Locating Military RecordsFor Civil War resources see: Civil War Genealogy: Resources Available in the University of Minnesota Libraries Military service records may be a valuable source of information for the genealogist. They are generally found at two levels of authority: state and national. For help locating military records consult James C. Neagles' U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present (see below for complete citations for these books). For veterans of the earlier wars, Civil War and before, start at the state level. This is also true for many Confederate records for the Civil War, especially militia records. In addition, many states have published indexes or lists of veterans. Check any available indexes for the localities in which you are searching. For addresses for state archives check the American Association of State and Local History, Directory of Historical Agencies in North America. The Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives will introduce you to military records and their indexes available at the national level. The National Archives will search the register of enlistments or the compiled military service records of an individual soldier if you submit a request on the proper GSA form. To obtain the service records, you must know when and in which military branch the veteran served and whether he/she was an officer or enlisted personnel. Pension Applications (pre-20th Century)While evidence of military service may be of interest, the pension application made by the either the veteran or his widow will provide more information of genealogical value to the researcher, including the veteran's age and residence at date of application, the names of his wife and children, and the dates of marriage and death. Pension records may also include information about the veteran's military service--the name of his unit and dates of service. The National Archives and Records Administration has microfilmed many military and service records, primarily those created before 1900. Military Service Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications is a catalog describing the records available on microfilm to users. To order Federal Pension or Bounty Land Warrant applications, 1775-1916, use NATF Form 85. To order military records, 1775-1916, use NATF Form 86. Neither of these forms is available on the web. Where to Write for 20th Century Military Personnel Records (1917-present)The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century. NPRC (MPR) also stores medical treatment records of retirees from all services, as well as records for dependent and other persons treated at naval medical facilities. Information from the records is made available upon written request (with signature and date) to the extent allowed by law. Records relating to the following groups of military personnel are at the National Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. They accept requests for information, using Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records. The do not respond to telephone or e-mail requests. This form is also used to request military awards and decorations.
On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at NPRC (MPR) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files. No duplicate copies of the records that were destroyed in the fire were maintained, nor was a microfilm copy ever produced. There were no indexes created prior to the fire. In addition, millions of documents had been lent to the Department of Veterans Affairs before the fire occurred. Therefore, a complete listing of the records that were lost is not available. There also may be privacy considerations which will determine who can obtain copies of personnel records making recent records (less than approximately 70 years) unavailable to researchers who are not direct descendants. To determine if an individual has ever received veterans benefits, an indication of military service, contact the Veterans Administration Benefits Section at 1-800-827-1000. For World War I draft cards, write National Archives Records Center, Southeast Branch, 1557 St. Joseph Avenue, East Point, GA 30344. CemeteriesFor information concerning veterans interred in one of the national cemeteries, contact the Director of Public Affairs, National Cemetery System, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20451. For overseas burials write American Battle Monuments Commission, Attn: Operations Division, Pulaski Building, Room 5127, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20317. Materials Held at the University of Minnesota Libraries
Searching MNCATThe following are sample subject headings pertaining to military records you may use to locate materials in MNCAT, the University of Minnesota Libraries catalog. U.S. wars and conflicts include, but are not restricted to: revolution, 1775-1783; french and indian war, 1755-1763; mexican american war, 1846-1848; civil war, 1861-1865; spanish American war, 1898; world war, 1914-1918; world war, 1939-1945; korean war, 1950-1953; vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 U.S. branches of service include, but are not limited to: air force, army, coast guard, marine corps, national guard, navy
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