Online Registry for World War II Veterans Goes Live on National WWII Memorial Web Site

releases.usnewswire.com ^

[chance33_98]

Online Registry for World War II Veterans Goes Live on National WWII Memorial Web Site

7/3/03 1:00:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Mike Conley of the American Battle Monuments Commission, 703-696-6778; 571-216-6115 (cell); (additional contacts listed below) web: http://www.WWIImemorial.com

WASHINGTON, July 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- At a time when fewer than one in ten adults recognize that 16 million Americans served in uniform during the Second World War, the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) today introduced a World War II Registry online to document the names of those who participated in history's largest and most devastating war.

The Registry is accessible on the web site of the National World War II Memorial (http://www.WWIImemorial.com). Any American that served in the armed forces or contributed to the war effort on the home front, whether in factories and shipyards or farms and neighborhoods, is eligible.

There is no charge to place a name in the Registry. Individuals can be enrolled through the web site or by calling the memorial's toll free number at 1-800-639-4WW2.

The Registry contains more than one million records, most submitted by the public. The database also includes National Archives and Records Administration lists of those killed in service during the war, and names of those buried in ABMC overseas cemeteries or listed on its Tablets of the Missing.

"We've been compiling names for several years," ABMC spokesman Mike Conley said. "We're making the Registry available now, prior to dedication, to encourage more enrollments. We've only scratched the surface of the database potential."

The memorial is under construction and on schedule for the official dedication ceremony set for Saturday, May 29th, 2004. The Registry will be accessible at the memorial site on the National Mall when the memorial is opened to the public.

Of 1,002 U.S. adults responding to a phone survey in May: 22 percent believed that only 100,000 served in uniform during the war, 34 percent thought one million served, 14 percent thought 8 million served, just 8 percent correctly stated 16 million, and 22 percent didn't know.

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Note to Editors: High-resolution renderings of the memorial are available on the memorial web site at http://www.WWIImemorial.com. Renderings other than those on this web site may not reflect the approved design.

Contacts: ABMC Mike Conley Office: (703) 696-6778 Cell: (571) 216-6115

Burson-Marsteller (for ABMC) Peter Himler Office: (212) 614-4082 Cell: (516) 729-6461

http://www.usnewswire.com/

[Indie]

Richard D. Winters

BRANCH OF SERVICE U.S. Army

HOMETOWN Hershey, PA

HONORED BY Kelly R. Drop, Good friend

ACTIVITY DURING WWII

COMMANDING OFFICER OF EASY COMPANY, AND LATER EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF 2ND BATTALION, 506TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION. DROPPED BEHIND UTAH BEACH ON D-DAY JUNE 6, 1944. ON HIS FIRST FORMAL OBJECTIVE, DESPITE BEING EXTREMELY OUTNUMBERED, WINTERS LED A SMALL SQUAD OF PARATROOPERS TO CAPTURED FOUR GERMAN ARTILLERY PIECES. A SELFLESS MAN, HIS COMPASSION, TREMENDOUS COURAGE AND RESOURCEFULNESS IN FIELD SITUATIONS ENDEARED HIM TO ALL MEN UNDER HIS COMMAND. SIXTY YEARS LATER, HIS STORIES ARE TREASURED AT THE D-DAY MUSEUM IN NEW ORLEANS AND IN THE EPIC NOVEL, 'BAND OF BROTHERS'. HE IS A JEWEL OF HUMANITY, MY INSPIRATION, INCREDIBLE FRIEND AND KINDRED SPIRIT.

========= GOD BLESS ALL OF OUR VETERANS. [This is the Cpt Richards of Band of Brothers as I'm sure you know]

[tgslTakoma]

Just added my Dad. He was an aircraft mechanic on a carrier. Don't know which one and my mother can't remember.

Well, another thing I found out while playing around on the 'net is that you can request a copy of your dad's service records from the National Archives. The instructions are fairly simple to follow, just remember after filling out the online order form, to print out the page that you must sign and return to the address on the sheet within 30 days.

My mom and dad are both now gone, and I can't remember some of the things that dad told me about his time in China. Hopefully the records will help fill in some of that foggy memory - for us both. Good luck!

[.38sw]

I did the online request for my dad's service records over a year ago, and never got anything back. So I wrote to my congressional rep, and after six months, received copies of what was left after the fire in the St. Louis records center. The staffer at the congresswoman's office apparently made a lot of phone calls, and was very persistent, and I am very appreciative.

[.38sw]

I registered my father, and his brother. My dad's uncle died when his ship hit a mine off the coast of Florida. My dad survived the war, but was partially disabled.

[tgslTakoma]

Oh no! It looks like we might need more than just luck to get the records.

[.38sw]

Maybe my signed request got lost in the mail - who knows. But there was a huge fire at the records center, and according to the staffer who called me, my dad's records were in the area that was most heavily damaged by the fire. I got four pages back, which is more than I had before. they are photocopies, of course, and I can see that the edges all show fire damage.

[WaterDragon]

Thanks for the ping, Howlin. I registered my dad just now.

[WaterDragon]

You can enter his info as much as you know, then others can add to that later if they want.

[WaterDragon]

Thanks for that link. I have been wanting to get my dad's service records, and my brother's...he was in Korea. Both are now deceased.

[Let's Roll]

BUMP!

[tubebender]

Bump for later...

[quietolong]

Bump

[snopercod]

I told my Father-in-Law I would drive him to DC for the dedication (from Florida), but he didn't want to go. Just going to sit and watch TV until he dies, I guess.

He was shot and left for dead in a muddy field just before the Battle of the Bulge, so maybe he just doesn't want to relive bad memories.

[deadhead]

I sent away and received my Dad's Military records a couple of years ago. My Dad, a WW11 Veteran passed away in 1969 when I was a child. Finding this info was a special gift. You can also receive replacement medals, free of charge. I also received the replacement medals. Here is a link with info, hope this link works.

Replacement Medals

[deadhead]

Thank You for the information, chance33_98. I have registered my Dad.

[WaterDragon]

That is very encouraging. My dad never talked about his WWII service much, though he was proud that he served. And I did know that he frequently got together with other veterans in our area. I look forward to getting copies of his service record.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Mrs.Liberty]

I had signed my dad and mother up a few weeks back. My sister (freeper merry10) and I are hoping to go to the dedication in May...along with (hopefully) my uncle (dad's brother) and his daughters.

[pgkdan]

bump