The Discharge Record: Why is this document so important?
The Discharge Record
Why start with the Discharge Record?
The Discharge Record serves as a jumping-off point, a blueprint, or an outline to start your veteran search. Officially entitled the “Enlisted Record and Report of Separation/Honorable Discharge, ” this document is a valuable resource to help uncover your veteran’s military service.
For example, in my father’s Discharge Record, a portion of the information provided included enlistment data, dates of entry in and out of the US, and the names of US cities and countries he was stationed at during his military service from 1940 through 1945.
What type of information is provided in this one-page document?
My Father’s Discharge Record—September 1945
My father’s Discharge Record was divided into five sections: enlistment and separation data, military history, pay data, insurance notice, and a signature and thumbprint section.
The first section was a combination of personal data at the time of enlistment. Individual boxes contained the following information: Permanent Address, Date Of Birth, Place Of Birth, Color Eyes, Color Hair, Height, Weight, Number of Dependents, Civilian Occupation, Army Serial Number, Grade, Arm Of Service, and Date and Place Of Separation. There was one box entitled Organization, which stated his Army Air Force (AAF) Base Unit, and another box which indicated his place of separation.
The second section was entitled Military History. This area had information about the Date Of Enlistment, Place Of Entry Into Service, Military Occupation Specialty, Battles And Campaigns, Immunization Dates, Decorations And Citations, and Service Outside the Continental US, including return dates. There were details about the Reason And Authority For Separation, Service Schools Attended, and Education Years.
The third section provided Pay Data, and the fourth section was related to an Insurance Notice. The fifth and final section was a signature area complete with his thumbprint, Adjusted Service Rating Score (ASR Score) number, and the statement, “Lapel Button Issued.”
Using his Discharge Record as a guide, I was able to piece my father’s war story together, starting from when he first decided to enlist.
How do I interpret all the information in this document?
Some of the military terms on the document can be confusing. There are lots of resources online to help you interpret and correctly decipher the Discharge Record. I started with a Google search entitled “Reading & Understanding the WWII Discharge Document.” I recommend you do the same.
How do I locate a copy of my veteran’s Discharge Record?
The first place to begin your search is with your family. If you are lucky, your veteran kept a copy of their records stored away somewhere in a file or private place. Veterans were instructed to keep their Discharge/Separation records to apply for loans and other veteran benefits. My father kept his Discharge Record his entire life—carefully tucked away in a special drawer with the rest of his World War II documents and photos. We were fortunate to have this document in our possession as it was absent from his Official Military Personnel File.
Primary online resources to locate your veteran’s Discharge Record include:
National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/ (National repository for military records). Here is the exact place to request your veteran’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF): https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel/ompf-archival-requests
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/