11th went back to Germany. Then he went to Korea but I have no idea what unit he was with in the 8th or what happened till his discharge.
I thought I might work backwards if he would have to have given prior service records to the SF unit when he reenlisted. Which might give the unit he was assigned to in Korea. I have the discharge or end of contract from SF if anyone would like to take a look.
Thanks

First, sorry for your loss.

Dads are great and great dads are even better. Collecting stories from private men about their lives is tough, living or not.

Send PM with email address, attach whatever you feel would be helpful, we'll see what we can do.

Take care,

Wet Dog

[Richard]

When I was HHC CDR 1-507th, I learned that the old regimental associations were a phenomonal source of info for anything or anyone even remotely associated with their regiments. Military guys are, for the most part, as big a group of pack rats as teachers who never throw anything out because it may come in handy one day.

The "11th Angels" was and remains a 'very tight' group. I'd contact their newsletter editor with your request and see what they could come up with - they'll have contacts which can come up with a lot of info and may even have a couple of guys who would remember your Dad. Somebody there may even know or have a contact for letting you know where he went after he left the 11th or they may have the info in their membership records/bios.

http://www.11airbornedivision.com/

I'd be pretty quick - they won't be around too much longer. :(

Gluck auf!

Richard

[Truckie117]

Thanks
I belong to the Big Apple Chapter of the 11th as a hereditary member.
I help out at parades carrying the flags and banners.
Great Bunch of guys met them after 9/11 and they asked me to join them when one of them saw my 11th sticker on my bumper.
But I haven't found anyone who has records and only one fellow who was also in 11th SFG with my Dad.
I won't give up it will just take me a lot of time and as you said sadly they won't be around much longer.
Danka
Mike