Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guide to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II U.S. Army [Paperback]

Jonathan Gawne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2006

Leading military historian and researcher, Jonathan Gawne, explains and shares the techniques he uses to research archives, libraries, veteran associations and myriad other sources of information to track down the wartime career of an individual. The author describes this as "What I did, and what you can do to find out what 'he' did in the army."

The book gives an overview of the Army in World War II, from the basics up. Learn the difference between a corporal and a major, or a squad and a brigade. What can you tell from a serial number? What is the difference between the quartermaster corps and the transportation corps? What was the path most soldiers took from civilian life to trained soldier? What (and where) is the ETO, PTO and ATO? All the basic facts you need to understand Army service in WW2.

He goes on to explain how to find information from such sources as discharges, uniforms, paperwork, the National Personnel records center, National Archives, other facilities and what you can expect from veterans organizations (and how to find them). Places to look for information and what you can or cannot get from them.

Finally the book helps you to assemble the data you have collected and piece the story of your relatives' wartime service together. It also gives advice on preserving the memories - oral histories, photos, artifacts, documents, etc.

Detailed appendices give information on such things as insignia of ranks and branches, listing of common MOS's, a breakdown of each division by sub unit, with a brief history and a listing of their campaigns, a capsule history of each campaign and a bibliography of useful books on various campaigns and units. Color illustrations of campaign ribbons, decorations and insignia accompany the detailed text.

This book addresses an increasing need to record and understand the lives of the greatest generation and their service to the country.

REVIEWS

"... helps you assemble the data you have collected and piece the story of your relative's wartime service together. It also gives advice on preserving the memories - oral histories, photos, artifacts, documents, etc. ... addresses an increasing need to record and understand the lives of the "greatest generation and their service to the country." - HistoryBuff.com, 01/2007

"...for those interested in WWII army service, there is no source better than FINDING YOUR FATHER'S WAR". We are greatly impressed with the depictions "...Gawne provides a wealth of background information and keys to interpreting military records and items from the WWII period.... This book is a great starting point."ARMY Magazine,04/2007

"...This work is a road map for users seeking to trace their relative's wartime army service... a Useful source for genealogists and readers interested in the wartime military."CHOICE, 06/2007

"...a useful book for anyone trying to establish the history of any US veteran during W.W.II." Military Trader Magazine, 10/2007

"...a thoroughly comprehensive guide to the U.S. Army in the World War II period... covers an enormous range of subjects..."The NYMAS Review 41, Summer 2007

"...very practical useful guide to assist all those whose relatives served in the wartime US Army. ...very well illustrated... Finding You Father's War is highly recommended for all those who find themselves in need of assistance in doing research on World War II."Journal For America's Military Past Spring/ Summer 2007

"...a terrific guide that details how to go about researching and understanding the lives of a generation of servicemen that answered their nation's call when the world was at war."On Point Magazine Winter 2007-8

"... a fascinating book...no veteran post should be without it."Daily Times (Delaware County), 04/2008

"...a great read not only for genealogists wishing to research an ancestor, but also for those who simply have an interest in the United States Army during World War II... written so that anyone, even those with no military background, can understand, yet also includes more advanced information... detail is phenomenal... a must read reference book for any professional genealogist or military historian..."Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, 12/2009

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Casemate (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932033149
• ISBN-13: 978-1932033144
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #364,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Education & Reference > Genealogy > Online Research

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Your Father's War - An Excellent Reference Guide, December 31, 2006

By 

T. C. Schultz "Military Historian" (New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guide to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II U.S. Army (Paperback)

Jonathan Gawne's latest book "Finding Your Father's War" follows in the tradition of outstanding military reference books authored by this hard working researcher and historian including his Normandy Campaign benchmark reference guide "Spearheading D-Day", and easily will be become his most successful general interest work. The text and illustrations are clear, easily followed, and apply directly to assist anyone who is interested in researching a family member, friend or veteran's Service to his or her country during World War Two. Each section walks the reader through different research and documentation sources so as to allow one to become fluent in the often confusing and jargon heavy military records and in the end be able to reconstruct an overview of Service from available sources. The quality of the publication is excellent with the color pictures and illustrations numerous and sharp, while the text typeset is easy on the eyes. Casemate has done an excellent job in putting this book together, and has done justice to the quality of the author's work. Plus at a very reasonable price unlike many military books which are often priced out of the range of the average reader, this should be an outstanding success for both the author and publisher. Bravo to both for doing such a great job!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Amount of Information, November 11, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guide to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II U.S. Army (Paperback)

The sheer amount of detail in this book is amazing. I was in the army, and I've been a student of military history for more years than I like to remember, but there was a very large amount of information in this book that I hadn't seen before.

