Hi everybody! I hope someone could help me. I'm trying to find information about my great uncle who was in the Philippines during WWII. My grandfather game me a photo of him with about 50 other guys when he was there in 1942. But that's all I know about him! I didn't think finding this information was going to be this hard, but I don't even know where to start! So if someone could help me that would be great. Thank you!
Hi There RTF girl, You may try NARA to see if you can obtain his service file. National Archives and Records Administration. Could you post his name & any details you have. I will see what I can find. Regards Simon
Thank you sooooo much Assam! That sounds like a good place to start... I think! His name was Mike Oboczky, and I have a photo my grandpa gave me and there's like 40 other guys with him. I could send you a pic of the photo if you want!
Have you read up on the Philippines Campaign? That might give you some idea of what your Great Uncle may have experienced while you wait for his Service records. Don't be put off by the stock response that they were all lost in a warehouse fire, keep on at them and you'll eventually get them. It will also give you the units that were in the Philippines at the time of the Japanese invasion. It seems likely that he was captured mid '42, so do you have any knowledge of him being a Jap PoW? Did he survive? It's not much, but it may help while you wait!
Have you read up on the Philippines Campaign? That might give you some idea of what your Great Uncle may have experienced while you wait for his Service records. Don't be put off by the stock response that they were all lost in a warehouse fire, keep on at them and you'll eventually get them. It will also give you the units that were in the Philippines at the time of the Japanese invasion. It seems likely that he was captured mid '42, so do you have any knowledge of him being a Jap PoW? Did he survive? It's not much, but it may help while you wait! Ah, The famous fire in st Louis, most of the records that went up did not include WW2,. it was (regrettably the records form the civil war onwards through to WW1). I was holidaying not far from the Bataan peninsula just over a year ago, I have driven the death march route a number of times up through Tarlac. Ok, with just the name, I can tell you that he survived the war as he is not listed on the ABMC site for ww2. As Kevin has stated, he was in all probability a POW. As a regular serviceman (due to the fact he was in the Philippines prior to Pearl Harbour) he would have been the recipient of the medals as listed below: US Defence Medal US Campaign Medal US Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal US Defense Medal On top of which he would also have received the following: Purple Heart Bronze Star Philippine Defense Medal The Purple Heart & Bronze Star were confirmed to all POW 's in the 1970's. If his medal were not issued to him then you can apply for them. Hope this helps. Regards Simon
Hi, I have just conducted a quick search of enlistment records on both ANcestry and Fold3.com, and only found the one Mike Oboczky: Name:Mike J Oboczky Birth Year:1918 Race:White, Citizen (White) Nativity State or Country:Hungary State of Residence:Pennsylvania County or City:Cambria Enlistment Date:17 Jan 1945 Enlistment State:Pennsylvania Enlistment City:New Cumberland Branch:No branch assignment Branch Code:No branch assignment Grade:Private Grade Code:Private Term of Enlistment:Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to lawComponent:Reserves - exclusive of Regular Army Reserve and Officers of the Officers Reserve Corps on active duty under the Thomason Act (Officers and Enlisted Men -- O.R.C. and E.R.C., and Nurses-Reserve Status) Source:Enlisted Reserve or Medical Administrative Corps (MAC) OfficerEducation:Grammar school Civil Occupation:Semiskilled miners, and mining-machine operatorsMarital Status:Single, without dependents Height:96 Weight:693 The 1930 Census shows his father to also be Mike, the household consisting of the following: Oboczky, Mike (b: 1887*) Oboczky, Julia (b: 1893*) Oboczky, Mike (b: 1919*) Oboczky, John (b: 1912*) Oboczky, Steve (b: 1921*) Is this your family? Mark
