My late father-in-law. I never met him - he passed away when my husband was 9 years old - a full 9 years before we would meet in college.

My husband knew that his dad was a Marine. We've been told by various family members over the years that he served in Cuba, and VietNam, but we have no dates or locations.

He passed suddenly, and no one was prepared. It turned their lives upside down, and my mother-in-law never really recovered from her loss, despite her remarrying a few years later. It was somewhat of a sore subject, and we never brought the subject of his dad up. It was painful for him that he couldn't discuss it, so he would talk to me. Once, I talked to his mother privately about it, but I didn't get far.

In March, she passed away, again unexpectedly. On Easter Sunday, my step-father-in-law brought us an envelope which he found in storage. He said that my brother-in-law (who was 3 1/2 when his dad died) really only knew their step-dad as his dad, and he said he felt my husband should have the envelope. In it, was his DD214, his Honorable Discharge, and a few other miscellaneous pieces of paperwork. It gave us some usable information.

We were happy to have what we got, and discussed hanging his discharge on the wall next to his casket flag case. At some point in time it dawned on him that we have my dad's Air Force photo, and his step-dad's Army photo (both Viet-Nam vets), but not one of his dad. I began to see if I could track one down.

The Marines in DC were as helpful as they could be, but they provided little information. We believe we know where he went to boot camp, but they have no way of knowing 100% for sure. They directed me to a photo office, but without his platoon number, I can't obtain a photo. That is nowhere on his paperwork that we have. I applied to the government for his paperwork, but have been forewarned that they generally just send the DD214. I mentioned on my request that I have it already, and what info I really needed in the hope that I get lucky. I have also applied for a replacement of all of his medals, commendations, etc. They're long gone - we have absolutely no clue where.

I've applied to have an ad placed in a few publications in the hope of finding someone who served with him. I'll give as much information as I possibly can, and I hope someone here may have known him. You may see this post at several places - I'm trying to cover all the bases.

Most of this was gleaned from the DD214, but we're missing crutial pieces:

Name: George Alvin Mest Jr (my husband said he didn't use the Jr designation in civilian life)
DOB: 12/23/42 (DOD: 3/4/82 - Age 39)
Date Of Induction: 2/1/1961
Place Of Induction: Freemansburg, PA
Hometown: Alburtis, PA
Boot Camp: Believed to be Parris Island because of hometown
Initial Rank: Private (E-1)
Date Rank Assigned: 8/1/61
Service Number: 1948946
Duration Of Foreign/Sea Service: 1 year, 5 days
Rank At Discharge: Private (E-2)
Assignment At Discharge: HqCo, H&SBn, MCB Camp LeJeune
Specialty Number And Title: 0351 AtAsltMan
Date Of Discharge: 1/21/65
Date Of Transfer to Reserves: 1/31/65
Reserves Assignment: 4th Marine Corps District
Date Of Discharge from Reserves: 1/31/67
Decorations/Medals/Etc: AFEXPEDM, Good Conduct Medal, Rifle Sharpshooter
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 158
Race: Caucasian (for ID purposes only)
Signature On DD214: M. V. Canavan, 1st Lt, Acting CO
Info Line on DD214: "Good conduct mdal period commenses 2/1/64"

Misc/Personal Info:
-Got GED while in service
-Was an avid and excellent hunter
-Heavily smoked and enjoyed a good beer
-Father (George Sr) passed when he was 5
-Was an only child but had 6 step-brothers and 5 step-sisters
-Mother (Florence) remarried likely while he was in service - no one liked her new husband (including him), and she died at some point in the mid/late 60's of mis-treated uterine cancer with most of the family (deservedly) blaming the new husband
-Was single while in service - married in 1972
-Was strikingly handsome, and was a hard worker, and an honorable person by the accounts of many people we've met
-Worked on the Alaskan Pipeline at one time (unsure of when)

I can provide more information in some respects and even a photo if needed. Any help would mean so much to my husband. He may be gone, but he's definately not forgotten by him, or me - someone who never met him. I am bound and determined to help my husband honor his memory properly.

If anyone knew him, or knows how to help get the information we need to proceed, would be greatly appreciated.

Semper Fi

geo1.JPG (19 Kb, 34 downloads) George On His Wedding Day - November 1972

You might try contacting the records center in St. Louis County.

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/standard-form-180.html

They have quite a backlog of requests for records so you may have to be very patient with them. They may have a record of his whole SRB or service record book... and if they do then I believe they should be willing to give a copy of that to a next of kin (his son), if your husband makes the request.

You might also try to get hold of a Leatherneck magazine (a magazine put out by the Marine Corps Association) and check out a section in it called Mail Bag. It's a place full of ads and some occasional photos where people are looking for info on loved ones or people they've lost track of, just like they do in this forum. The Mail Bag service is free. You can also use it again in the future after you find out more info on your father-in-law. There are 90,000 members in the Marine Corps Association. Not all of them subscribe to Leatherneck but there are many that do.

You might try to find a steady access to current Leatherneck magazines too because they also have a section that lists reunion organizations, and when they are having reunions, and they list that stuff all year long. So, if in the future you find the name of one or more of the units that your father-in-law served with, you may be able to contact members of a reunion group to see if anyone knew him or has more info.

There is also this book that is worth looking into.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Locate-Anyone-Been-Military/d...id=1187898043&sr=8-1

There is also this, about ancestry.com and the military records they provide now, for a fee.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=3207447

Hang on to your perseverence. If the records center in St. Louis tries only giving you another copy of the DD214, you shouldn't have to be satisfied with that if you suspect they may have more. This is what Senators and Representatives are for.

Good luck

If you can find out what unit's he was in that would be a big help also.

I don't know I can be too much of help, but as far as his medal; you can go online and order them. You can go to www.usmedals.com. Worst case, you can go to a base and ask a fellow marine to purchase them for you. At least this way you can have them mounted with his burial flag. You maybe able to post something at the DAV(Disabled Veterans) office or website and also post something at the VA hospitals. A lot of veterans that served during that time period are usally there. Also, have you applied to retrieve his SRB (Service Record Book)? You can check Marines Magazine. They do a lot of photo shoots with Marines. I remember they did a shot of my MOS class when I was going through Marine Corps. schooling in 29 Palms, CA. They may be able to retrieve some photos there. I hope this at least help you a little. I want to thank you and your family for serving this my country. Your father-in-law paved the way and gave many Marines such as myself both past and present, a high standard to strive and achieve.
"Esprit De Corps." OOHRAH!!!!
Semper Fidelis,

Sgt. Varick Rainey (Veteran)

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