SNGF -- Share Something Unexpected: Tom Johnston Had a Short Naval Career

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:

It's Saturday Night again -

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Our assignment from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings is to:

1)   Share something unexpected that you have found while researching an ancestor.

 [thank you to Linda Stufflebean for suggesting this topic!]

Here's mine:
I knew my grandfather, Tom J. Johnston, served in the United States Navy during World War II because I have a photo of him in his uniform. He is shown here with my mother.

My grandmother saved his wallet after he died in 1971 and gave it to me sometime in the 2000s. One of the cards in the wallet was a Certificate of Discharge. I was excited because I needed his service number to order his military service record. The Navy records did not burn in the 1973 fire at the Personnel Records Office.


He was discharged on 17 July 1944 at Farragut, Idaho. It didn’t occur to me then that he was discharged before the end of the war. I placed the order for his records.

When the packet arrived, it contained fourteen sheets of paper. One paper gave his enlistment date as 25 March 1944 in Dallas, Texas. His service included NRS [Naval Recruiting Station] in Dallas and NTC [Naval Training Center] in Farragut, Idaho. He was discharged as a Seaman Second Class. His time at Farragut was between 28 March and 17 July. He had been assigned to Farragut for “Special Assignment.” This was likely to have him do what he had been doing already for the Navy: work as a carpenter.

Another paper had the box “inducted” checked on 25 March 1944 “for the duration.” There was also a copy of the letter he had received dated 9 March 1944 to report for induction to the local board at the courthouse in Stephenville, Texas. Another document showed he had a physical on 23 February 1944 and was noted as physically fit, acceptable by the Navy, including the Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

Nothing in the file stated why he was being discharged before the end of the war and after being in service for only four months. I had asked for his medical records and the form that was returned to me stated to re-order in six months. I guess I forgot to. My grandmother told me he had an ulcer and that was why he was discharged.

My grandfather continued to have issues with his ulcer the rest of his life.

Copyright © 2024 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.

Comments

  1. Janice M. SellersOctober 12, 2024 at 7:18 PM

    So I hope you are going to order his medical records now?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Linda StufflebeanOctober 13, 2024 at 6:32 AM

    Four months is a very short military stint. You definitely should order the medical records. At least you know why he was discharged - an ulcer would qualify and be unusual for a young man.

    ReplyDelete
  3. TeresaOctober 15, 2024 at 9:00 PM

    Intriguing indeed...though an ulcer does make sense, given how painful they can be. I hope you receive the medical files this time!

    ReplyDelete

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