Great -- that is helpful information. So, if I get this right, it is possible that he went out sick around 29 Dec and was likely discharged sometime before Jan 29, but may not have returned to his unit upon his medical discharge, waiting until 29 Jan when he returned and was recorded present. They were expecting him earlier than that and so marked him AWOL before his return. Then, he was officially charged and sentenced in the March timeframe, where he was docked pay. That pay was not actually held out until the June/July timeframe, however. Does that seem a reasonable sequence of events?

Also, does it seem reasonable he was ill with something like dysentery? If he was ill for about a month, does that seem a reasonable illness? I wouldn't think it was something like measles since most of the people contracting that did not survive. Right?

I appreciate the help -- in the absence of specific details I am looking for a story line that would be a reasonable explanation. Thanks