Dear list,
This website regarding the recently dedicated WWII soldier memorial in D.C. includes a search option which is much simpler than the NARA databases online.
http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=registry.asp&subpage=search
Here you can search for surname of interest U.S. wide. You can also advance search specific county/town and site will return entire list of soldiers of the particular county/town.
In addition to official military data...
Site also seems to include soldier data contributed by relatives/descendents. Some of this data include photograph of soldier, locations served, and job discription.
This site does not pertain solely to those K.O.A. It also includes soldiers who served and returned home.
Barbie
St. Louis
Barbie is correct about the site containing information from family
members - It allows a person to post that information if they fill out a
subscriber form and then you can enter your data. Information on both my
grandfathers - one living, one deceased - has been entered. In addition,
information on Great Uncle lost at the Battle of the Gilbert Islands in the
Pacific is provided by us - he was all of 17 as I recall.
Folks may want to also visit the http://www.loc.gov/folklife/vets/ which is
the Library of Congress' veterans history project where volunteers are
recording interviews of any and all veterans about their service. I have
done about 30 or so interviews so far with a colleague from my office and I
will say they are enlightening, humbling, motivating, and saddening 90
minutes - but I wouldn't trade the nearly 50 hours of time spent doing them
for anything!
Rod Fleck
Forks, WA