George J. Dietrich Awards

Douglas Dietrich has made some claims over the years about his father's (George Joseph Dietrich) military service. These claims include:

- His father joined the Navy at age 16 after leaving home to avoid being forced to work for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, NY.

- His father served in China prior to WW2 in the Yangtze River gunboat patrols.

- His father served aboard a number of ships during WW2 USS Franklin (CV-13)  (WWII)

USS Cowpens (CVL-25)  (WWII), USS Essex (CV-9) (WWII), USS Pittsburgh (CA-72)  (WWII)

- His father served in the theater of operations during both Korea and Vietnam

-  His father was aboard the USS Oriskany (CV-34)  during the 1966 fire and saved many of the crew.

I requested and obtained copies of his fathers' service history using the FOIA in 2017.  These are the documents I received:

NA Form -13164

 Enlargement of NA Form - 13164

NOTE: The area on the bottom of the NA- FORM 13164 (Rev. 02-02) document 

"FOR DECEASED VETERAN ONLY":

Is known as the "casualty box or KIA box".  The reason it is blank is that George J. Dietrich was not listed as KIA. 

Assignments

    Enlargement of Assignments and Locations:

Actual awards of George J. Dietrich

U.S. Navy awards in order of precedence (left to right from top to bottom):

Navy Good Conduct Medal Ribbon (7th Award)

American Defense Medal Ribbon
American Campaign Medal Ribbon
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal - WWII Ribbon (2 Stars)
World War II Victory Medal Ribbon
World War II Occupation Medal Ribbon - Navy (Europe clasp)
National Defense Service Medal Ribbon
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Ribbon

                                                         Rank (rating):

 

Left: U.S. Navy Storekeeper/Logistics Specialist Rating Petty Officer First-Class (E-6)

Right: U.S. Navy Aviation Storekeeper/Logistics Specialist Rating Petty Officer First-Class (E-6)

NOTE:  The award of the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal - WWII Ribbon (2 Stars) indicates that he was in the Pacific Theater of Operations during at least two engagements or operations in which his unit (vessel) was involved. 

The releasable information I received listed no assignments to shore stations or ships during WW2.

George Dietrichs' Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) is currently not available, due to different release procedures applying to rules for "next of kin" and for records 62 years and older.

https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/ompf-access#information

* Records are accessioned into the National Archives and become archival, 62 years after the service member's separation from the military. This is a rolling date; hence, the current year, 2019, minus 62 years is 1957. Records with a discharge date of 1957 or prior are archival and are open to the public. Records with a discharge date of 1958 or after are non-archival and are maintained under the Federal Records Center program. Non-archival records are subject to access restrictions

https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel-archival

The embellishment of awards by Douglas Dietrich:

(Actual awards with additional awards according to Douglas Dietrich):

Additional Awards:

Purple Heart Medal Ribbon (3)

Combat Action Ribbon (Navy) (3)

Yangtze Service Medal Ribbon

Navy China Service Medal Ribbon

Korean Service Medal Ribbon

Vietnam Service Medal Ribbon

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal Ribbon

Republic of Korea War Service Medal Ribbon

Rank (rating):

U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Rating  (E-7)

List of vessels Dietrich claims his father served before, during and after WWII:

USS Franklin (CV-13)  (WWII)USS Cowpens (CVL-25)  (WWII), USS Essex (CV-9) (WWII), USS Pittsburgh (CA-72)  (WWII)USS Oriskany (CV-34) (1966 fire)