doogal Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 I've been given the name of a US soldier by a work colleague. I said I would try to find out where to look for information on US soldiers in WW1 - I suppose, a similar thing to the PRO service records but for the States - are there any threads one of the pals could point me towards, or basic advice on where to start with this one? with thanks for any advice on this doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyDick Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Hello I asked a similar question a few weeks ago and received a number of very helpful leads. Check for my posting marked 'Submariners' Database' on the War at Sea section, the information about US servicemen is about half-way down. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Hi Doogal, Unfortunately US records can be very difficult to find. What information do you have? Take care, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 If you know his state that may be a good start or division or regiment can lead to a state sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 24 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Hi Neil and Richard Thanks for the rapid response Richard - I've started to have a look through your thread (I became sidetracked by the main subject matter!!) Neil, all I have is the following: name: Jonas Tamulaitis, in the U.S. army, served in France during ww1 (possibly originally from Latvia or Lithuania, leaving there to avoid the mess of the Russian Army when world war one broke out) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 24 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Hi Neil and Richard Thanks for the rapid response Richard - I've started to have a look through your thread (I became sidetracked by the main subject matter!!) Neil, all I have is the following: name: Jonas Tamulaitis, in the U.S. army, served in France during ww1 (possibly originally from Latvia or Lithuania, leaving there to avoid the mess of the Russian Army when world war one broke out) rgds doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 NY Archives Tamulaitis is a Lithuanian name according to the Social Security Death records most Tamulaitis's seem to be either from Connecticut or New York. Using the link above you can print out a form for a search of the NY archives (it costs $1) they take about 4 weeks or so (domestically). There was/is a relatively large Lithuanian population here in New Jersey but I don't see any Tamulaitis listed. You may also want to try a Lithuanian-American Genealogy Forum. I would try New York first, they provided about 10% of the AEF as it was and had a Lithuanian immigrant population at the time. Hope this helped, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 24 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Hi Paul, I don't think this is even his original name - as it may have been changed as he arrived in the States - not unusual, but very frustrating. My colleague's family have been very mobile throughout the last century, and are spread across varying UK ex-colonies and dominions as well as the US, and the kind of detail that would really narrow this search down has now faded. In fact, military history aside, I think there is quite an extraordinary family story to be told. I said before I posted that it will be very difficult to find anything, so as not to get her hopes up of finding something out, so expectancy is low. anyhow - nothing ventured all the best doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 24 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Neil, brilliant - thanks for the local knowledge and the link. NY seems to be the best route as I recall the place being mentioned in conversation with regard to this some time ago. many thanks doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Neil came up with a much better idea than I could have, looked hopelss to me, well it's a real long shot but not hopeless, good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyOfficer Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 Doogal: If you ever come up with a Division or Regiment that still exists, I can help put you in contact with the existing Division or Regimental Association. Just let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 24 June , 2004 Share Posted 24 June , 2004 He would be most fortunate if it was your division 1st. It participated in 1st US offensive action WW1 at Cantigny, near Montdidier, near Amiens. Colonel Robert McCormick was in this div. Family owned Chicago Tribune which owns WGN & Chicago Cubs. He left lots to Cantigny 1st Division Foundation, Wheaton, IL. There is a superb building & grounds there with a great research staff. A friend, John Votaw, W Point & PhD is director. What a job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyOfficer Posted 25 June , 2004 Share Posted 25 June , 2004 Paul: I've heard of Mr. Votaw but never been to Cantigny. Its a great museum but the problem is that the Big Red One memorabilia is now effectively split: the Divisional museum here in Wurzburg has parts and Cantigny has the rest. It'd be nice to have one consolidated location. As a note, the Divisional museum seems to have only a fraction of what it had prior to the move from Ft. Riley. Don't know what happened to some stuff. That being said, yes, the Big Red One has (IMHO) the best Divsional Association and is incredibly resourced. If you're going to be one...be a Big Red One. