Leland Wittler ...... four possibilities.....

[tilly56]

Help needed, please.

My elderly cousin's partner (Frank) has asked me for help in finding information about a Leland William Wittler, probably born in Nebraska.

All that Frank knows (or has heard) is that Leland was in the American army in WW2 and could have died in South Korea, or of injuries while serving.

I have done some hunting and found the following :

1.  WITTLER, LELAND W  born 14 May 1917, was assigned Social Security number  507etc (indicating Nebraska), and died in July 1952.

2.  WITTLER, LELAND WILLIAM (Social Security number 006etc) was born 17 May 1917, entered the United States Army 1 February 1943, was released 1 July 1952, and died 5 July 1952.

3.  Wittler, Leland William, who was SGT in the US ARMY, was born 4 May 1917, died 6 July 1952, and was buried in Section R, Site 2012, in GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL CEMETERY, 1300 SNEATH LANE, SAN BRUNO, CA 94066

4. Leland Wittler - born 7th May 1917, died 6th July 1952. This is from the Humphrey Democrat newspaper, giving information about his life and death. It fits with the info about Leland N° 3, just the d of b is different.

Is it possible that these four Lelands are all the same person, with mistakes in the dates?

I am hoping there was only one Leland William Wittler at that time as I have found quite a lot of information about him.

Many thanks for any help

Tilly x

[*Sandra*]

FIND A GRAVE

Golden Gate National Cemetery
San Bruno, San Mateo County, California, USA
Plot Section R, Site 2012

Parents listed.

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Graduate Humphrey High School 1935

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-humphrey-democrat/179322294/

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Wittler - US National Cemetery Control Form

[tilly56]

Thank you very much, Sandra. It all seems to be adding up - I think I must have the right Leland.

[*Sandra*]

Thank you very much, Sandra. It all seems to be adding up - I think I must have the right Leland.

Yes it seems so.   

Sandra

[tilly56]

Do you have any idea why the dates of birth, sometimes death and the SS numbers differ? I suppose it is just a mistake on the part of the person writing/reading them........

[shellyesq]

It's possible for people to wind up with more than one Social Security number.  If there was an error in the information given in obtaining the first number (like a misspelling of the name or incorrect birth date), they or people who survived them might be told there isn't a number and a new one is given so a claim can be made for benefits. 

The Santa Cruz Co., California death index has his death as 6 Jul. 1952.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9SD-WFRL?view=fullText&keywords=Wittler%20Wittler&lang=en&groupId=M9ZZ-TDS

Sadly, it looks like he died by suicide.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel/179331205/  The hospital admissions record is also consistent with that manner of death.  It looks like he had been inducted into the service again a few months earlier , so the prospect of returning to war may have been a motivating factor.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/beatrice-daily-sun/179331307/

[tilly56]

Thank you very much for  explaining the SS numbers.

Also, thank you so much for the newspaper clippings. How sad that he committed suicide.  But now I have a story to put to the name.

Thank you again

Tilly xx