See also: How to research military records
In the United States, the formation of the Continental Army in 1775 during the Revolutionary War signaled the beginning of the US military. Since that time, millions of our ancestors, either voluntarily or through a draft, have been involved in the military. Countless others have been affected by the military service of a relative. Researching your military ancestors can add a wealth of information to your genealogy research.
Where US military records are storedWhere US military records are stored
The National Archives holds Federal military service records from the Revolutionary War to 1912 in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Military service records from WWI - present containing millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century are held in the National Military Personnel Records Center (NPRC), in St. Louis, Missouri.
Military personnel records are open to the public 62 years after the service member's separation from the military. Records of any veteran who separated from the military 62 (or more) years ago can be ordered by anyone for a copying fee.
The information included in US military recordsThe information included in US military records
Military personnel records are primarily administrative records and can contain information such as:
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- Name
- Residence
- Age
- Education
- Physical description
- Enlistment/appointment
- Duty stations and assignments
- Training, qualifications, performance
- Awards and medals
- Disciplinary actions
- Insurance
- Emergency data
- Administrative remarks
- Separation/discharge/retirement
- Next of kin
Where to start searching for information on US military ancestorsWhere to start searching for information on US military ancestors
Where to search and what information is available will depend on a number of factors including what dates or time period, which war/conflict, which branch of service, which state they may have registered, were they an officer or enlisted soldier.
The MyHeritage military collection contains 661 collections with 81,596,348 records. The site allows you to select military pension records, draft, enlistment, and service records, and military documents and allows you to refine by location and by years. Some notable US military record collections accessible on MyHeritage include:
Where to find other information about someone’s military careerWhere to find other information about someone’s military career
Hometown Newspapers - During wartime, local hometown newspapers sometimes contain information about draft status, combat injuries, awards, homecomings, etc., of local residents. You may also be lucky and find a photo of your ancestor in uniform. Libraries retain copies of local newspapers. Search papers covering the time period of your ancestor's service.
Obituaries - If your ancestors' military service was important to them, their obituary might contain the details of their experience in an obituary including:
- When they served
- Where they served
- Which conflicts they participated in
- What branch of the military they served in
- What rank they achieved
- Any decorations received
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Obituaries can be viewed online in the obituary section of newspapers and at websites like MyHeritage or Legacy.com which offer the opportunity to search by name, country, and date range.
You can access a huge collection of digitized obituaries on MyHeritage's Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries record collection, which includes over 800 million historical records from around the world.
Cemeteries - The US Department of Veterans provides veterans headstones, markers, and medallions for eligible veterans. Gravesite photos can be viewed on sites like Billion Graves. This site allows searches by name, birth & death date, state, and cemetery name.
How to put together the military story of my ancestorHow to put together the military story of my ancestor
Researching military records can provide us with a lot of statistical information about our military ancestors but it doesn't always give us information about the experiences they went through during their military career. By using the information that you uncovered from military documents you may be able to piece together the experiences that service men and women in the same company, platoon, squad, troop, would have experienced during training camp and known battles and campaigns that the units participated in. Information on the various wars, battles, and conflicts is readily available on the internet, documentaries, and books. Documenting your military research in a chapter of your family history book will allow you to pass on your discoveries to future generations.
See alsoSee also
Explore more about researching US military ancestorsExplore more about researching US military ancestors
- Draft, enlistment, and service record collections on MyHeritage
- Military documents collections on MyHeritage
- Military pensions record collections on MyHeritage
- Military Records: Search by Name at MyHeritage Knowledge Base
- Ask The Expert – Military Records on MyHeritage at MyHeritage Knowledge Base
- Top 10 Tips for Researching Your Ancestors’ Military Service at MyHeritage Blog
- National Archives Catalog Guide for Genealogists and Family Historians at National Archives
- Military Personnel Records at the National Personnel Records Center at National Archives
- Overview of Searching Records on National Archives Website at National Archives
- Research by Branch, War or Conflict at National Archives
- National Archives Resources for Genealogists at National Archives
- How to get copies of military records at USA Gov
- Links of Military Research Sites at Cyndie's List
- An Overview of Records at the National Archives Relating to Military Service at National Archives
