Editor’s note: The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Veterans should verify the information with the organization offering.
Togetherweserved.com (TWS)’s new Buddy Finder was created specifically to help Veterans find those they served with. Now with more than 2.3 million members in five separate service branch websites, TWS has possibly reconnected more Veterans than any other website or organization. The secret behind this high rate of success is the depth of TWS’s hand-built databases that contain hundreds of U.S. military units, ships, squadrons and bases going back to WWII.
To find a person he or she served with, using the Buddy Finder, all a Veteran needs to do is select their service branch and then a keyword and/or number contained in the unit name. A list of all unit possibilities containing that keyword or number is then presented and a selection can be made. Then by entering the timeframe served in that unit, Togetherweserved.com’s search engine quickly looks up all other TWS members who served in that unit at the same time and delivers the total number of possibilities.
Once registered, a Veteran will be presented with the complete list of names with direct links to their service profiles ready to make contact. By entering other units and timeframes on their service profile, people who also served in those units will be presented as well.
Select the images below or visit the Together We Served website to find people you served with
Not only is TWS able to provide every Veteran an excellent chance of reconnecting with old service friends, but it can also be useful in locating personnel who may have been present at an event during their service that later impacted their health. Those personnel may be able to provide a witness statement to help support a VA benefits claim. To find all Veterans you served with, visit the Together We Served website. Reconnecting with old service friends is just a click away!
Topics in this story
Link Disclaimer
This page includes links to other websites outside our control and jurisdiction. VA is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of non-VA Web sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy or terms and conditions of those sites to fully understand what information is collected and how it is used.
Statement of Endorsement
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
More Stories
Each week, we receive job announcements from employers and employment websites. This post contains links to job listings for the week of April 29, 2024.
VA remains open for business and is closely monitoring the Change Healthcare (CHC) cybersecurity incident.
VA’s Veteran Buddy Check Week is planned for Oct. 21 – 25, 2024.
Looking for squadron-mates from Naval Squadron VS-33, based at NAS North Island, from approximately 4/76 to 8/79. My last name used to be Huinker. I am still in San Diego, and hope some of my old buddies are nearby.
This is great information and I will be using this site to try and find some old buddies.
Thanks a lot.
Looking for anyone who served in 157th Field Artillery Company B WWII with Sgt. Frank Gutierrez
Looking for Smitty
Staff Sgt Smith 9th Imfantry
Looking for anyone that serve with 6/37 FA Korea around 1975
Looking for Delta 26, ninth inf div
1068 thru 1969
Mobile Riverine Fourse
I live in TN and The Villages in FL.
My unit Berlin Meddac was not able to be found in the buddy finder. I am looking for Sandra Vestal who worked in the lab.
3rd mi korea
My name is John Mark Pettipas USN. AW3. CAC 10 , VP-5. NAS. JAX.
Looking for Joe Pollina, & Stas the polock LOL, from. 1978 to 1980
My name was Fatta Boy. We flew some hairy missions out of Keflavik
I live in Newport NC thank you
lookinf for sargent Joe Santoro who served in the Air Fource at Altus AFB, Okla
Looking for 26, Larry Morris
9th Infantry
4th 47th
Looking for albino buddy who served with me in Fort Lewis Washington with CoC 2Bn 39th Inf June 1972-November 1973
HT1 Gary Stusak
USS ORLECK DD-886
1978 -1982
Monahan Sargent that served at fort ord California and was tdy from Maryland
Looking for a Sargent Monaghan who was tdy from Maryland to fort ord hospital California inor around may 1969 to fall 1969
This article is as the Brit’s say “rubbish”. It really looks to be a free advertisement written by a VA author whom is most likely paid with our tax dollars. Not only that but it seems to me it’s a lot more sinister, they (A private organization) are trying to collect YOUR personal information and you are paying them to take it.
Not only do you have to pay to use it you have to REGISTER, and enter your personal information putting you in their database for others to find. Idk maybe I’m nuts but seems very overt.
