Researching Through Military Records

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 list below will help you locate the military records you need. 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.

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.

Requesting Military Records from the National Archives

The National Archives will search for military records if you can provide the following information about the individual:

• Full name
• The war in which the individual served
• The state from which the individual entered the military
• The branch of service -- whether Army, Navy, or the Marine Corps
• Other identifying information, such as birth and death dates and locations, is helpful, but not required. It is likely that there will be many files with the same name as your ancestor, and this information can help determine which is the correct file.

Requests for copies of military records at the National Archives need to be submitted on NATF Form 80. You may only make one request per form and they do not accept reproductions of the form, so be sure to order one copy of Form 80 for each request that you want to make. If you are sending for copies of bounty land warrant applications, you will need Form 26. Write to:

Reference Services Branch (NNIR)
National Archives and Records Administration
7th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20408

For a faster response, you can request Form 80 via email. In the body of the message, include your name and mailing address, as well as the number of copies of Form 80 you need. The National Archives will send you an e-mail message confirming receipt of your request.

Once you return the completed form, the National Archives will conduct a search. If they are able to locate what they believe is the correct file, they will photocopy it and send you a bill. Once you return the payment, they will send the copies. For larger files, they will not photocopy every page unless you specifically ask request this. Instead, they will photocopy the pages that they deem most useful. If they cannot determine which is the correct file, they will notify you of this.

Requesting Military Records from the National Personnel Records Center

The National Personnel Records Center will search for military records if you can provide the following information:

• Full name
• Branch of service
• Entry and release dates
• Whether an officer or enlisted
• Military I.D. number
• Social Security number
• Date and place of birth

In addition, the request must come from the veteran or the veteran's immediate family. If the veteran is still living, he or she must give written consent for the release of the records. All genealogical requests should be submitted on GSA Form R6-7231 or Standard Form 180. You may only make one request per form, so be sure to order enough forms. To obtain a copy of the form, write to:

National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
9700 Page Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63132

Once you return the completed form, the National Personnel Records Center will conduct a search. If they are able to locate what they believe is the correct file, they will photocopy it and send you a bill. Once you return the payment, they will send the copies. For larger files, they will not photocopy every page unless you specifically ask request this. Instead, they will photocopy the pages that they deem most useful. If they cannot determine which is the correct file, they will notify you of this.