My father had a handsome older brother who died at Vimy Ridge, age 19 and probably a virgin, given the family faith. We have a photo and the transcription of a letter. My father never spoke of his brother. These losses cut deep and cast a shadow.
I enjoyed learning about your uncle. I particularly connected with your opening thought "No one occupies more of the Olsen family archive than its missing member: Andrew Jr." I recently came into possession of some of my great-grandmother's documents and artifacts. She outlived her husband and all but one of her children. Among her collection are the papers and clippings related to one of her sons who died as a young man. It's sad to think of those tangible items as the way in which she stayed connected to him. But, as a family history researcher, I'm thankful that they were preserved.
Yes, indeed. The archive began in pain and grief but became a monument or something. And, amazingly, there is still more to find out-- the response to this post included some tips that are yielding more bits of info about my uncle, when I thought his story was well "over." Thanks for sharing your story too.
Old family photos are so poignant. I’m the youngest of four and the only boy, so in quite a few of the photos of me as a young kid I’m surrounded by my sisters and their friends. My dad was a bit of a patriarch, but - until I went to an all boys school at the age of seven - I grew up in such a female environment. And, more recently, I’ve realised how often I surround myself with female company. Both my flatmates at uni were girls. In my early-twenties, lots of my friends in London were women. My colleagues at the college where I taught were virtually all women. … I really enjoy male company too, and love having a son, but I always seem to associate female environments with relaxedness and safety/security. I instinctively gravitate back towards them. I’m sure that comes from my childhood. And looking at photos from that time is always so fascinating/revealing.
Thanks, James. It’s especially interesting to wonder how much of that would be reflected in the photos themselves. Would the feelings be visible? Only sometimes, probably. But that’s what we look for—
My cousin Robert Brouk survived being shot down by the Japanese as an AVG Flying Tiger in spring 1942. He returned to the states, rejoined the Air Corps and 3 weeks after he married, died in a plane crash in Florida while training pilots as his new wife watched. So many stories like this that need to be shared.
Did you get the IDPF and Air Force Accident Report (maybe you will talk about this in your next article)?
I do have more records that I share in the next post about my uncle's death-- and I wrote to NARA for whatever they had, but I'm not sure if any of that is the IDPF or the Air Force Accident Report. I'll have to do more research! I'd appreciate any tips you might have after the next piece posts on Monday. Thank you.
Full disclosure - I'm a WWI/WWII military research expert. I have a lot of info on my website https://wwiirwc.com if you want to take a look.
If you aren't familiar or not sure if you have this - the IDPF is the Individual Deceased Personnel File. For those that died stateside in a training accident, it can be very short, only a few pages long. For those who died overseas they can be hundreds of pages.
The Air Force Accident Report was created about the accident, even if no one died. Those contain testimony about the accident, details about the pilot or crew, photos and other information. These are kept on microfilm so the photos are not fantastic but help tell the story. I have my other cousin's, who died in a crash in Missouri, AFAR on this page (scroll down). https://wwiiresearchandwritingcenter.com/research-resources/wwii-record-examples/
If you don't have it because access has changed a lot since 2010, the IDPF for surname starting with O can be accessed through sending a FOIA email to Army Human Resource Command at Ft. Knox. Provide name, service number, KIA date and email request to: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.foia@army.mil They are sending out the files within a few weeks right now.
This is so great, Jennifer! I will work through all these sources and see what else there is to find. I really thought I had found everything, but who knows? I appreciate your expertise in this.
My father had a handsome older brother who died at Vimy Ridge, age 19 and probably a virgin, given the family faith. We have a photo and the transcription of a letter. My father never spoke of his brother. These losses cut deep and cast a shadow.
Thanks for sharing that, Rona. How sad, these losses, their youth.
I enjoyed learning about your uncle. I particularly connected with your opening thought "No one occupies more of the Olsen family archive than its missing member: Andrew Jr." I recently came into possession of some of my great-grandmother's documents and artifacts. She outlived her husband and all but one of her children. Among her collection are the papers and clippings related to one of her sons who died as a young man. It's sad to think of those tangible items as the way in which she stayed connected to him. But, as a family history researcher, I'm thankful that they were preserved.
Yes, indeed. The archive began in pain and grief but became a monument or something. And, amazingly, there is still more to find out-- the response to this post included some tips that are yielding more bits of info about my uncle, when I thought his story was well "over." Thanks for sharing your story too.
Old family photos are so poignant. I’m the youngest of four and the only boy, so in quite a few of the photos of me as a young kid I’m surrounded by my sisters and their friends. My dad was a bit of a patriarch, but - until I went to an all boys school at the age of seven - I grew up in such a female environment. And, more recently, I’ve realised how often I surround myself with female company. Both my flatmates at uni were girls. In my early-twenties, lots of my friends in London were women. My colleagues at the college where I taught were virtually all women. … I really enjoy male company too, and love having a son, but I always seem to associate female environments with relaxedness and safety/security. I instinctively gravitate back towards them. I’m sure that comes from my childhood. And looking at photos from that time is always so fascinating/revealing.
Thanks, James. It’s especially interesting to wonder how much of that would be reflected in the photos themselves. Would the feelings be visible? Only sometimes, probably. But that’s what we look for—
That's really interesting. I often look strangely relaxed / at ease in those pics - a meditative young boy surrounded by a frenetic dance of girls.
😄
🙃😁
Thank you for sharing your military stories.
My cousin Robert Brouk survived being shot down by the Japanese as an AVG Flying Tiger in spring 1942. He returned to the states, rejoined the Air Corps and 3 weeks after he married, died in a plane crash in Florida while training pilots as his new wife watched. So many stories like this that need to be shared.
Did you get the IDPF and Air Force Accident Report (maybe you will talk about this in your next article)?
That's so sad too. How awful for your family.
I do have more records that I share in the next post about my uncle's death-- and I wrote to NARA for whatever they had, but I'm not sure if any of that is the IDPF or the Air Force Accident Report. I'll have to do more research! I'd appreciate any tips you might have after the next piece posts on Monday. Thank you.
Full disclosure - I'm a WWI/WWII military research expert. I have a lot of info on my website https://wwiirwc.com if you want to take a look.
If you aren't familiar or not sure if you have this - the IDPF is the Individual Deceased Personnel File. For those that died stateside in a training accident, it can be very short, only a few pages long. For those who died overseas they can be hundreds of pages.
The Air Force Accident Report was created about the accident, even if no one died. Those contain testimony about the accident, details about the pilot or crew, photos and other information. These are kept on microfilm so the photos are not fantastic but help tell the story. I have my other cousin's, who died in a crash in Missouri, AFAR on this page (scroll down). https://wwiiresearchandwritingcenter.com/research-resources/wwii-record-examples/
If you don't have it because access has changed a lot since 2010, the IDPF for surname starting with O can be accessed through sending a FOIA email to Army Human Resource Command at Ft. Knox. Provide name, service number, KIA date and email request to: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.foia@army.mil They are sending out the files within a few weeks right now.
The Accident Report can be requested through AFHRA at Maxwell AFB. https://www.afhra.af.mil/
I look forward to reading your article. Thanks again for sharing your story and research. It will help so many others tell their own stories.
This is so great, Jennifer! I will work through all these sources and see what else there is to find. I really thought I had found everything, but who knows? I appreciate your expertise in this.
There are so many possible records to discover. :) Good luck!