Nate – your comments are inaccurate.
Togetherweserved.com has been in existence for over 20 years and is run by US Military Veterans for Veterans. The article is not written by a VA Author. TWS is free to join and view and contact old friends. There are Premium Membership options similar to LinkedIn and yes you need to register as you require to be a US Military Veteran to participate.
TWS Admin
They are A big Rip Off I was paying them for a hole year and never heard anything from them don’t waste your money if you do bank drafts it take a minute for it to stop
I believe this article should state clearly that there is a cost associated with membership of TWS.
If I remember correctly, you can search for your Buddy, but limited info is provided unless you become a member.
Mr Sanchez – happy to coprrect you. TWS is free to join and look up and contact old friends. There are premium membership options like Linked In.
TWS Admin
LOOKING FOR COMMAND SARGENT MAJOR ROMAN CHOMSKIS SERVED IN GERMANY 70 TO 75
LOOKING FOR WALTER GAYTON SSG WHO SERVED IN GRRMANY FROM 72 OR 73
I met Henry Smith who lived in Queens and he and I were at St Albany’s Naval Hospital. I used his mother’s car to drive him around because of a foot injury. We had fun in Queens, I always wondered how he was doing after I left to go back to Buffalo NY
Has anybody served on the USS Thor between the years 1968 – 1970?
This is a pretty useless website since it won’t accept the name of the Army unit in which I served.
I served in 335th ASA co., 9th Infantry Div., Ft Lewis, WA from 1976 to 1978.
Searching for George Roush (Iowa), Stephan K. Wilson (Kentucky), Michael Cleveland, Kurt Krueger. We were all MOS 33, Electronic Warfare Systems Repairmen.
Looking forward to finding my friends!
What is the total cost of any and all services you provide?
Put information in for my plaque, need to edit. I’m stuck.
Looking for friends from 630th engineers Nov. 1968.
Looking for “Tiny” Duggard, served aboard USS Monssen DD798
1952-1956.
I served in what is posted on my DA Form 20, Enlisted Qualification Record, Langford, Jack W.,
in Basic Training, Co H, 11 Inf, Ft Ord, Calif. This program says it can’t find it-Why not?
Looking for Jackie R Jones who I served with on the USS John S McCain DL-3 from 1965-1966 stationed in Pearl Harbor. Jackie lived in Frisch, Texas!
I’m looking for John Nicholas. He was my section chief at Schofield Barracks, HI from 1992-1995 ( C-Btry 7/8 FA. . He’s from the Virgin Islands but I heard he might be living in Minnesota now.
Served USNavy. VF-191. Searching for Larry Blackburn
Ft. Campbell Ky — 101st Aviation Group aka 101 Aviation Bn–(Air Assault)
Ft. Jackson SC
Heilbronn Germany
1983-1988
Annette Gray Wright
Where ya at?
Served in Vietnam from September 1968. THROUGH APRIL 1970 IN THE 1ST CAVALRY searching for Gary Hayes from Oregon
Retired SFC, U.S. ARMY JAGC. FT BLISS, BERLIN, GERMANY. FORT POLK LA. 2ID, KOREA. FORT SILL, OK. CAMP ZAMA, JAPAN, FORT BRAGG, NC. TOURS IN HAITI, EGYPT, AND IRAQ
HOW Does one remove themselves from “Buddy Finder”
I Don’t want my name in this.
I never asked to be in the buddy finder!
Who asked for this
TWS doesn’t have the 118th attack helicopter company.
You can find anyone who isn’t signed up in TWS. Not 1 person found in the 25th Aviation Bn.
Assigned to 1st Perscom out at Kilbourn Barrackd
Searching for Ron Russom
3708 BMTS,
Osan Korea
51st combat set up Okinawa. Personnel. Spam sandwiches at the airman club. Typhoon 5ths. Monger Tony’s friend. Where are you?
Andrew’s afb 1605 spt gp.
