OT: War over - no longer required

[olyinaz]

Found this in some things at my Dad's house today. Sure wish he'd shown it to me years ago!! It was sent to my Grandpa in 1919:





I was pretty stunned to see it signed by General Leonard Wood. In those days only General Pershing was held in higher regard, and even then only in some circles!

Best,
Oly

[mergus]

Wow, that sounds like a very personal sounding letter. Is that way all such discharge letters were written?

Mergus

[spaceman spiff]

neato......

old documents are time machines.




spaceman

[claybob86]

That's a real treasure! Quite a bit classier than my DD-214, for sure!

One of my grandfathers served in WWI. I have a few camp pictures, but no documents.

[spaceman spiff]

Camp Funston is at Fort Riley KS,


more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Funston




spaceman

[Cimarron]

Last fall I did some research on my great uncle. I have his service issue 1911 pistol, holster and helmet. I went to the Liberty Memorial/National World War I Museum at Kansas City. All I ever knew about Uncle Frank was that he was a courier during WW I. I was helped by the people in the library/archive and discovered Frank was in the 89th Division. He was in France from March 1918 through the occupation of Germany in June 1919. He participated in the St Mihiel Offensive and the Muese-Argonne Offensive. They had a book on the history of the 89th which was intersting but the library helper found some little 30 page company histories dated 1919. I was looking at the history for Comapany K, 356th regiment and in the last couple of pages was a roster of names of the soldiers that left Trier, Germany in June 1919 to come back to America. About half way down on the second page was the name of my great uncle. I was stunned to say the least. In conversation with the library staff I discovered that the museum only has two firearms in it's collection that can be traced back to the original soldier they were issued to. I have a letter from Colt giving the manufacture date and information about shippment to the Springfield Armory in early 1818. I am now trying to research Springfield Armory records to see if there is information about the issuance of weapons to specific units. If you are ever in Kansas City the WW I Museum is well worth the visit. Great Uncle Frank trained at Camp Funston, KS also.

[Terry Murbach]

THAT DOCUMENT WAS DATED ON MY DADDY'S EIGHTH BIRTHDAY.....

[Sixgun]

Documents and other things of history bring me the most pleasure in my brain. Thanks for sharing that. -------Sixgun

Terry---are you sure that not YOUR birthday at 8 years old? Come on buddy--its just a joke.

[earlmck]

Wow! That's really a fine find, Oly. I was happy enough with my DD214, but it sure isn't in the same class as that letter signed by General Wood.

And thanks for the WWI Museum tip, Cimarron. My maternal granddaddy was "over there" somewhere. I may get a chance to look into it sometime before long.

[piller]

One of my Mother's Uncles, Albert Wyant, served in WWI. I have his old uniform. I know that he was a survivor of a gas attack, and that is about all I know. Some research is in order. Back to the topic, that letter does have real class. It must have been great to know that your services were no longer required, meaning that the war was over. To be thanked for your service by a General of that standing is really cool.

[kimwcook]

That is a priceless piece of history for your family. You're very lucky to have that.

[Blaine]

The namesake of Ft Leonard Wood, Missouri.

[Griff]

Very cool! That certainly does have a very personal 'sound' to it. Seems a lot better than the somewhat impersonal kick to the curb I got!

[Charles]

My Grandfather who raised me served in both WWI and WWII. He enlisted as a private in WWII and retired as a Col. at the end of WWII. He was in the Texas National Guard between the wars. If I can work it, here are some pics of him in WWI and the start of WWII when the guard was called into Federal service.

<a href="http://s896.photobucket.com/albums/ac17 ... USArmy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac17 ... USArmy.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Griff]

My Grandfather who raised me served in both WWI and WWII. He enlisted as a private in WWII and retired as a Col. at the end of WWII. He was in the Texas National Guard between the wars. If I can work it, here are some pics of him in WWI and the start of WWII when the guard was called into Federal service.

There, fixed that for ya!

[olyinaz]

Thanks guys, it was indeed quite a find. Later in the 1960s he applied for and received an actual DD214, but in WWI letters like these was what a soldier got. General Wood was quite right about what he said in the letter regarding being better for the experience. My Grandpa was trained as a mechanic on the first trucks to enter into U.S. Army service and upon discharge went to work at a mechanic in South Dakota and Minnesota. It was lucrative work at the time but in the middle of the great depression he quit, used the money he'd saved up to buy a farm, and went and did that for the rest of his life (he was raised on a farm). That old Norwegian was tough as nails! At any rate, it was made possible by his time in the Army.

Same goes for me and my Dad. Dad used the GI Bill to go to law school after the Korean War and I used the Army College Fund to finance my flight training after my service. All of my Dad's brothers served (two in WWII and one in Korea), one made a career of Naval Aviation, the others all used the GI Bill. The military has been VERY good to my family! Every one of us has served in either a time of war or actual combat.

At any rate. I was proud of Grandpa when I found this and a copy will go on the wall of my den.

Best,
Oly

[awp101]

That is VERY cool!

Was it actually signed or might it have been stamped? At the time, there would have been a TON of those letters to sign...

You might want to post that over at http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... hp?act=idx to see if they can provide more information. It's mainly Brits researching Brits, but us cousins from across the pond are welcomed and there might be a few American posters who can get you up to speed in where to start researching (if you want to that is). Or I can post it if you'd like.

[olyinaz]

That is VERY cool!

Was it actually signed or might it have been stamped? At the time, there would have been a TON of those letters to sign...

You might want to post that over at http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... hp?act=idx to see if they can provide more information. It's mainly Brits researching Brits, but us cousins from across the pond are welcomed and there might be a few American posters who can get you up to speed in where to start researching (if you want to that is). Or I can post it if you'd like.

Thanks, but I don't think that'll be necessary. My Grandpa kept a journal and all letters/orders/citations of his from this time so I actually have pretty extensive knowledge of what he did, where he went, etc.

And yes, despite the fact that the letter looks to be hand typed (there's a typo there if you look closely) I do indeed think that it was hit with a stamp for the reasons you suggest. Nevertheless, it came from General Wood's office and that was a pretty thrilling thing to behold when I turned the page in the book it was pressed in, and there it was.

Cheers,
Oly