VA Master Index Cards for David Nemetzky

Last night, I noticed that Family Search has recently updated their data base for the VA Master Index Cards. Just for kicks, I typed in the last name of my great-great uncle, David Nemetzky. What I found surprised me. Just a few lines below the first search result, I found the name 'David Nennetyky'. I'm thinking to myself: 'You have got to be kidding me! Just when I thought I had found everything that is out there, is there seriously another VA Index Card for David Nemetzky?' I clicked on the result, and as soon as I saw the card on my computer screen, sure enough I found a second VA Index Card for David Nemetzky. Here they both are for comparison.

The VA Index Card on the top is the one that I found several years ago. Many of the VA Index Cards that are available on Family Search (as well as on the National Archives Catalog website) were created during the 1920's and catalog World War I Veterans' applications for benefits following their service. Specifically, many of the VA Index Cards chronicle World War I Veterans' Application for Adjusted Compensation (commonly known as the Bonus Application) that they would have applied for in 1924 & 1925. David Nemetzky was still in the Army and stationed in Tientsin, China in 1924 & 1925 when he submitted his Bonus Application.

The second VA Index Card that I found lists his name (although the person creating the Index Card probably wasn't quite able to read his last name as spelt on whatever benefits paperwork he would have applied for), his rank (Master Sergeant - more appropriately Master Hospital Sergeant), his address (110 Division Avenue in Brooklyn, New York - more on this in a moment), his date of birth (August 4, 1884 - yet another birthdate), his service number (R-850422), and the Claim Number (4753645). So this means that there may very likely be two claims files for David Nemetzky. I have reached out to the National Archives in both Kansas City and St. Louis where the available Claims Files are housed and hopefully will find something there. If it turns out that this Claims File is also in the custody of the Veterans Administration (as the first Claims File is and which I have unsuccessfully asked for several times), then there is almost no chance that this Claims File will ever see the light of day. Nearly all of the Claims Files for World War I Veterans are in the custody of the VA, and the VA is presently NOT in the business of accommodating genealogy research of any kind.

Back to this second VA Index Card. David Nemetzky's father, Hyman Nemetzky (or Herman Nemetzky, depending on which record you look at), passed away at his tenement apartment at 110 Division Avenue in Brooklyn, New York on October 11, 1919. His mother, Betsey, is listed as living there in the 1920 Census, with several of her children and grandchildren. It is very likely that David Nemetzky applied for some sort of pension to be paid out to his mother following his father's passing so that she could be provided for financially, as she was dependent on her son for her financial support. If this is the case, it is likely that this financial support would have continued until either his marriage to Frances Cleveland (Dodge) Fogalsang in 1930, or his final discharge from the Army in 1931. Only the Claims File can answer these questions for certain.

6/24/2026 Update: I received an email from the National Archives at St. Louis. It reads: 'We found an indication of a VAXC record for David Nemetzky with VAXC #02124664 and a transfer date of 04/30/2013. The records we received are only those that were transferred in 1952 or 1955. Therefore, we believe that the file is still in VA legal custody. There was no date of birth or date of death listed in the registry so I cannot verify that this is the person you are looking for, but searches for Nennetyky, Nenetyky, and Nemetyky were all negative.'

I noticed something about the Claim Number that is referenced. They are saying that his Claim Number is 02124664. In all of my previous requests for his Claim File, I have just entered in 2124664 for the Claim Number. I was not aware that his Claim Number began with the number '0'. This is also the second confirmation I have received from the National Archives that his Claim File is in the custody of the VA. This response also seems to indicate that the two claims files (as indicated by each VA Index Card) may have been combined into the one Claim File (02124664).

I am reluctant to submit another request for his Claim File, as the VA has compiled all of my previous requests, and information I have included in each previous request to show that he is a deceased veteran, and have called that his Claim File (of course, that was me using 2124664 instead of 02124664 as his Claim Number). Also, the VA is currently not processing any requests for VA Claims Files, as they have stopped processing requests due to a sudden and unexpected enforcement of their regulations governing the release of information held by the VA, citing so-called privacy concerns. More information on this issue can be found here: https://www.birls.org/updates