Omaha afb
Adores afb portgual
Don Muang Airbase, Bangkok, Thailand, US Air Force 1970-71
TWS hasn’t found anyone I know yet and most importantly I don’t think they will unless they have passed on. Often wondered what happened to all the guys but won’t happen here.
Looking for Marines Jerry Scott, and Charles Shorttridge. Stationed at MCAS MABS 37 in Tustin California between 1964-1965.
My past experience with TWS is a brief honeymoon and then you start getting hammered for $$.
I hope VA gets paid for running their ad.
Lost time in coming.
This site asked more than a bank asks for a loan. The only thing they didn’t want was my blood type, and I’m sure that was in one of the later questions. This is NOT a government site and god knows what they are doing with all the info people are giving them.
Hi can we just find someone to talk to and maybe help for issues we have my husband passed and I don’t know anyone for questions I have
Eighth army band, United Nations, honor guard, Seoul Korea, 1969 through 1970
How would I find information of an uncle that served in WWII?
I would like to find a boot camp friend.
USN , basic training Orlando, Fla.
January,1974
Eugene Owen Hawkins Jr.
I love to find someone but not my buddy. SSG. Tahaney. I did Make 7, I bet you didn’t.
Recruiting command, field artillery, air defense artillery locations Ft Ord, CA, Korea, Germany, Los Angeles, Canton Ohio
I can’t find what last names of mine used during my military time. Is nit friendly for women service members. Other than that I really like this site!
Looking for Frank Waldo served in 199 th AVN Co. in Nam 1967-68.
We were in Chi Lang in the Delta on the Cambodian border. Crew chefs on SwampFox 34&35 I left in June 68 he was lucky enough to have 3-4 more months.
James – join us at https://join.togetherweserved.com/va and we will assist you to find others who served in 199th AVN Co 67-68. There should be a few on board.
TWS Admin
I started getting involved with this organization and then tried to get taken off of their emailing list and they just keep sending me emails. Very frustrating.
Dennis, as with any other online organization, we do communicate with our Members with a monthly Newsletter, advisories of when someone joins who served in one of your Units, and other select communications that a Veteran might find useful. Each communication has an unsubscribe link to that particular communication which allows you to choose only the communications you want. Do let us know at admin@togetherweserved.com if you have any difficulties we can help resolve.
It absolutely disgusts me when ads tell you they are free then WHAM, they want your money in order to help you find what you are searching for. FALSE ADVERTISING.
I’m looking for my buddy last name Duran we station together at Annapolis MD.he is my room mate @Rickkets Hall enlisted barracks 1970-1972hi
Stephanie – we created a Buddy Finder facility exclusively for VA Veterans to enable Veterans to find people they served with using our extensive Units database. There is no charge for this service through the channel we created specifically for VA Veterans. Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and we will be happy to assist you.
Not showing unit. Was COMPHIGRU3, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Looking for a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) whose home base was a Navy hospital in 29 Palms, CA. I was out of Naval Hospital Charleston as an operating room nurse. He and I served together as part of COMPHIGRU3; nurses, anesthetists, respiratory therapists, etc. We were housed in Bahrain, then sent to Fleet Hospital Five in Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia, just south of Kuwait. Served together only a short time (ground operation lasted 100 hours only, then we were out of there!); will always remember him, but cannot, for the life of me, remember his name. He was a LCDR at the time; I, a Navy Lt. Is there any way that anyone might know how to get ahold of a directory/staff roster of 29 Palms, CA hospital, 1991, or names of those deployed to Fleet Hospital Five in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm?
Thomas – we have almost all Navy Operating Units from WWII to present in our database and will be most happy to assist you to locate those who served in COMPHIGRU 3 during your years of service. Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and we will do our best to help.
TWS Admin
Looking for James Baum. Served Korea with me in 1957 to 1959.
Looking for any one who served in the Navy on the U.S.S. Rehoboth as a Radioman between 1964-1968.
