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Q517: I’m trying to get a DD 214 for my dad who served in WW2. All I have is a release from active duty form. I wanted to get a Presidential Certificate in his name. I sent in a request about a year ago with a copy of the release form but nothing yet. Wondered if I needed the DD214?
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A1: There were NO DD-214s issued for service in WWII. The DD-214 did not come about until 1950. The older one was the "WD AGO" (War Department Adjutant General's Office) Forms and the NAVPERS (Naval Personnel) discharge documents. These documents had existed since 1941. My advice would be to call or email them to remind them. Or just, resubmit the whole application once again.
Good Luck. (RA) 9/24/20
A2: There were no DD214 forms before 1950. Veterans Military Discharge Documents. The documents listed below may be used to establish honorable active military service. NCA will accept the following documents, with some exceptions, to verify eligibility when requesting a headstone or marker.
* A DD Form 256 or DD Form 257 must indicate a period of active duty service dates to be a valid document for eligibility determination purposes.
** Valid only if active duty service dates are indicated.
*** The DD Form 214 has been issued by all military services since January 1, 1950. Before January 1, 1950, several similar forms were used by the military services.
**** NGB Form 22 can be used to verify eligibility if it indicates prior active federal service other than for training or a minimum of 20 years total service for pay.
Form Title
DA 1569 Transcript of Military Record
DD 2A Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2AF Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2CG Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2MC Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2N Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2NOAA Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2 (Retired) US Uniformed Services Identification Card
DD 13 Statement of Service
DD 214 *** Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
DD 217 Discharge Certificate
DD 256A * Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256AF * Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256CG * Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256MC * Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256N * Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 257A * General Discharge Certificate
DD 257AF * General Discharge Certificate
DD 257CG * General Discharge Certificate
DD 257MC * General Discharge Certificate
DD 257N * General Discharge Certificate
DD 303 Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303AF Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303CG Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303MC Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303N Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 1300 Report of Casualty
ADJ 545 Discharge Certificate
Army DS ODF Honorable Discharge from the United States Army
AGO 525 Discharge Certificate
AGO 755 Discharge Certificate
AGO 01252 Discharge Certificate
AGO 01254 Transcript of Military Record
AGO 01502 Discharge Certificate
WD AGO 53 Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge
WD AGO 53-55 Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge
WD AGO 53-58 Enlisted Record and Report of Separation General Discharge
WD AGO 53-90 Certificate of Service
WD AGO 53-98 Military Record and Report of Separation Certificate of Service
WD AGO 55 Honorable Discharge from The Army of the United States
WD AGO 280 Certificate of Service, AVS
WD AGO 525 Honorable Discharge from the United States Army
WD AGO 755 Honorable Discharge, Women?s Army Auxiliary Corps
WD AGO 0729 Honorable Discharge from Army of the United States of America
WD AGO 01502 Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge Certificate
WD AGO 01504 Discharge Certificate
Bureau of Investigation No. 6 Discharge Certificate
Bureau of Investigation No. 53 Discharge Certificate
Bureau of Investigation No. 118 Discharge Certificate
Bureau of Investigation No. 213 ** Discharge from U. S. Naval Reserve Force
Form No. 6, U.S.N. Discharge Certificate
Navy (No number) War Service Certificate
NAVCG-553 Notice of Separation from U.S. Coast Guard
NAVCG-2510 Honorable Discharge, U.S. Coast Guard
NAVMC-455 U.S. Marine Corps Certificate of Service, In Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge Certificate
NAVMC 70-PD Honorable Discharge, U.S. Marine Corps
NAVMC 78-PD U.S. Marine Corps Report of Separation
NMC 258 A&I Discharge Certificate
NMC 2571 A&I Honorable Discharge, U.S. Marine Corps
NAVPERS-553 Notice of Separation from U.S. Naval Service
NAVPERS-563 Navy Discharge-Notice of Separation from U.S. Naval Service
NAVPERS-566 Standard Statement of Service
NAVPERS-660 Honorable Discharge from U.S. Navy
NAVPERS-661 Certificate of Discharge, U.S. Naval Service
NAVPERS-663B Discharge Certificate
NGB 22 **** Report of Separation and Record of Service, Departments of the Army and the Air Force, National Guard Bureau
NOAA Form 56-16 Report of Transfer or Discharge
PHS Form 1867 Statement of Service ? Verification of Status of Commissioned Officers of the U.S. Public Health Service
VA Adjudication 545 Summary of Record of Active Service
VA 3101 Official Retirement Order
Official Retirement Register
Reserve Retirement Eligibility Benefits Letter
Verification of Service letter from the VA. (AJ) 9/24/20
A3: You can first request your father's DD-214 or equivalent from the National Personnel Records Center, https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records Once you get it you can go here to find out about the Presidential Memorial Cert. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/presidential-memorial-certificates/ (DS) 9/24/20
A4: I would contact the branch of service he served in and at the same time contact your congressman and you will get an answer back or a phone call within a month or less. Wonders how getting a congressman involved they work faster. Best of Luck and sorry about your loss. (JM) 9/24/20
A5: Use Standard Form 180 to request the records. It can be found in the National Archives website. (DT) 9/24/20
A6: I am a Veterans Service Officer, before 1950 there was not any DD 214's only discharge papers. DD 214 came into existence after 1950. (AH) 9/24/20
A7: The report of separation form issued in most recent years is the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Before January 1, 1950, several similar forms were used by the military services, including the WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD and the NAVCG 553. (LH) 9/24/20
A8: You have information needed. You waited too long. Try again. Can go on line or seek help from veterns benifits office or your veterans commission office. (EA) 9/24/20
A9: My wife's father and my father both served in Europe in ww2, Both of their 201 files including 214 was destroyed in the large fire in st Louis storage. Check with your state and see if the service sent a copy of 214 to their state veterans office when discharged Good luck. (TL) 9/24/20