Research sources?

[John Beaman]

A friend is trying to understand what units of the USAAF his father served in (father is deceased). Here's what his discharge says:


Dennis J Farlow, serial number 34 311 637, Tech Sergeant

Discharged 23/Oct/45 at AAF Separation Base, Drew Field, Florida

MOS , AM Gunner 748

Battles & Campaigns Rome Arno & Aleutian Islands GO 33 1/May/45, Balkans April 45)some of this is not readable on the form)

Decorations & Citations Air Medal G 4911 Dec 44 & 2 OLC Asiatic Pacific Theater EAME Theater Ribbon

Also according to the form he was in Alaska and Italy

This is all taken from his discharge form WD AGO form 53-55 dated 1/
Nov/1944

Any help in pointing me in the right direction would be helpful. I'm at a loss as to why the Army Air force didn't list unit assignments on their discharge forms as the Regular Army did and still does.

Are there any on-line sources?

Thanks

[Leendert]

John,

Did some googling and came across the name of (a) Sgt Dennis Farlow to be the engineer on the Lt Herbert Hengst crew in the 98th BG, 343rd Bomb Squadron, a B-24 unit operating in N. Africa and Italy.
There's a pic of this crew in the book "Force for Freedom. The Legacy of the 98th, Vol.2".

He enlisted on 18 July 1942 at Fort Bragg, NC (online NARA enlistment records).

Perhaps the 98th BG Veterans Association can be contacted to find out more: http://www.pyramidiers.com/history.shtml

If Sgt Farlow was a B-24 flight engineer indeed and also served in Alaska (Aleutians), then 28th Composite Group (21st Bomb Squadron) comes to mind.

Regards,

Leendert

[John Beaman]

Thanks Leendert. I'll check them out.