AboutJohn Expertise Retired US Navy, stationed 10 years in Hawaii. Study of the early years of the Pacific War 1941-42, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. Easy access to actual sites in and around Pearl Harbor. More limited knowledge of general WWII history in the Pacific.
Experience I'm well-read in general WWII history, and spent a lot of off time exploring various military sites on O'ahu.
Education/Credentials I hold a B.A degree from Chaminade University of Honolulu in Historical and Political Studies, Summa cum Laude, earned in 2002.
Question I just recently learned a little information on my grandfather from WWII. I have very little info and I was wandering if you might be able to point me in the correct direction to learn more about his wartime service. The only thing I know is that he was on Guadalcanal August 7-9 1942 and that he was wounded. No living family members know more than that. Any help and advice you could give me to get started would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Kenneth
Answer If you want to know about the service of a former member of the military, the first place to check is the Military Records branch of the National Archives, located in St. Louis, MO.
and will give you all the info you need to obtain information about your grandfather's service and decorations.
One thing you probably will NOT find is details about what he did on Guadalcanal. You should be able to find out what unit he was with, and with that information, you can try going to the US Navy History and Heritage Center, http://www.history.navy.mil/, where they often have logs and other records of unit activities.
This is assuming your grandfather was a Marine. If he was Army, there is a matching Army History Center.
