World War II Veteran Battles To Prove His Passport Exists

[las47032]

Billie “Dusty” O’Donnell is a 79-year-old World War II veteran, a father of three with five grandchildren, a California resident of six decades.

But to passport agencies, he doesn’t exist.

O’Donnell hopes to be on a week-long cruise for his 80th birthday with a friend to Alaska and Canada next month, but he hit a roadblock in April when he tried to apply for a passport.

“I was probably born in a cotton patch in the Depression days and the Dust Bowl days,” he said. “People back then didn’t have time to keep records. They were just trying to get by — trying to survive.”

O’Donnell said he presented a birth certificate issued by a judge in Red River County, Texas, his original military discharge notice and two affidavits signed by family members to the post office to prove his American citizenship.

“It’s never enough,” he said, looking at a pile of letters and other documents scattered all over his dining room table.

O’Donnell even asked the U.S. Census Bureau to research Dale, Okla., his hometown, for records about his birth. But nothing turned up.

Steve Royster, U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs spokesman, said the circumstances of O’Donnell’s dilemma are uncommon but not unsolvable. He said some post office clerks may not be familiar with certain passport problems, so contacting a passport agent directly would be O’Donnell’s best bet.

To prove American citizenship, one must present a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate.

If neither of these documents is available, the applicant must have a letter of no record issued by the state with his or her name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and confirmation that no birth certificate is on file.

In addition to the letter, the applicant must present a baptismal certificate, hospital birth certificate, census record, early school record, family bible record or doctor’s record of post-natal care.

On top of the $6,000 O’Donnell invested in the cruise, he has spent about $300 on application fees and other expenses related to obtaining a passport.

O’Donnell reached out to Congressman Kevin McCarthy for help in April.

“I got a letter back that said I would have to try something else,” O’Donnell said. “But I don’t know what that ‘something else’ is. I’ve done everything.”

Nick Bouknight, McCarthy’s press secretary, said the congressman called the passport agency to find out what he could do for O’Donnell and gathered information to contact the U.S. Census Bureau.

“The Census Bureau is generally good at getting back to you, but again, if he has any other problems, we can help him along in that process,” Bouknight said.

Bouknight said McCarthy has received similar inquiries about passport assistance and has helped more than 500 people obtain passports since he took office.

“It’s something that we’re good at, and it’s something we can help do,” Bouknight said.

Royster said the current waiting period for a passport is four weeks or less. He said production time varies with demand. O’Donnell has been waiting for a passport for more than two months, and waiting is all he can do until he receives further instruction.

“Unfortunately, we’re losing interest in it now,” O’Donnell said. “We were both excited — buying cameras and clothes to wear — and now we’ve just stopped. We’re not as excited as we were, and it’s frustrating.”

Source: Veteran struggles to prove existence to passport officials - Latest news | Bakersfield.com - Kern County news, events, shopping & search

Perhaps the bureaucrats get their heads out of their a$$ they'd find the proper documentation.

[Shooterman]

Wonder if he needed a passport to go overseas and fight?

[Woodmonkey]

If neither of these documents is available, the applicant must have a letter of no record issued by the state with his or her name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and confirmation that no birth certificate is on file.

In addition to the letter, the applicant must present a baptismal certificate, hospital birth certificate, census record, early school record, family bible record or doctor’s record of post-natal care.

If he's presented all that, what's the problem?

[las47032]

Originally Posted by Shooterman

Wonder if he needed a passport to go overseas and fight?

Why do ask that?

He and family planned to go on a cruise.

[Snowden]

But, no passports were required to go fight in WWII. I think that's what Shooterman is pointing out; his existence was known then and they sent him off with no passport to fight. Now, in spite of all the evidence, he can't get one if he needs it.

Typical government crap.

[Chrisj]

We have had instances in the UK where the children of service personnel based overseas when they were born have the same kind of difficulty. This is especially the case when they were born in countries which didn't qualify as a Crown colony. In some cases they have also served in the military with no issues about nationality but after retirement suddenly find they don't qualify for a British passport and rules are rules so they won't get one. Isn't bureaucracy wonderful.