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Title: WWII veteran finds service records
Source:
AcadianaNow
URL Source: http://www.acadiananow.com/apps/pbc ... 20051112/NEWS01/511120331/1002
Published: Nov 12, 2005
Author: Jan Risher
Post Date: 2005-11-12 20:47:54 by NOLAJBS
Keywords: veteran, service, records
Views: 63
Comments: 4
Baltha Hughes displays his World War II records
recently. Hughes said he hopes these documents
will set the record straight about his military service.
World War II veteran Baltha Hughes has been on a quest to prove his military records didn't accurately reflect his service to his country. Hughes knew he had flown 33 missions from the Army Air Force base near Foggia, Italy, but the military only credited him with 15.
At U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany's town hall meeting at the Clifton Chenier Center in March, Hughes asked for the congressman's assistance in setting his military record straight. In May, The Daily Advertiser chronicled Hughes' efforts to validate his memory of his military experience.
Amy Jones, district director for Boustany, said assisting veterans with military records questions is standard procedure.
"Once they give us permission to help them, we can go to Veterans' Administration to assist them," Jones said.
However, Hughes said that everyone who tried to help him in his quest ran into the same roadblocks he had already encountered, including word from the Pentagon and National Archives that Hughes' original records likely went up in smoke.
Back home in Lafayette, Hughes, 80, never lost sight of his personal mission to validate his memory of lost missions flown decades ago. Recently, going through old boxes in storage, Hughes found what he was looking for.
"I'm bad to store things. You might say I'm a collector," Hughes said of the Individual Flight Records he found. The yellowed pages clearly list the dates of the missions he flew. "Now, I've got the records."
Now, his goal is to get his military records officially changed to accurately reflect his service to his country.
"I think eventually I'm going to cross someone who knows how to get my official records corrected," Hughes said as he held his envelope of proof that he searched for for more than a decade. "It was almost a dead end, but here it is in black-and-white."
Poster's Comments:
I wonder how many other veterans Uncle Sam jewed with service credits. 
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#1. To: NOLAJBS (#0)
I just pray they NRVER get my military records changed to accurately reflect my service. ;)
How much longer, would you say, that it will take until the troop over in the ME start refusing orders?
Prolly happened already. A few times. But there is NO chance that we'd hear about it. Remember there was one incident that we DID hear about where some of the NG troopies refused to convoy in un-armored vehicles. I think there are a lot more problems with the morale and discipline over there than we will hear about for a while. The WH has their hands around the throat of the MSM.
That was a couple of years ago, I think - whatever we learn will be over the internet, or some other alternative type information system. With most all the troop having internet access, I keep hoping for a general stand-down, as they hopefully get themselves informed about things. Especially their exposure to DU, and God knows what other crap we're using.
Now, his goal is to get his military records officially changed to accurately reflect his service to his country.
#2. To: Soda Pop (#1)
I just pray they NEVER get my military records changed to accurately reflect my service.
#3. To: lodwick (#2)
How much longer, would you say, that it will take until the troop over in the ME start refusing orders?
#4. To: Soda Pop (#3)
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