Can a Navy man or woman help me with this please?

Condolences on the loss of your sister!!

Other awesome sources of info are both the VA and the American Legion. They can help with bunches of stuff related to the uniform and burial rites. For these types of issues I find the Chaplains most helpful. You can also directly call the Chaplains at Arlington National Cemetery, they actually have print outs of some of this stuff. I'll get you names and numbers if I can - rough day today but I'll try tomorrow.








I'm a Navy brat of many generations with a sister and BIL still in.

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I have a Father's Day gist suggestion. Get all the medals and patches and stuff, and make him a really nice shadowbox to show off his Naval Career. If you have photos of him from when he was in and over the years, or photos of his boats (I recall you said he was a submariner ), they would be nice to include, too.

BTW did he belong to the American Legion or the VFW??

Are you anywhere near North Little Rock? There is a Vet Center there - it is a small VA office that specializes in combat vets. You will find folks there who would be honored to help you get what you need for your dad.
They are at 201 W. Broadway, Suite A Phone is (501) 324-6395

Also try these links:

http://www.oralhistoryproject.com/ (World War II Submarine Veterans History Project)
https://www.ussvi.org/home.asp (United States Submarine Veterans Inc)
http://www.submarinesailor.com/
http://www.navymemorial.org/
https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webbas01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/home.htm?OpenDocument (Us Navy awards website)

I have worked for vets for 30 years - Submariners are a very tight group - find the right ones, and they will take care of all of this for you.
Thanks to your Dad, and tell him - "Keep the water out of the people tube!"

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I have a Father's Day gist suggestion. Get all the medals and patches and stuff, and make him a really nice shadowbox to show off his Naval Career. If you have photos of him from when he was in and over the years, or photos of his boats (I recall you said he was a submariner ), they would be nice to include, too.

When we visited Dad in Florida in April he gave us everything he had related to his military service, including all his pics like this one:



And his dolphins and other paraphenelia, like this:



The USS Barbel (on the belt buckle) was the boat he was on when I was hatched; also the boat he retired off of.

I need to get a pic of the oil painting of the USS trumpetfish, done by a talented cousin, from a photograph Dad had. Dad gave that to us (me & DH) too. He just didn't think to give us the DD214. Dad and I talked about this and he/we made these items a gift to my DH; who treasures them and my dad.

Dad is at that age (88) and of a mind to distribute all that stuff to us kids. His idea is to save fighting and hurt feelings after; he knows us kids well. I have already very strongly stated that I will be the one to receive Dad's flag. If my siblings don't like that, well then I know of a few high bridges they can take a flying leap off of. Fortunately Dad agrees with me; and in checking with the VFW, so do they. I am his only bio-child.

My point being, if I gave these things to Dad he would turn right around and give them back to me. He still has reserves of Old Spice aftershave that I stopped giving to him in 1983. Nowadays he seems to prefer gift cards to restaurants close to him and that's what I got him for Father's Day this year. Just waiting to put it in the mail.

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Thank you so much for this valuable information.

We aren't anywhere close to NLR, but once I get a copy of Dad's DD214 it would certainly be worth the trip. Besides, the USS RAZORBACK is there; now a museum. We have been talking about taking a trip up there to tour it, so sounds like a great plan to me!

Also, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your work with the vets. Too often the valuable contributions made by our vets - WWII and Vietnam in particular - are overlooked. I breaks my heart.

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Dad belongs to, in no particular order, the VFW, the American Legion, the Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the Moose and the Eagles. He also volunteers at the local nursing home and hospital; shoots pool, darts and is in a card playing club. He has a girlfriend, had two but one died on him.

Is it any wonder I can't find my Dad half the time?

Again, let me say that I love your daddy! What a great guy!

Make sure that your dad puts his bequests in writing. It will save a lot of hurt feelings and trauma later on.