James A. Filipek's Military Records - 1918 and 1919
  • Below are military documents transcriptions and military document requests for James Albert Filipek who was a Corporal in Company C, 4th Infantry during World War I.
  • Grace Filipek had two copies of Jim's Enlistment Record and Honorable Discharge in her blue metal box of important papers. The papers were within a brown leather-like folder. On the front of each copy was the Enlistment Record with the Honorable Discharge on the back.
  • Written across each Enlistment Record were the words: "A true copy of this document made by me on the 30th Day of December 1922 for the purpose of securing the Illinois Bonus. [signed] Randi Anderson.
  • In those days there were no Xerox machines so they made a transcription of the original, in this case two copies and then the transcriber signed that it was a copy. One copy does appear to be the record James would have carried around with him since it has stamped dates of 1918 and 1920 on it while the other transcribes these dates.


Enlistment Record
  1. Name: James A. Filipek
  2. Grade: Corporal
  3. Enlisted, or Inducted: 5/25/1918 at Chicago Illinois
  4. Serving in 1st enlistment period at date of discharge
  5. Prior Service: None
  6. Noncommissioned officer: Corporal 8/6/18
  7. Marksmanship, gunner qualification or rating: Not Rated
  8. Horsemanship: Not Mounted
  9. Battles, engagements, skirmishes, expeditions: Army of Occupation
  10. Decorations; Badges: None
  11. Medals; Citations: None
  12. Knowledge of any vocation: Lawyer
  13. Wounds received in service: None
  14. Physical condition when discharged: Good
  15. Typhoid prophylaxis completed: 6/2/18
  16. Paratyphoid prophylaxis completed: 6/2/18
  17. Married or single: Single
  18. Character: Excellent

Remarks:

  • ENTITLED TO TRAVEL PAY TO CHICAGO, ILL
  • Sailed from U. S. : 10/17/18
  • Returned to U. S. : 8/28/19
  • Absence Without Leave under G.O. No. 31, W.D. 1912 and No. 45, W.D. 1914: None

Signature of Soldier: James A. Filipek
Williams Wilds
1st Lieutenant Demobilization Group

Camp Grant, Ill: August 30, 1919
Paid in Full: $82.02
Including Bonus of $60.00 Act of Feb. 24, 1919
P.G. Hoyt, Major Q. M. C.

Per Peleman
2nd Lt. Q. M. C.

Stamped:
May 8, 1920
Washington D. C.
Paid in full 4:30 20% add

[C. E. Gray
Major Q. M. Cov] on transcription copy

Travel Paid in Full to Chicago


Honorable Discharge

 5569-3
XC21910793

Honorable Discharge from the United States Army States
To All Whom It May Concern:

This is to Certify, That James A. Filipek, Army Serial Number: 1366651, Corporal, Co. C, 4th Inf, the United States Army, as a Testimonial of Honest and Faithful Service, is hereby Honorably Discharged form the military service of the United States by reason of Convenience of the Government, Demobilization of Organization, per circular 106 W. D. 1918.

Said James A. Filipek was born in Chicago, in the State of Illinois. When enlisted he was 26 years of age and by occupation a Lawyer. He had Gray eyes, Light hair, Ruddy complexion, and was 5 feet 2 inches in height.
Given under my hand at Camp Grant, Illinois this 30th day of August, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.

Major Infantry
Commanding


Requests for Military Records
  • In October 1976 a request was made to the National Personnel Records Center (Military Personnel Records) in St. Louis for additional military records for James A. Filipek.
  • The Records Center responded that a fire had destroyed the records in the area where James Filipek's would have been. However, they asked for additional information to continue a search. I filled out a detailed questionnaire relying on the information above and Grace Filipek signed the document.
  • They responded on January 25, 1977 that " Mr. Filipeks Records were destroyed in the fire at the Center in 1973. We have created a file using the copy of the discharge you furnished". I must have sent them a Xerox of the Enlistment Record and Honorable Discharge papers we had.
  • On October 25, 1976 an attempt was made to find the World War I Selective Service Draft Record for James using the 3001 S. Emerald address.
  • They responded that no Registration Card could be found but that it was important to have an accurate address.
  • Another attempt was made on November 21, 1976 using the 7328 S. Union Ave. address from the 1917 Directory. They again responded that no Registration Card could be found.


Insurance Policies
  • Grace also had in her blue metal box two Veterans Administration Award Statements. Both were paid to her on January 23, 1962. The first was for a face value of $7500 and paid $7693.73. The other had a face value of $2500 and paid $2612.87.
  • The ID numbers were: 1-149CB-371-62
  • It appears that over the years they had paid in enough to cover the full face value and that the policies were paying a dividend.
  • There appears to be a termination dividend and a regular dividend payment which is why the amounts are over the face value. The annual interest paid was about 6%, a pretty good interest for the times.