My father passed away in 2001. I went to the web site for the Navy and filled out the forms, printed them and sent them off to the proper office. My mother is still alive and I was given a copy of his papers including his discharge papers. At the same time I requested to have his missing medals reissued to me. I made this request last year. I got the papers with in a couple of months, I just received his medals last week. I did not need permission from my mother, nor did I have any problems in receiving any of the requested information. I put on the form that my father had passed away and that I was his daughter. That's all that I needed to do. I hope that you are able to get what you have requested. It ment a lot to me when the medal arrived in the mail last week.