Posted on 11/25/2011 9:10:05 AM PST by A'elian' nation
Would need some help in finding a friend of my dad that he would like to re-unite with. He hasn't seen this buddy in over 40 years.
All we know is that he was in the navy and is old enough to receive social security.
Can't find him in Facebook. Would Social Security admin assist in finding someone? Would Veterans Affairs? If they could help what offices should be contacted?
Any help from anyone who has ever tried to find someone they want to re-connect with would be really appreciated. Many thanks.
I found a few years ago a web-site dedicated to the Signal Corp Battalion that I was in. It eventually resulted in finding an email address for my buddy from 40 years ago.
The VA can pass on a buddy request, IF, the other veteran is registered for VA services. They will not give out his contact information directly. It would be up to the other veteran to then contact your Dad.
RVN ‘69-’70, Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa Province)
go to genforum. Com, find his surname and in the top left side, there is a place to type in the person’s name. If anyone has left a message about the person. If not, join and leave one. Give all info you know. Ancestry.com is another place. If all that fails, go to findsgrave to see if he is deceased. Before my daughter died she wanted to find the friend who had moved. Found her in just a few weeks. Keep me updated.
go to genforum. Com, find his surname and in the top left side, there is a place to type in the person’s name. If anyone has left a message about the person. If not, join and leave one. Give all info you know. Ancestry.com is another place. If all that fails, go to findsgrave to see if he is deceased. Before my daughter died she wanted to find the friend who had moved. Found her in just a few weeks. Keep me updated.
Uhhh... his name might help.
If they served together on a ship, a search of the ship’s name can lead to all sorts of information about that ship and even reunion groups which may provide info helpful to your father.
What is his buddy’s full name? Does he know any other information about him? ie: Where he was from, where he was born, how old, was he married, wife’s name. Did he have children, names? etc., etc.
I have for years been trying to discover information about an uncle. He was in the Marine Corps during WWII. After the war he came home mean and angry but would never discuss where he was or what he did. He would reply, “I never did anything in battle, I was just a typist.” Some books I have read say that is a common response from those who went through the worst of it.
He has been dead for some time and I now nothing except he was station in San Diego before the war. His name was Henry Steen Chandler.
What ship(s) was he on?
I have several friends were on the Madison in that era (maybe a little earlier) that might be able to help.
About two months ago I set out on a quest to find an old girlfriend I once worked with and was serious about who left and joined the navy......
I finally found her and her facebook page........All I have to say is thank God she left me and joined the Navy........LOL!
You wrote: “...He has been dead for some time and I now nothing except he was station in San Diego before the war. His name was Henry Steen Chandler.”
Have you ever asked about him on this forum?: http://genforum.genealogy.com/wwii/all.html
When I asked what ships he was on, and said about my friends on the Madison, I meant the Mansfield. I always screw up the name of that ship.
Anyway if I can help by contacting my friends of the WWII era Mansfield, which was sold to Argentina in the early ‘70’s (a little side note there), let me know.
Thank you very much for your reply as well as the other kind folks. Am very sorry to hear about your daughter passing away. I really am. My son just lost his young wife two months ago. It’s a terrible thing.
Some have asked what ship he was on. That we don’t know either. He was a high school friend of my dad, and they went separate ways - my dad in the air force and his friend to the navy. That’s not a lot of help to be sure.
Actually, he is looking for two friends.
One is James Bradley and the other is Gabriel Garnett.
I just wondered how helpful the VA or Social Security offices were if at all.
Didn’t know about Findsgrave either. Would be too bad to find his name there.
Thanks for all the help everyone. Much obliged.
Check out a site called City Data. They have a forum section where people will help you find lost family & friends....they are very good at it. Good luck.
Have you tried classmates.com? Send me a msg with his name, age, place of birth, etc. I will try to find him. Love genealogy and mysteries. Do you know parents’ name and their ages? You can try just typing in his name and see if anything pops up. Did he have any siblings and their names? Another thing. Does your dad know of any other friends from back then in school or afterwards? I wanted to find a girl I went to elementary school with. I was a member and found someone from my hometown with the same surname. I sent him a message and he was the girl’s older brother. Talk about luck. Don’t give up.
” The VA can pass on a buddy request “
Thank you. Can this be done online or do I need to go to a VA office ?
Wow that was lucky. Bet you had a sweet reunion after all those years.
My step-dad grew up with his friend James Bradley on the row houses of Homestead St. in Baltimore MD. This was in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. My step-dad went on to join the Army-AirForce ( they were combined at that time ).
James Bradley went into the navy - dad thinks he was an officer on an aircraft carrier.
I wish I know more. My step-dad remembers him as kind of a kid genius - super problem solver.
Garnett Gabriel was a guy he and I knew at Smyrna Radio and TV Service in Smyrna, Ga in the early 1960’s. That TV shop no longer exists. Gabe quit that shop and went into the navy, and again that’s all we know.
That is a lot of thin leads. Please don’t over exert yourself. Like you say; it would take a miracle to find either of them.
You must be a very very nice lady to take such an interest. But like I said don’t overdo it. :)
I had no idea there were so many James’. I have a little work to do tomorrow. Did you post a msg on genforum? Good luck. It might take many months or it could be next week. What county is Baltimore in? Genforum also has cities, counties and states where a msg is posted. My iPad is going to have to be charged so will do that tonight.
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