Charles – please enter USS Rehoboth and 1964 – 1968 in the Buddy Finder at https://togetherweserved.com/buddyfinder to find TWS Members who may have served with you.
TWS Admin
Looking for Richard Kelly, Co E, 3/506th, 101st Airborne
As a VA employee, I cannot access any of the links….states link not private connection
[Editor: Try off network or on personal device.]
AOCS Jan 1973, then EW School, then the EA-6B RAG at NAS Whidbey Island. First squadron was VAW-131. I did the full 20 years and retired.
Does not show all rates. Can’t override. Good Idea but appears to be a BETA unit
Joe – We should have all the Navy rates for all eras. Can you please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and we will be happy to assist you to locate your exact rate. Our Chief Admin is senior Navy Enlisted.
TWS Admin
I am looking for 1LT James Morgan. We served together in Vietnam from November 1970 to August 1971. We were stationed at Kontum, Kontum Province during that time. We were attached to MACV Team 41.
III MAF looking for a James who later joined the Navy.
Robert, we do have MACV Team 41 in our Unit database. Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and we will assist you in locating others who served in this Unit during your time.
TWS Admin.
To the marines in 1/4 1973-1976 just hope you are all ok Alpha co. Our platoon sgt was staff sergeant Beckham I was known as Ace god be with you all I’m surprised I’m still around.
Roberto, we have many Marine Veterans who served in 1/4 during 1973-1976. Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and will be happy to assist you.
TWS Admin
your data base is fatally doomed. It does not know what a real Unit was or where it was.
….but I’ve been on it for 12 years…..unit info has to be specific w/ a command element ie; base, Div, HQ, etc;
Link does not work!
Shelley – the link https://togetherweserved.com/buddyfinder is working fine. Can you please try again?
TWS Admin
Its not showing women that served. I am looking for a Karen Tucker Army Charley 3. Around 1970- 1972, we were friends. Would love to locate her
Searching for Army buddies
Say’s free but to get all info you need to pay
Trying to find Donald L. Atkins,USAF, F. E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming, around 1966-1969.
I do not see any of the veterans I served with on Okinawa at the Army Hospital (91Q20) in Sukiran. Apparently they are not registered on the site. Is there any other way to find them? Basically all I have is names, dates at unit. No home addresses, etc.
Thanks for any help. I was there from 1970-1972.
Several people I’d like to locate. U.S.A.F. 1981-2010. Lackland. Chanute A.F.B. Myrtle Beach A.F.B. Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Castle A.F.B.
Kind of a scam. Not free. Tried to use but need to pay to become a full member to use this feature.
you do not have the Navy unit I served in during Vietnam. The Navy had Naval Support Activity units in Vietnam with the main unit in Saigon and detachments in the Mekong Delta. I was stationed in Binh Thuy,RVN
Like this site
Ok, my best friend and I entered the service on the same date: 15 May of 78. Kevin Christy is his name. He lives in the Akron, Oh. area.
you geve all information, except ya can’t do anything until registered……..and apparently there’s NO way to register (that I could find)
Everett – there is a link at https://togetherweserved.com/buddyfinder or you can register on our special VA Join Channel at https://join.togetherweserved.com/va
TWS Admin
Just looks like a way to steal peoples info. I dont trust it
great idea cant wait to try it out
I was truly excited to come across this information!
I have lost touch with so many.
Looking for old shipmates in the Aviation Ordnance field
Looking for a friend that was in the 8/43rd aviation in Germany
Can I use this site to find a fiend even though I was in the Navy and he was in the Marines.
Roy, even though Togetherweserved.com comprises 5 separate service branch websites, you can certainly be a Member of the Navy website and be able to access the Marines website to search for a friend. Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and we will be happy to assist you.
TWS Admin
What if one doesn’t want to be found by some of those they served with? Is there a way to opt out?
Looking for YOU, while I still have the memories.
