One of the things we found was my father's dress uniform from World War 2. We also found his discharge papers and ribbons/medals. One of my coworkers helped me with these items last night, and here is the letter I sent to my sisters and some cousins about it:

I took Dad's discharge papers with me to work last night and blew them up with the copier, trying to get them in legible form. It was only a partial success. I will try to get to a professional copying place sometime in the next few weeks, to see if they can do better with better equipment. You can read a few lines now, and also pick up a word here and there. Luckily I was working with a man who has just retired from the Army Reserve after twenty years, who had taken a lot of army history classes as part of his rank training (he had been a colonel when he retired) and he was able to provide a great deal of help...

Dad was honorably discharged from the US Army.
His name was Robinett, William K
his number was 35 654 777
his last rank was corporal
then come a couple of unreadable spots, but it looks like one answer is MD and the next might be AUS
his last unit was 124 1st M P CO
he was discharged on 9 MAR 1946
he was discharged at FT GEO G MEADE MD
again, some unreadable questions, but here are the answers:
S P M Panther McDowell CO W VA
16 DEC 1922 (that is his birthdate, so I think this whole line of unreadable questions was questions dealing with his place of origin)
LITWAR W VA
an unreadable smudge starts off the next line, then:
eye color: blue
hair color: blonde
height: 5'10"
weight: 180 pounds
then a lot more unreadable things...
then an answer, but can't read the question:
fireman stationary boiler
date of service entry: 17 Mar 1943
another date (we couldn't make out the question) 24 Mar 1943
another unreadable question: FT THOMAS KY (maybe this is where he had basic?)
then a whole unreadable line, though there is one answer that says McDowell W VA
then a line where the questions are unreadable, but you can sort of read the answers:
Fire Fighter (then a smudge that might be numbers)
then a smudge that MIGHT say: new carriage or new cartridge
then it lists his service awards:
Good Conduct Medal
European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon
American Theater Ribbon
World War II Victory Ribbon
the rest of it is too smudged up to read, though you can make out aword here and there.
FEB 44 Africa
1? FEB 46 United States
and then at the very bottom the words yellow fever (which I hope is an immunization!)

according to Dad's dog tags he was blood type A...I am an A+...

My reserve friend also went through the insignia and ribbons with me...Dad must have had a very interesting military career, as he served in two branches of the army, and he had some awards that were not listed in his discharge papers...

Branch Insignia:
Air Defense Artillery
Aviation (that would have been for the Air Force, which was part of the army in WW2)

Medals/Ribbons:
Good Conduct Medal
(three years of peace time service, or one year of wartime service)
World War 2 Victory Medal
(for serving during the war)
Army of Occupation of Germany & Japan Medal
(this came for serving 30 or more days in the occupying forces in either Japan or Germany)
American Campaign Medal
(at some point Dad must have been involved in homeland defense, possibly when he was with the Air Defense Artillery, because this medal was given to National Guard, Coast Guard, and others who served in the USA as defenders at home during the War years)
the one that really impressed the Colonel was a little blue one with gold metallic frame - he said it is rarely given...
Presidential Unit Citation

Dave printed out the criteria for it...
"The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units of the Armed  Forces of the United States and co-belligerant nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after 7 December 1941. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of a Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. Extended periods of combat duty or participation in a large number of operational missions, either ground or air, is not sufficient. This award will normally be earned by units that have participated in single or successive actions covering relatively brief time spans. It is not reasonable to presume that entire units can sustain Distinguished Service Cross Performance for extended time periods except under the most unusual circumstances. Only on rare occasions will a unit larger than battalion qualify for award of this decoration."

So, those of us who thought that Dad would not talk of the military and of the War because he had seen terrible things were probably correct in that. His unit must have literally walked through the gates of Hell at some point during the War, and proved themselves to be great heroes while there...

We looked for his shoulder patch on the internet, but we couldn't find it...I will continue to try to figure it out...and if I can get better copies of his discharge papers, I will mail them out.