Hi,
I am new to this forum but hope someone out there might be able to offer some advice or help me out. My grandfather served in the Philippines during WWII. He never spoke of his time there until a few hours before his death and his information in surviving records is next to nothing. My grandfather passed away in 1992.
I have contacted NARA and received basic information. I also contacted the Utah archives, which has some copies of service discharges for those discharged in Utah, which my grandfather was but unfortunately, they did not have his particular discharge record.
Here's a rundown of what I know, factual and personal memories:
Name: Clarence F. Wilson
Enlistment: Aug 10 1944 Colby, Kansas
Discharged: May 14, 1946 Fort Douglas, Utah
Rank: PFC
Served in Philippines and came home with a Japanese sword as a "souvenir". Sword has been lost for years, probably stolen.
Medals: Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, 2 Purple Hearts, WWII Victory Medal. We do not have the G.O. for his medals. His medals were found wrapped in a rag, (badly damaged) in the bottom of his tool box. No one ever knew they were there until we went through his things upon his death.
Memories he recounted (on his death bed-1st and only time he ever spoke of his service): fighting in the mountains/jungle. very rainy, up to his waist in water nearly everyday. Had yellow fever and malaria. Was in Manila at one point. Shot twice. Tried to save one of his fellow unit members. Spent time in hospital in Hawaii at end of war.

The only problem with all this is that we have NO discharge papers and as far as the NARA is concerned, they do not exist anymore because of the fire. So we have no idea what unit he served with in the Army or what battle(s) he fought in, but a military historian "guesses" that my grandfather fought at the Battle of Luzon judging from his memory recollections. I know there were a large number of units serving in this battle.

I hope someone might offer some advice for which I would be grateful.

Thank you in advance
Stephanie

Check the county where he was living at the time he was enlisted and discharged.
When my father died last october, the funeral home provided us with copies of his discharge papers. I believe the county had copies.

But like you, we could not get additional information because of the fire. I have tried to figure out which unit he was with in Itay. In two weeks, I will be at the national archives pulling operational records for that unit. I will check out photos of the PO River campaign.

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