US Servicemen in Brisbane

World War II General WWII Discussion
#1

Can anyone provide any information regarding what units of US servicemen were still present in Brisbane, Australia after VP Day - after the end of the Pacific War?

I was born in Brisbane in June, 1946. My mother was a local Brisbane girl and my father was a US serviceman. All I know about him is his name and the fact that he wore “khakis” as my mother described his uniform. I suppose that means he could have belonged to just about any branch of the services.

My father was certainly present in Brisbane in September, 1945 and, according to my mother, he left for good in October/November 1945.

To reassure everyone, I’m not seeking to make contact with my father (he’s most likely dead by now) or any of his family in the US. What I am looking for is some knowledge about my ancestry that I can access through research and then pass onto my children before I die.

If anyone can be of any assistance regarding the types of service units who would have remained in Brisbane after the war ended, I will be most grateful.

#2

This is not service related, but if you have his name, and birthplace, you might find information about him by going to the Geneology site maintained by the LDS church (Mormons) I believe that it is a free site, and they do have extensive records from most every country. They might also have military records. Though you may not wish to make contact, you can still learn something of those you came from anonymously.
There are also sites like Ancestry . com which are pay for use sites, but they may also have records of your father, and his lineage.

#3

Here’s a list of some US Army units that served in Australia in WWII: http://www.ozatwar.com/usarmy/usarmy.htm

There is always the possibility that your father was detached from his unit for some reason so that while he was in Australia his unit might have been somewhere else at the times you mentioned.

If he was wearing khakis he could be wearing US Army, presumably including US Army Air Force, summer dress, or US Marine Corps summer dress or US Navy officers’ summer dress, which could all be called khaki. I don’t think US Navy sailors wore khaki. If so, that at least rules out USN enlisted sailors.

As to why he remained in Brisbane after VP day, anything is possible. He could have been stationed there for a long time before; or he could have been a recent arrival related to the intended invasion of Japan, which was avoided by Japan’s surrender; or he could have been there temporarily while passing through.

He might not have been stationed in Brisbane but somewhere else with access to Brisbane, so don’t eliminate units that aren’t shown as being in Brisbane.

As you have his name, you might be able to find something here http://aad.archives.gov/aad/fielded-search.jsp?dt=893&tf=F&cat=WR26&bc=,sl or perhaps in one of the links here: http://www.militaryindexes.com/worldwartwo/

#4

Thank you tankgeezer.

I will follow up your suggestions.

#5

Rising Sun

Thank you so much for all your advice. I will follow up your suggestions and, who knows, there maybe a little light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

#6

Be careful here.

At age twenty-five I got a phone call that turned my life upside. It was from my grandmother on my father’s side. My father died when I was nine months (as a Marine in Vietnam), and I was never that close to my father’s side of the family. I saw my grand mother once or twice a year, usually for Christmas and maybe once during the summer. Anyhow… My grand mother calls me up and tells me my sister wants to see me. Well, that’s odd - I don’t have a sister. Turns out I did. And a brother too. My father was a little Playboy in the 1960s before he got killed.

This put me in touch with the family historian, a freakish little elf of a woman who teaches geneology at the college level. I learned more about my family’s secrets than I had ever wanted to know. Nothing bad, but let’s just say I wasn’t who I thought I was. I had no idea I was Irish.

#7

Thanks for your very timely warning Rochard. I will be extremely careful.