Chris Boonzaier Posted June 17, 2014 Posted June 17, 2014 Hi, This has been a search that has gone nowhere in the last 10 years... maybe the resources have improved in that time... Jack E Ward O-1648755 or Jack E Ward O-1648751or Jack E Ward O-164875? Does anyone have any idea if there is a database? From my research it shows he must have been a Pre 1942 officer, probably serving in the CBI theater. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks Chris
Dave Danner Posted June 18, 2014 Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) There is a Movement Order here for a 2LT Jack E. Ward, 1381st Engineer Petroleum Distribution Company: http://www.cbi-history.com/part_vi_1381.html There is a 1LT Jack E. Ward, born 21 December 1914, died 12 March 1990, in the National Memorial Cemetery Of Arizona. His Social Security Number was 572-07-5326, which is a California-issued number, so he was probably the Jack Ward born in Nebraska in 1914 and living in Fresno, California in the 1940 U.S. Census. According to the census, he was living with his brother and working as a clerk, and had 4 years of college, so being made an officer makes sense. A Jack E. Ward, born in Nebraska and living in Fresno, California, enlisted in the U.S. Army on 23 January 1941. He enlisted as a WOC. Edited June 18, 2014 by Dave Danner
Chris Boonzaier Posted June 18, 2014 Author Posted June 18, 2014 Hi Dave, Thanks, So it looks like the second guy could be mine? Buried in Arizona. I have a Kukri with the name and number hammered into it and I seem to remember it came from an Ebay seller in Arizona or New Mexico many eons ago. So that may be a match. Thats a bunch further than I got in the last 15 years looking for him!
Dave Danner Posted June 18, 2014 Posted June 18, 2014 I suppose they are all the same guy. He entered as a WOC, but then became a commissioned officer, leaving service as a 1LT. The WOC course was branch-immaterial, and the cemetery record doesn't show a branch, but the enlistment says he was a shipping and receiving clerk, so ending up in an Engineer Petroleum Distribution Company wouldn't be surprising. If there was an application for a military grave marker, that would have had his service number, but I believe the grave markers are bronze plaques placed on civilian graves. Since he was buried in a military cemetery, that wouldn't apply.
Chris Boonzaier Posted June 18, 2014 Author Posted June 18, 2014 If I understand correctly, the O- numbers were pre 1942 officers numbers? Well, I was hoping for a Merrils Marauder or something, but at least I know now who he was... :-) Thanks Chris
Dave Danner Posted June 18, 2014 Posted June 18, 2014 If I understand correctly, the O- numbers were pre 1942 officers numbers? I honestly have no idea how that worked.
Doc Posted June 19, 2014 Posted June 19, 2014 If I understand correctly, the O- numbers were pre 1942 officers numbers? Thanks Chris Not necessarily-- My father had an "O" number given to him in the 1950s.
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