Hello, I am looking for any kind soul who knows their way around the US Army Medal Citations. A relative of mine Richard Edward Thompson fought as an officer with the 82nd Airbourne in the Second World War. He subsequently fought and died in the Korean War as a Captain. Amongst his medals he has two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Star. His US Army records no longer survive. Where would the best place be to start looking for his medal citations?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm based in the United Kingdom and not as good with the US based records as I am with the UK based records!
Thanks

I also live in the UK.

Why do you not contact GITRACE which is based here in the UK, they search mainly for fathers and grandfathers. It means you can circumvent the system as under a 1990 law, all children of GI fathers have a right to have their records, which applies to the UK Warbabes. There is an individual at NARA in Missouri that searches for the UK War Babes fathers.

You need to be aware that some documents were lost in a fire in NARA around 1972.

Contact me through Ancestry, I will get back to you.

Regards.

Many thanks, I will contact you via Ancestry messages.

Let me know you have receved my reply?

Richard was well known and liked by the men he served with and commanded. He was with Headquarters Company of the 1st Bn of the 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.

He went missing in the fateful attack by the Chinese at Chosin Reservoir. As the 7th Infantry Division units tried to get out of the terrible situation he went missing on December 2nd, 1950. This would have put him near the road block.

Whomever gave the DNA sample will have his full record jacket. That data will have both citations.

I may have his Silver Star Citation and will look for both Silver and Bronze.

Ted Barker, Korean War Project

It's really nice to know that he was well-known and liked by his men, as neither my mother (Richard's only child who can't remember Richard) has never had the opportunity to talk to anybody with whom he served. We did not give the DNA sample as it was taken by another part of the family who my mother has never met, so we did not receive the "full record jacket". We have since had some contact with the US army who have provided us with a very brief service record as we were informed that most of the record had gone missing. Any copy of the citations that you have got would be greatly appreciated, as I have the actual medals in my possession. Many thanks for your reply. Wayne

This is information found from:
Korean War Casualties, 1950-1957 about Richard E Thompson

Name: Richard E Thompson
, Birth Date: 1917
, Race: White
, Home State: Pennsylvania
, Casualty Date: 2 Dec 1950
, Casualty Country: North Korea Sector
, Casualty Type: Declared Dead (Missing in Action OR , Captured)
, Group: Missing in Action, Declared Dead
, Branch: Infantry
, Component: Organized Reserve Corps (ORC)
, Rank: Captain
, Pay Grade: Captain
, Previous Detail: Missing in Action
, Disposed Date: 31 Dec 1953
, Organization: In Div - 7th
, Element Sequence: Cv Div Cav Regt Inf
, Unit #: 0032
, Service Occupation: 4110