Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, it’s expected that about a half-millionwill be alive at the end of 2017.
Many veterans of this and other conflicts will take with them stories of service that can’t be replaced. Some will have earned commendations they mentioned only in passing, or ignored out of modesty, or locked away alongside painful memories.
Family members who want to learn more about their relative’s service, even those in service themselves, may have limited knowledge when it comes to navigating an archive process that, with a bit of persistence, can provide more than just a few dates and places.
Military Times sought advice from the National Personnel Records Center, as well as in-house expert Doug Sterner, curator of the Military Times Hall of Valor, to provide some basic steps on the path to piecing together a personal history.
There's some good advice on how to navigate the system, which is surprisingly user friendly. After our father passed away, it was quicker and easier to order copies than to look through his files.
XBradTC 
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