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 25 June , 2004 Share Posted 25 June , 2004 Hi Neil and Richard Thanks for the rapid response Richard - I've started to have a look through your thread (I became sidetracked by the main subject matter!!) Neil, all I have is the following: name: Jonas Tamulaitis, in the U.S. army, served in France during ww1 (possibly originally from Latvia or Lithuania, leaving there to avoid the mess of the Russian Army when world war one broke out) rgds doogal The June edition of the English "Family Tree Magazine" has a three page article on researching Lithuanians. If not readily available where you are let me know, I could send scans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 25 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 June , 2004 Dear All, I greatly appreciate the responses, advice and direct offers of help you have all given. After giving it some thought, I have decided not to push on with this particular research, as I think the kind of information I would be able to return to my work colleague - whilst fascinating for me and to everyone who has added to the thread - would not really enhance her family knowledge, and only serve to raise an expectation of possible knowledge that couldn't be fulfilled. However, and for our interest, I was unaware that in 1973, most/all of the AEF enlisted men's records were lost in a fire. I'm sure all the U.S. members of the forum will know of this, but it made realise just how lucky the remaining 30% of UK "Burnt Records" records were in their WW2 escape. Once again, thanks to all doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 25 June , 2004 Share Posted 25 June , 2004 Doogal, After long and careful consideration.....I've decided to send the $1 to New York to see if they have anything, just out of curiosity. Fortunately for US researchers many states had their own service records but it does make researching doughboys quite frustrating at times. Take care, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 25 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 June , 2004 at $1, why not!! thanks for this -will buy pint if this proves successful... or not Q: I know very little/nothing about the AEF - did they embark direct for France, or was there any WW2 style build-up in the UK? From what I've read, it must have been an almighty turnaround for some - straight from Mexico into the trenches. Was that the case? regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 29 June , 2004 Share Posted 29 June , 2004 Just thought I'd mention it, but we have a new member, AmericanDoughboy, who is an "expert" on the Americans in WW1, mainly the Somme.... maybe a quick lookup from him? Here the link........ AmericanDoughboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AmericanDoughboy Posted 29 June , 2004 Share Posted 29 June , 2004 at $1, why not!! thanks for this -will buy pint if this proves successful... or not Q: I know very little/nothing about the AEF - did they embark direct for France, or was there any WW2 style build-up in the UK? From what I've read, it must have been an almighty turnaround for some - straight from Mexico into the trenches. Was that the case? regards doogal A: When America declared war on Germany on April 6th of 1917, they contained the 17th Largest Army in the World of only a mere 120,000 soldiers. As the allied look of the war was bleak everywhere by the end of 1917, the allied leaders and politicians (Foch, Lloyd George etc) constantly shouted at Pershing to send more men and send them fast from across the Atlantic. Followed by the second round of Conscription ever in America's history (first being the Civil War) and swarms of volunteers the Americans built an army quickly to support the tired allies in the trenches on the Western Front. The American built an army of 2,000,000 in France by the end of the war which surprised the allies as much as pleased them. American soldiers trained in camps and depots in the states and then embarked to England for presentation then to France for another period of training. Afterwards, the doughboys were sent immediately into action anywhere possible to support their exhausted British and French allies. One British commander stated that "we had our backs to the wall" and that the British were fighting to their last man which was coming at a quick speed. Throughout the war, Pershing and his staff frequently had trouble neogotiating with their allied commanders due to their arrogance and ignorance. The allied ideal was that the Americans would be needed only to fill up British and French ranks and fight under an alien flag. This did not please Pershing or his staff at all. The allied commanders wrangled throughout the war but Pershing was made of stubborn stuff, and declared that the American Army would not be used as merely a recruiting agency for either the French or British. -Doughboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 12 July , 2004 Share Posted 12 July , 2004 Sorry Doogal no information in the NY Records I heard back from them today. The good news is I got my $1 back! Take care, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 13 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 13 July , 2004 Hi there Neil, thanks for giving it a try, and thanks to everyone for the information and help on this thread. all the best doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 16 November , 2004 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2004 Hi, I thought this thread was worth bringing to the top again - my colleague had a few days off, and came back with some really quite detailed information. I'm still a complete novice as far as the AEF goes, so if anyone can help with adding a little more detail, I would be grateful ie war diaries and company histories if they exist. Anyhow, here's the information, and pretty good it is too: Jonas Tamulaitis 1 908 206 Private Company "C", 2nd Machine Gun Battalion Citations: Cited in Section 1 Paragraph C of General Order #5, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1 June 1919 date of return to US 3/09/1918 from a brief look on the web, I think this would put him in the 1st Division regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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