How would I request issuance of awards for my grandfather?

2020-09-20T07:32:24-04:00

I have been putting together my own shadowbox recently and that got me thinking about my grandfather's awards. He got out before the end of WW2 and is not the type that would have looked back to get awards he would've been eligible for. I am looking for the route to get the WW2 Victory Medal officially issued by the government with, with paperwork included not just buying the medal. I have found links for getting medals reissued, but nothing about having records reviewed for initial issuance. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2020 7:56 AM

2020-09-20T07:56:44-04:00

You can request the OMPF or in some cases you may have to use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for info.
https://www.archives.gov/veterans/replace-medals

Military Awards and Decorations

En Español The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) does not issue service medals; that is a function of each military service department. Requests for the issuance or replacement of military service medals, decorations and awards should be directed to the specific branch of the military in which the veteran served. However, for cases involving Air Force and Army personnel (click here for exceptions), the NPRC will verify the awards to...

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2020 8:22 AM

2020-09-20T08:22:34-04:00

Hope this helps. I've thought of doing same for Dad. Got his records years ago. It's nowhere near Stolen Valor to add the "been there" campaign awards. If his records uphold assignment to a unit that received a Unit Citation during the timeframe he served, that's good too. Any personal awards should be scrutinized. If the DD 214 says he rates any of these, that's solid. The rest requires a little research and honesty. Division or Regimental patches, rank, marksmanship and similar are a given. It's supposed to be an effort of respect toward the member, and anything other than an honest effort diminishes that respect. IMO. https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

Request Military Service Records

Veterans and their next of kin can get FREE copies of their DD 214, and other military service records including Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), Replacement Medals, and Medical and Health Records.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2020 3:15 PM

2020-09-20T15:15:28-04:00

SGT Darin Hayhurst My shadowbox has my items on one side and my father's on the other side.

Response by SSG Ron Bogard made Sep 20 at 2020 8:04 PM

2020-09-20T20:04:43-04:00

Start with the branch of service Grandfather served in, all branches have a personnel center that generally have records of personnel that served. Unfortunately in the Armys case a fire in the personnel section dating back to ww2 destroyed a number of files.Any paper work that you can find through family history that survived will be helpful ie
Social security #, a draft registration, his deployment documents, anything that he was issued.
Contact information from personnel centers can be found on line!!
Good luck with your hunt, you won't believe the adventure you are about to embark upon.
Long story short, I found a lot of information about my Grandfather (ww1) on ancestry.com!! After some months more than a year, I now have all his awards and decorations, duty uniform!!