I am trying to find information on my fiance's father. He died when my guy was 8. That was 1964. He didn't even know where his dad was buried. His dad had a bad moment...... I have found his enlistment records. Not much else. His papers were in St. Louis so they are gone. We only got what I assume was a discharge paper, pay etc. It was from Lawson Hospital in Atlanta Georgia. He remembers a story his dad told him about losing his foot in a tank. The date was April 22,1944. All it says is his name, cpl qm sup det sup div #1. Says the same thing on his tombstone. Except for #1 This isn't a lot of information on where he was, company etc. He enlisted in 1940 for the Philppines, Infantry. He has nothing of his dad's, so the one paper we got from the hospital is it. It did say transportation paid from Ft. Bragg NC. He enlisted in Va. I know it means Corpral, quartermaster, supply etc. We would love to know where he was, what was going on. If anyone could help figure this out would be so great. Thanks for any help.
Welcome to the forums. We'll be happy to help in any way we can. If you could post his name and the information from his enlistment records and discharge records it'll give us something to work with.
Welcome to the Forum, L4I. (PM sent.) If that info was off his last pay voucher, or even his discharge papers, it may only be the unit he was assigned to when he was discharged. That was not uncommon.
His name was Glenwood Thomas Sowers aka Johnny. Only pictures we have is one from 1950. Have no idea where pictures are. If you search his name find a grave you'll understand more. Will try to get hospital info on soon. Thanks all!!!
Presuming the tanks story is true, it seems unlikely that it might have occurred if he was serving for a supply unit. If you can find any letters or new articles from when he was in the War, they may have clues as to what unit he was in. Usually family is the best source, but local historical and genealogy organizations may also have information. You probably have this info already, but here is his electronic enlistment record.
We've run into a brick wall. We have NO papers. Just what we paid 25.00 for. A paper from the hospital, a certificate that says he was a private. Wrong his tombstone and hospital papers prove that's wrong. Paper from the court house is wrong for enlistment. I have enlistment papers I found on the Internet. I have his ss#. His military number. All of his family has passed away. There's nobody who knew him. And the tank story could have been something he told. Or could have been something a little boy heard wrong. He remembered trying to tickle his feet and one foot being "hard". He asked why. I have met the last aunt he has which was married to his mom's brother at one time. She told me he walked with a slight limp. And from what I can find out she didn't know him very well. So she's no help. You have to understand for 50 years this man was forgotten. I found him on the find a grave site by accident. I dated my fiancé in high school. 42 years later we reconnected. One of my friends told me to never bring up his dad. Years later I found the obit. 42 years later. His dad was never discussed. He was just gone. I found his grave. After 50 years he made peace with his dad. Now we're on this search. He was married while in service in 1942. Divorced 1947. Guess she had all his things. We found the divorce papers. Can't find anything about her. So long story short. We are starting out with only what we can find on the Internet. So any advice. Help. We would be so grateful.
If he was wounded, the VA might still have some records. I would suspect he received treatment after the war if he lost a foot.
I did a search for Lawson Hospital and found an article mentioning the role of the Lawson Hospital in WWII: Since Lawson Hospital was a military hospital at the time, there may have been a Quartermaster Detachment stationed there which handled the paperwork for discharging the patients from the military. That would explain that unit being on the pay voucher and on his headstone. If you really want to get answers on what unit he was in and how he lost his foot, you may need to hire a researcher. It won't be cheap, but you might get more information sooner that way. Several members on the Forum have gone that route, myself included, so we could provide recommendations or referrals if that would help.
It's not on the headstone about Lawson. Just on the paperwork. There are so many typos, abbreviation. If I could ever find someone at the VFW they might could help. The #1 on his papers confuses me. But I found a site on the Internet that said supplies were classed Food #1 clothes 2 so on. Wondering if the #1 went with class 1. As soon as I can I'll scan his hospital release. I need to search records at the courthouse too. Thanks for any help. I've researched Lawson hospital. I've done everything I can think of doing.
It's not on the headstone about Lawson. Just on the paperwork. There are so many typos, abbreviation. If I could ever find someone at the VFW they might could help. The #1 on his papers confuses me. But I found a site on the Internet that said supplies were classed Food #1 clothes 2 so on. Wondering if the #1 went with class 1. As soon as I can I'll scan his hospital release. I need to search records at the courthouse too. Thanks for any help. I've researched Lawson hospital. I've done everything I can think of doing.
I apologize if my wording was confusing. I did not mean to suggest the hospital was mentioned on his headstone. I was referring to the Quartermaster Detachment. Given the amount of searching you have done, I doubt there is much more to be found on the internet. If you want to find out more, your best bet is to hire a professional researcher who specialized in WWII military service. I think you have enough with his name, Army Serial Number and the fact that he was treated at Lawson Hospital during WWII. If you're not sure, contact them and let them know what information you have so far and ask if they think they can help. If they can, then you can decide if you want to hire them or not. It can't hurt to try.
I went to see if he registered his papers after he came home. No such luck. Talked to a guy at American Legion. He gave me the site I got the papers to request papers. He was disabled and apparently had a second opinion. I did figure out what part of his military number was. First 2 numbers was the state. Second two were 01 which I assume is the #1 after his rank etc. Next 2;were last 2 numbers in social security. Have no idea what 35 on the end means. Can't find out what happened to Lawson hospital. Or where their records are. I'll scan the hospital paper as soon as I figure out my new printer. Saw a man in Walmart parking lot and yelled are you a vet? He said yes I am. Viet Nam. I thanked him for his service then started asking questions. I did find out his headstone is not from the veterans. Someone had it made. I showed him a picture on my phone. He told me the hospital should have records. Don't think Lawson is around anymore. The Vet told me.... He knew a soldier in Iraq. His house burned down with his papers. He contacted St Louis who told him....your records burned in 1973. He said loudly I was not born in 73. So do they even look for papers or just say they burned. I can't explain why but its very important to find out about this man. And does deserve a military headstone.
I know it doesn't help much, but here is a picture of Lawson. General view of Lawson General Hospital, at Atlanta, Ga. Designated US Army General Hospital by WD Letter AG 322.3, dated 9 Jan 41. The Hospital was a wooden cantonment-type construction with an authorized bed capacity of 2,514. First patients were received from 22 Jul 41 onward. Medical specialties included neurology, neuro-surgery, amputations, and X-Ray therapy. Lawson seems to have closed in 1946. Thomas E. LAWSON GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Atlanta, Ga. – ready 22 Jul 41 – 2514 beds (disposition of last patient 25 Jun 46) https://www.med-dept.com/articles/ww2-military-hospitals-zone-of-interior/
Sorry I haven't been online. I did find out he registered in Richmond Va. He got married in Aiken S.C. So I am assuming she followed him from Richmond (her hometown) to S.C. She has passed away and so has her daughter. He remarried in 1950 in Va. I have searched every way from Sunday and can find nothing. Still haven't gotten the papers from Lawson scanned. New scanner. By getting married in Aiken in 1942 I am kind of assuming he went to a qm school in SC. I did find out his headstone is not a military issued one. Someone had one made up for him. Thinking it could have been done by his last brother to pass away. Isn't he entitled to a military stone, flag etc? He didn't have a military funeral. Would have been bad at the time and under the circumstances. Can't find any way to get patient info from Lawson. Not sure it even exists anymore. Feel like I am beating my head against the wall.
