We just celebrated Veteran’s Day on November 11, commemorating the service and sacrifice of so many of our U.S. military servicemen and women. What we may not realize is that there is a huge variety of military records available for research. Many of these records include vital information, such as birth and death dates, as well as names of relatives.

Here are some types of military records that can prove valuable in your research. You can find many of these record collections online (FamilySearch, Fold 3, Ancestry, MyHeritage, etc.)

• Benefits
• Bounty awards including land grants
• Citations
• Disability
• Discharges
• Enlistment
• Muster rolls
• National Guard
• Pension application and awards
• Ribbons
• Selective Service Board (Draft Registration)
• Service records
• Veterans records

Additionally, military information may be available in non-military records, such as cemetery records and obituaries.

Military Service Resources in The Family History Guide

In Goal E1, Choice A has links to articles and videos to help you learn more about various types of military records. Choice B has tips for tracing your military ancestors, while Choice C explains how to use the resources available on the Fold 3 website.

Military Conflicts Listed in The Family History Guide

In Goal E2, you’ll find links to articles and videos, as well as QUIKLinks to record collections, for the following conflicts:

• Revolutionary War
• Civil War
• World War I
• World War II
• Korean War
• Other Conflicts (War of 1812, Spanish-American War, etc.)

Research Knowledgebase

The Research Knowledgebase in The Family History Guide also has some helpful references to military research and records.