Naval Service records

[woodchucker]

My dad served in both WWII and Korea. I wanted to know the ship names that he served on. I knew one was a sub, and the other I had seen pics of, and wasn't sure what it's name was. My sister took the folder when my mom finally let it go that had the info, when my mom moved. She doesn't know where it is. So I found a govt site National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) which will give you (I thought ) a record of where (which ships) my dad served on. Apparently it only has the MOST SIGNIFICANT assignment, so it doesn't list all of them. He was a Sonar guy. It is hard to read the pdf as the copy is very old and faded. But damn, so little info... I'm bummed that I couldn't get all the info I wanted. It doesn't even say his MOS or anything that I can decipher. I did find out he was on a destroyer, USS Robinson and the pic of that matches the pic I remember seeing in the folder. So now I know it's a destroyer. Does anyone know how to get the other ships (sub) that he served on? I think I ordered this about a year and a half ago, and am just getting it today. My dad always avoided talking about the war.
I see SOG3 and V6 SOG is special operations group I don't find SOG3.
V6 -- General Service and Specialists (USNR classification)

So I am looking for more info.. Anyone with experience with this ? What's my next step to find out the sub.

edit: Ok, so I found SOM3 when I enlarged the PDF.. so that equates to
SOM -- Sonarman; Soundman

And I found another ref to another ship, not the Sub...
USS RICH (DD/DDE 820)

My mom insists he was also on a sub, which I do remember him telling me.

 

[Jim F]

Try getting a copy of his DD-214.

 

[woodchucker]

Try getting a copy of his DD-214.

Turns out that's what I got back. A NAVPERS 553 and a DD Form -214.
Thanks. I feel like there's more. About 28 years ago I was on the USS Ling in Hackensack NJ just to see what it was like to be in the sonar station of a WWII submarine. It was like standing in a closet, no room to move.. just so I could see what life must have been like...

I would like to find out what sub...

 

[ChazzC]

My dad served in both WWII and Korea. I wanted to know the ship names that he served on. I knew one was a sub, and the other I had seen pics of, and wasn't sure what it's name was. My sister took the folder when my mom finally let it go that had the info, when my mom moved. She doesn't know where it is. So I found a govt site National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) which will give you (I thought ) a record of where (which ships) my dad served on. Apparently it only has the MOST SIGNIFICANT assignment, so it doesn't list all of them. He was a Sonar guy. It is hard to read the pdf as the copy is very old and faded. But damn, so little info... I'm bummed that I couldn't get all the info I wanted. It doesn't even say his MOS or anything that I can decipher. I did find out he was on a destroyer, USS Robinson and the pic of that matches the pic I remember seeing in the folder. So now I know it's a destroyer. Does anyone know how to get the other ships (sub) that he served on? I think I ordered this about a year and a half ago, and am just getting it today. My dad always avoided talking about the war.
I see SOG3 and V6 SOG is special operations group I don't find SOG3.
V6 -- General Service and Specialists (USNR classification)

So I am looking for more info.. Anyone with experience with this ? What's my next step to find out the sub.

edit: Ok, so I found SOM3 when I enlarged the PDF.. so that equates to
SOM -- Sonarman; Soundman

And I found another ref to another ship, not the Sub...
USS RICH (DD/DDE 820)

My mom insists he was also on a sub, which I do remember him telling me.

The “3” means Sonarman 3rd Class (3rd Class Petty Officer - non-commissioned officer). Only served on a support ship (ammunition supply ship), but I believe that destroyers & other attack ships would have had Sonarmen onboard, so the stories about subs may have referred to sub-hunting.

 

[Jim F]

Turns out that's what I got back. A NAVPERS 553 and a DD Form -214.
Thanks. I feel like there's more. About 28 years ago I was on the USS Ling in Hackensack NJ just to see what it was like to be in the sonar station of a WWII submarine. It was like standing in a closet, no room to move.. just so I could see what life must have been like...

I would like to find out what sub...

All duty stations and ships should be listed on the DD-214.

 

[strantor]

Did he sign his DD214 with "/SS?" If he did that is confirmation he was qualified submarines. If he didn't, it doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't; things could have been done differently back then. Nowadays (and I assume back then too but not sure) a submariner's signature has rate/rank/qual. Here's mine for reference (FT3/SS) (scribbled terrible handwriting).

 

[woodchucker]

no.

 

[ChazzC]

Did he sign his DD214 with "/SS?" If he did that is confirmation he was qualified submarines. If he didn't, it doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't; things could have been done differently back then. Nowadays (and I assume back then too but not sure) a submariner's signature has rate/rank/qual. Here's mine for reference (FT3/SS) (scribbled terrible handwriting).
View attachment 467486

Didn’t sign my DD214 with rank/service (followed instructions from my Chief Personal Clerk, as usual). However, the 1972 version of the form did include the following:


Apparently Surface Warfare designation & Navigation didn’t have Specialty codes; I did graduate from Communications Officer School so that popped up.

 

[strantor]

Didn’t sign my DD214 with rank/service (followed instructions from my Chief Personal Clerk, as usual). However, the 1972 version of the form did include the following:

View attachment 467519
Apparently Surface Warfare designation & Navigation didn’t have Specialty codes; I did graduate from Communications Officer School so that popped up.

I scoured the internet looking for images of old submarine qualification cards and noted a trend. The further back you go, the fewer people included this in their signature. I couldn't find any from the 40s but in the 60s it wasn't common. Maybe in the 40s it wasn't a thing at all yet.

2004/2005 (when I was in) everyone put rate/rank/SS or (SS):



1985: only about half included it:



1972/1973: only 2 people included it



1966: nobody included it, that I can make out


So it looks like I inadvertently left a bad clue, my apologies.

edit: Ok, so I found SOM3 when I enlarged the PDF.. so that equates to
SOM -- Sonarman; Soundman

And I found another ref to another ship, not the Sub...
USS RICH (DD/DDE 820)

My mom insists he was also on a sub, which I do remember him telling me.

Submarines definitely have sonarmen, but so do surface ships.

All duty stations and ships should be listed on the DD-214.

Mine only lists the duty station I was at when I separated (box 8). There is no box where any other prior duty stations would be listed.

What's my next step to find out the sub.

I'm sorry I can't think of a way. Your best bet is probably finding that folder your sister has. Maybe offer her a cash reward for it? Or offer to clean out her attic in hopes you find it?

 

[Bone Head]

As usual military records are a mess. I suspect their paperwork/records may have inspired the word "FUBAR" we're all familiar with.