So my mom gave me her brother's paperwork

[nadinbrzezinski]

from his years in the Army during WW II. I got his induction papers, his DD 214, and his final dismissal from the service signed by President Truman (ok that is what autopens are for). But what really struck my mind was the letter from the VA. He qualified, with no muss, no fuss, for the GI Bill, for his initial year of studies with... a copy of his terminal leave. He needed to present his DD-214 for the other three years. But as he got his terminal leave he was able to start college.

Fast forward three generations or more of vets. My husband had to go back and forth with the VA to get his services disabilities approved. It took a while. We all know the back up in the VA. I am thinking of writing a nice long letter to my Senator, and remind her that the VA used not to be such a complex place for vets to navigate. My only problem is how to copy that document without doing much damage to it. Let's just say they are not in the best of shape.

Yes, in this case I intend to send a snail mail letter. So I will have to go to the rare documents collection and see about how to do that without doing further damage. I know xerox copies do a lot of damage. So I might just take a photo. That is the least damaging procedure for the document. Mom also said she had a medal (likely his good conduct medal), and that she will give that to me. In her opinion both my husband (a vet) and I would appreciate it the most.

Oh and I also got his dress Class As belt. The things that one finds while cleaning house.

[Warpy]

1. Yes, I found my dad's paperwork that got him into the UK

in 1938 as a civilian engineer attached to the RAF. He didn't get his draft notice until he was sitting in a bunker in Italy in 1944. I suppose his company got tired of paying his salary.

There were non war trinkets from north Africa like coins and such. There was also a copy of the military paper from D-Day and from the war's end.

I will keep his paperwork, but I keep toying with the idea of donating the newspapers to the history department of the local university. If I get around to it.

The closest I got to the military was a couple of VA hospitals.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. I got a few rare books that I got at the Book Fair in Mexico City

for a song twenty or so years ago. I need to take them to campus, and put them in their capable hands. I might be able to make some money out of them, but they do belong in a university.

[monmouth3]

2. Maybe a photography studio would help you..n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. We have the gear since we do press photography

actually my kit lens should work fine.

I might go to campus though, and find out if they want to make copies for the archives? Ok, he was just a PFC, but still. And if they do, can I get a copy?

[we can do it]

5. Lay them flat, make sure to have plenty of light shoot with good camera on tripod.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. That is what I was thinking.

Last edited Mon Dec 2, 2013, 12:30 AM - Edit history (1)

The kit lens I have on my D5100 will do good for this.

I would rather prefer a macro, but...