Like all finder programs, this one doesn’t work either. I even typed in my exact division numbers, and dates served in Vietnam. Search couldn’t find it. It would be nice to find some of the guys I fought with but I don’t believe I ever will. . Every time I see another finder site and try it out, the results are the same. Worthless.
Tell me …..who were you with….if with 1st or 3rd MarDiv I can help
Why didn’t this article mention or talk about the cost($) involved to join in order to have full access as described in your article?
‘That served with you in the 101st Airborne?” I was assigned to the Medical Corps, and TWS hasn’t recognized my unit yet, (B Co. 1 BN. Medical Field Service School, FSHTX) so how can I find buddeis? Wick
Looking for Marines who served at Camp Lejeune Fall and winter of 1969 to compare some symptoms from the
toxic water.
I served in 2nd Motor transport 69 to 70
I have CLL (leukemia)
Contact the American Legion they are very helpful in helping you with any benefits
1969-1971
Ft Campbell
Ft Leonard wood
Edgewood arsenal
This site asks for too much personal information. Does not feel safe to use.
Deceptive. It’s NOT free. You can look but you can’t contact anyone without becoming a member.
This bait and switch tactic is more commonly seen on adult chat websites. Shameful.
2nd armor div. 7 inf div 1/41 inf
I service between Nov1, 1965 and March 19, 1969 at Lackland, Keesler, March, Anderson (Guam), U-Tapao Thailand, Da-Nang, Holoman. I would like info on Lenoard Bechtel (maybe Bachtel) born Bessire. He changed his last name while we were in the Air Force.
I’m hoping to find friends
willie hodges korea 69-71-pu-son i was p o L
US Army 1971 – 1974
101st Airborne
3rd of 187th
Ft Campbell Ky
Hopefully this will help to locate some Buddys.
As designed TWS would create duplication of efforts for those of us who have served in multiple branches of service. Over 28 years, various continents 3 branches I would essentially have to create 3 pages?
Don’t you think this is an invasion of privacy. There are certain male ex soldiers I served with that I never want to have my personal information.!!!
Delete all of my information. It is not until the end that you show this is not a U. S government site. You are not authorized to maintain any data about me. Please acknowledge done.
John Knoppe
John – Togetherweserved.com is a highly specialized website run by Veterans for Veterans to enable other Veterans to find those they served with and to help them create a keepsake of their military service for their family and future generations. TWS has over 2.3 million Veteran members whose service history has now been preserved where it would otherwise be lost.
Please contact us at admin@togetherweserved.com and we will be happy to comply with your request.
TWS Admin
We can’t put a name in?
Does boot camp count? That’s where I met this person.
this website sucks
I find this social media app to be proven and tested as a useful tool for those of us who have a hankering to meet and greet old buddies, so if you are like me, like it and share it. Semper Fi.
Robert – thank you for your comments. We aim to do our best. Our TWS Marine Corps website was our first website which we launched 20 years ago and now contains over 518,000 Marines.
TWS Admin
Pax River VW2 1958-61
A search of Recruit Training, Great Lakes, and the associated companies reavealed “no such unit!”! Consequently, you can not search former shipmates if you have no idea their units after boot camp.
Gary, our Buddy Finder is actually driven by our operating Units database – not our Training schools database. However you can find people you trained with when you add your Training School on your Service History Page once you register. The people who served in your school are then automatically displayed there. You can register at https://join.togetherweserved.com/va.
TWS Admin
Only have 5 of the 8 branches of service to choose from. Is there a reason for not listing for the United States Public Health Service (1798) (USPHS); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and the new Space Force? We are all veterans and recognized under all the rules and regulations, benefits, duties, gratitude extended to all the services. Please consider we would like to be included in your program also.
Tom, Thank you for the suggestion. Due to the considerable resources required to build a website of the depth of detail which TWS provides, it has only been possible for us to create the 5 main service branch websites. We do hope to expand on this in the future but we do include Space Force in our https://airforce.togetherweserved.com website.
TWS Admin