Researching Through Military Records

Military records, especially military pension records, can be an excellent place to find genealogical information. Through them, you can often find information such as birthplace, age at enlistment, occupation, and names of immediate family members.

Most records for veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy are available through the National Archives, with the earliest records dating from the Revolutionary War. The collection includes service records, pension applications and records, bounty land records, and even pardon petitions for Confederate Army veterans.

The table below will help you locate the military records you need. First, determine which category in the table applies to your situation. For example, if you are looking for pension records from any branch of the military, the first category — "Veterans' Records" — is appropriate. If you are looking for U. S. Air Force service record, the "U.S. Air Force" category would be the right choice. Once you've chosen a category, select the appropriate option in that category and click the underlined text. The page that you see after clicking the underlined text will tell you how to order your records.

Veterans' Records

• For bounty land warrant applications based on wartime military service from 1775 to 1855, contact the National Archives.
  
• For pension claims based on military service from 1775 to 1916, contact the National Archives.
  
• For pension claims based on military service after 1916, contact the National Personnel Records Center.

Service for Confederate States

• For military personnel serving for the Confederate States government from 1861 to 1865, contact the National Archives.

Draft Registration for WW I

• For draft registration records of those who registered for the draft before World War I, contact the National Archives -- Southeast region.

U.S. Air Force

• For enlisted personnel separated from the U.S. Air Force after September, 1947, contact the National Personnel Records Center.
• For officers separated from the U.S. Air Force after September, 1947, contact the National Personnel Records Center.

U.S. Army

• For enlisted personnel serving in the U.S. Army from 1789 to October, 1912, contact the National Archives.
• For enlisted personnel separated from the U.S. Army after October, 1912, contact the National Personnel Records Center.
• For officers serving in the U.S. Army from 1789 to June, 1917, contact the National Archives.
• For officers separated from the U.S. Army after June, 1917, contact the National Personnel Records Center.

U.S. Coast Guard and Related

• For service in the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, or the Lighthouse Service from 1791 to 1919, contact the National Archives.
• For civilian employees of the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, or the Lighthouse Service from 1864 to 1919, contact the National Personnel Records Center.
• For officers in the Revenue Cutter Service whose terms of service extended beyond 1915, contact the National Archives.
• Enlisted personnel separated from the Coast Guard after 1914, contact the National Personnel Records Center.
• For officers serving in the Coast Guard from 1890 to 1929, contact the National Archives.
• For officers separated from the Coast Guard after 1928, contact the National Personnel Records Center.

U.S. Marine Corps

• For enlisted personnel serving in the Marine Corps from 1789 to 1904, contact the National Archives.
• For enlisted personnel separated from the Marine Corps after 1904, contact the National Personnel Records Center.
• For officers serving in the Marine Corps from 1789 to 1895, contact the National Archives.
• For officers separated from the Marine Corps after 1895, contact the National Personnel Records Center.

U.S. Navy

• For enlisted personnel serving in the U.S. Navy from 1789 to December, 1885, contact the National Archives.
• For enlisted personnel separated from the U.S. Navy after 1885, contact the National Personnel Records Center.
• For officers serving in the U.S. Navy from 1789 to December, 1902, contact the National Archives.
• For officers separated from the U.S. Navy after 1902, contact the National Personnel Records Center.