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Help me find WW2 stories that deserve to be researched for free

2014 marks the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. By some estimates, we’re currently losing about 1,000 WWII veterans per day – not to mention the non-military survivors of the second Great War.

I want to find somebody who really needs some research done and deserves to have it done for free.

For the next 30 days, I’m inviting anyone to tell me about a member of the U.S. military who died in active service during World War II, whose story you need to know – and why.  At the end of February, I will choose one person’s story to research for free.

Include this information in the Comments section below this post (or as much of it as you know):

  • Name
  • Rank
  • Branch of service
  • Date of death
  • Details about their service and/or how they died or disappeared
  • Relationship to you
  • Interesting info: What’s interesting about their service, what finding them means to you, why you’re having difficulty finding their records, etc.
  • Your contact information, including a valid email address.

If you’re researching a group (such as a flight crew or all the people from your hometown who died in WWII), you are also invited to participate. If you’re chosen, I will research the first member of your group at no charge.

Write to me in the comments below, tell me your story, and why I should choose your veteran to research for free. Be sure that I have your email address (it doesn’t have to be displayed publicly) so that I can contact you.

Best wishes, Bill

  1. Mary HolmesMary Holmes10-05-2014

    Hi Bill,

    In 1944 my beautiful and heart broken Aunt, was returning to her home in Pennsylvania via train, after finding her husband with another woman in their home in California. En route, she met a soldier who trained pilots at Santa Ana Air Base. During this trip, a snow storm kept them stuck in Colorado and in that time, she became pregnant. My cousin was born nine months later. Before she died, my Aunt asked her son’s daughter, to please find John Vincent Smith, so, she would know something about her biological Grandfather. All we know is that he was from Kansas and was a pilot trainer stationed at Santa Ana. His Granddaughter is now an Emmy winning director and I have come to a dead end in researching for her.

    Thank you for your consideration,
    Mary Holmes

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