Example: There is on page 41, a color picture of the shoulder patch for FUSAG, the First US Army Group. OK a shoulder patch isn't unusual. But FUSAG was the fictious army that General Patton commanded in an attempt to confuse Hitler. Did anybody wear these patches? Were they worn by a few just on leave to 'prove' that the unit existed.

In addition to a description of the Army as it existed at that time, (No Marines or Navy in this book.) this book goes into great detail about how to find records, how to identify any momentos the serviceman might have kept, and web sites that are dedicated to preserving the history of particular units.

This book is beautifully printed, mostly in color on high quality paper, somewhat of a surprise to see in a paperbound book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential and Must Have Resource!, October 23, 2006

By 

Gregory Canellis "Student of military history... (Tuckerton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guide to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II U.S. Army (Paperback)

Incredibly, American World War II veterans are dying at a rate of between 1200 and 1500 per day. In nearly every case, an old photograph, a set of dog tags or a tattered shoulder patch kept in an old shoebox are all that remain from a silent "Greatest Generation" who saved the world from tyranny. Dad, or granddad may have never talked about the war, but succeeding generations are yearning to know just where he fit into the bloodiest conflict of the twentieth century. But where does one begin? How does one attempt to decipher a complex array of government and military documents? Where did dad or granddad serve, and what campaigns and battles did he partake in? What do the ribbons, medals, and other insignia on dad's uniform in that old photo mean? In _Finding Your Father's War: A Practical Guild to Researching and Understanding Service in the World War II US Army_, Jonathan Gawne answers these questions and much more.

Gawne, himself the son of a World War II veteran and author of several books on military related topics, narrows his research to the US Army and US Army Air Corps. In the opening chapters, Gawne delivers a succinct outline of World War II, a capsulation on the organization, training and recruitment of the US Army, its branches of service, ranks, and the difference between combat and non-combat units.

The author then delves into the complex array of Individual Records, and describes in detail the paper trail a soldier accumulates from recruitment to discharge. Gawne reveals what is an MOS, what the numbers and letters on a soldier's serial number means; the information found on his dog tags, his pay record, death records, and explains the Army mail system. Here, as in all chapters, examples of actual records are generously sprinkled throughout.

Gawne then details and shows examples of Organizational Records such as duty rosters, morning reports, periodic, and after-action reports. He points out the intricacies of military time, symbols on military maps, T/O & Es, code names, and what it means when a document is deemed "classified." The author then illustrates how to find records, locally, submit requests by mail, as well as how to navigate and conduct research at the National Archives.

Gawne's chapter of "tangible evidence," describes in minute detail what those items found in the shoe box are, and what they signify. The author illustrates every accoutrement revealed in that old wartime photograph: everything from service and rank insignia, campaign ribbons, unit and personal awards, even headgear are meticulously described. Follow-up appendices delve deeper into unit organization, insignia, vehicle markings, and official Army abbreviations, just to name a few. A useful bibliography and side-bars throughout lead the reader to the most significant literature and internet resources for further research. The absence of an index would be the only nit-pick that could be applied here.

The book itself is a rare gem in today's corner-cutting publishing world. Printed on high-gloss museum quality paper, and utilizing mostly color photographs, this book is as pleasing to the eye as to the intellect. The plethora of organizational charts, illustrations, and photographs are arranged nicely, and never cluttered. The half inch thick book weighs a ton, further evidence of the quality of its construction. The price tag is surely reasonable for the quality.

This book is essential and a must for anyone planning to undertake research into a World War II veteran's service. Gawne has rendered a valuable service to the amateur and professional historian alike. I wish I had this work at my disposal when I started out on the same journey twenty-eight years ago. Five stars - Bravo!