ww2 Fling with my grandmother

Discussion in 'US Units' started by HEATH GUSTAFSSON, Mar 22, 2019.

  1. I have joined ancestry.com and found nearly all of 250 of my long distant cousins are in the USA. I was born in Australia. I have found out that my grandmother (deceased) gave birth to my father (deceased) and she had a relationship with a USA serviceman possibly by the name of Fredrick Drown who served in the air corps.
    I have asked a few of the cousins and this name served in several places overseas but the cousins on ancestry cant verify if he served in Sydney around 1939-40.
    My questions is can this person be traced back to Sydney by just supplying his name? Any help would be appreciated in advance thankyou Heath Gustafsson
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    you might also want to see our sister site in America WWII Forums
     
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  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    These threads are notouriously difficult to resolve with the level of experience we have on this site, which is basically limited to genealogy web sites, so the same as most people.

    I would suggest that you may need as much detail as possible, looking quickly on Ancestry there are many of that name but it could be narrowed down if you knew perhaps a middle initial or name.

    Some general research to see if the Army Air Corps were in fact in Australia around that time, or perhaps it was the Air Force ?? - it is often better to start wide and zoom in rather than trying to find an individual straight off.

    CL1's suggestion is good and it may throw up someone who can start to unravel your mystery

    TD
     
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  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

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  5. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    You could also do a name search for him on the National Archives Australia website as he may be logged as an “arriving” alien in their immigration or arrivals databases as US service personnel in Australia would be quite rare in 1939/40.

    Steve
     
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  6. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Agree with Steve that USAAF serviceman would be exceptionally rare to be in Sydney PRIOR to America entering WW2 as they had a tiny Air Force until ramping up recruitment, mainly after Pearl Harbor.
    Without questioning your grandmothers behaviour, why do you feel this Frederick Drown could be your grandfather?

    I assume your grandmother didn't marry Frederick, so where did Mr Gustaffson enter the scene?

    Was this simply a bloke cashing in on an innocent girl by "bigging up" who and what he was, rather than a more mundane truth and then conveniently disappear?
     
  7. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

    Hi

    The only Frederick Drown in NAA is - View digital copy
    As he was WW1 and was killed, not him.

    regards

    Robert
     
  8. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

  9. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  10. Hi mate I spoke to a cousin in the USA and he informed me his grandfather was in ww2. He is trying to find out if he was in Sydney in 39-40. My father was adopted so no history. I know all my mothers side of relatives and there isn't 1 American amongst them yet I have 250 long distant cousins alone on ancestry. There is definitely a link there just trying to narrow it down!
     
  11. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  12. Yes I researched the air corps and they started in 42 here but speaking to the cousin on ancestry there is a genealogical connection. He did say he served in the army corps as well. Interesting
     
  13. This is the gentleman I am speaking about yes. I have been talking to his grandson but he is finding it hard to obtain info too.
     
  14. My father was adopted and nearly all my long distant cousins on ancestry are in the USA and there is zero history on my mothers side that has been confirmed. Just starting to look into this. It may be a case of ruling Fredrick out but im still related to his grandson.
     
  15. Thankyou Steve this site is so helpful!
     
  16. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

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