WW1 Soldier Records

Use this article to help find and use WWI military records for Ancestry Research.

Researching and writing about military service and war experiences can be particularly challenging. Stories run the gamut of being very funny to very emotionally gripping. WWI soldier stories can be about the individual who served in the military and the individuals who stayed home, such as spouses, children, extended family, and friends.

When I have wanted to write these stories, it has taken a lot of sleuthing to find WWI soldier military records kept by the government and memorabilia and writings that are amongst family and that I can use to help support or help develop the storyline. In my case, I was exceptionally fortunate to find a small chest that was filled with photographs, letters, postcards, newspapers and other artifacts specifically from the soldier’s WW I experience before enlistment, experience in Frace to coming home. It also included letters from home that I could use to help tell the family’s stories during this era.

In addition to the artifacts I found in the chest, I wanted to see if I could find other material to help support and expand the story into a memoir covering the period. The research was essential to help me know the period through the eyes of those who lived and experienced WWI. This article is based on what I learned.

The following categories and additional resources are provided to aid your research and finding of military records for World War I 1917-1919:

As a companion article, I created a list of writing prompts and questions to help organize the WWI Soldier narrative. The article is entitled:

The article is part of the series “2,500-plus Questions to Ask People in 106 Categories.” The prompts and questions are provided to help you look at the WWI soldier narrative from as many angles as possible. Use the article to help you

  • Identify events and memories you can write about
  • Identify individuals to include in your stories
  •  Organize, research and write stories
  •  Know what type of information to include in narratives and stories
  • Identify memorabilia, artifacts, photos, and documents to include in stories

See these articles to help you find articles for other military records.

How to Find Other U.S. Military Records
WWII
1939-45		 WWI
1914-1918		 Civil War
1861-1865
Mexican War
1846-1848		 Early Indian Wars
1815-1858		 War of 1812
1812-1814
Revolutionary War
1776-1783

WWI Overview

WW1 Soldiers

Fought between the years of 1914-1918, WWI began as a conflict in Europe and spread to 28 nations, including the United States. It was started by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s throne. WWI began in August 1914 when Germany invaded Belgium and France invaded Belgium and France. Several events led to U.S. intervention: the sinking of the Lusitania, a British passenger liner; unrestricted German submarine warfare; and the Zimmerman note, which revealed a German plot to provoke Mexico to war against the United States.

It was referred to by English-speaking countries as the “Great War.” The months leading up to the war were very complex, which an outbreak of miscalculation, misunderstanding, and miscommunication. WWI destroyed four empires –

  • German
  • Austro-Hungarian
  • Ottoman
  • Romanov
  • Colonial revolts in the areas of the Middle East and Vietnam

WWI I killed more people (9 million combatants and 13 million civilians). The war’s epidemic of influenza and other diseases exacerbated the death toll by at least an additional 20 million. Millions of American men were drafted, and Congress created a War Industries Board to coordinate production and a National War Labor Board to unify labor policy. The consequences of WW I lead to and set the stage for WWII.

Over 4.7 million men and women served in the U.S. forces (regular forces, National Guard, and draft units) with 53,402 killed in action, 63,114 died from disease and other causes 205,000-plus wounded in action.

Build A Search Profile for Each WWI Soldier


I have made it practice to search for World War I records for males that I find in the 1900-1920 U.S. Federal censuses who would have been between ages of 16 and 50 during the World War years of 1914 and 1919. With the online availability of records, searching for military records should be part of your research process for males born between the years of 1867 and 1901.

Begin by developing a short profile for each male you will be researching. You will use the list as a reference for your search. Include the following

  • Name of male and variations
  • Approximate age at the beginning and end of WWI
  • An approximate birth year or birth date
  • Approximate death year or death date
  • Name of the wife and children during their lifetime
  • State (include county if possible) where male lived before, during and after WW I
  • Where to find the personal information

I would begin to build my search profile, viewing the 1860 and 1870 U.S. Federal census information.

Check the 1900 U. S. Federal census to identify

  • Living males between the ages of 0/12 and 33
  • Place of birth for the male
  • If married, name of spouse and children and their ages
  • Place of residence (state and county) at the time of the census

Check the 1910 U.S. Federal census to identify

  • Living males between the ages of 9 and 43
  • Place of birth for each male
  • Whether they were single or married
  • If married, name of spouse and children and their ages
  • Place of residence (state and county) at the time of the census.

Note: If you can’t find your individual in the 1910 census, look at the 1900 census and see if they appear in the 1920 census.

Check the 1920 U. S. Federal census to identify

  • Living males between the ages of 19 and 53
  • Males who are in the 1910 census and not in the 1920 census (may indicate he died in the war)
  • Place of birth for the male
  • If married, name of spouse and children and their ages
  • Place of residence (state and county) at the time of the census

Check the 1930 U.S. Federal Census

  • Living males between the ages of 29 and 63
  • 1930 census asks if a person was a “Veteran?” of military service through WW I. The wife, widow, or under the 18-year-old child of a veteran was also required to answer the questions. The codes used were as follows:
    o World War (W)
    o Spanish-American War; Philippine Insurrection or Boxer Rebellion (S)
    o Spanish-American War & World War (S.W.)
    o Regular establishment (Army, Navy or Marine Corps) Peace-Time Service only (R)
    o Other war or expedition (Ot)
    o If married, name of spouse and children and their ages
    o Place of residence (state and county) at the time of the census

Check the 1940 U.S. Federal Census

  • Living males between the ages of 39 and 73
  • For the first time, the census did not ask if a person served in the Civil War. Veterans were asked if they served in the previous engagement. The wife, widow, or under the 18-year-old child of a veteran was also required to answer the questions. These questions were only asked of about 5% of the population. The codes used were as follows:
    o World War (W)
    o Spanish-American War; Philippine Insurrection or Boxer Rebellion (S)
    o Spanish-American War & World War (S.W.)
    o Regular establishment (Army, Navy or Marine Corps) Peace-Time Service only (R)
    o Other war or expedition (Ot)
    o If married, name of spouse and children and their ages

Sample World War I male search profile
Census year Name Age and apprx birth year/Date Family Location
1900 Census Thomas Stewart 3 (1897) Living with father James Isaac Stewart Blackfoot, Bingham, Idaho
1910 Census Jay Stewart 13 (1897) Living with father James Isaac Stewart Blackfoot, Bingham, Idaho
1920 Census Jay Stewart 23 (1897) Living with father James Isaac Stewart Blackfoot, Bingham, Idaho
1930 Census Thomas J. Stewart 33 (1897) (F) Cleofa 31 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
(F) Mary 7
(M) Robert 5
(M) Joshua 4
(F) Martha 1
1930 Military Service Question Served in WW I
1940 Census J. Stewart 43 (1897) (F) Cleofa 41
(F) Mary 17
(M) Robert 15
(M) Joshua 14
(F) Martha 11
1940 Military Service Question Military service question was not asked

Searching WWI Soldier Records

Once you have developed a World War I search profile for the males you want to research with available information, you are now ready to search multiple online databases, websites and microfilm. I would recommend researching all members of the family.

WWI soldier draft records

The United States instituted a draft that included 24 million men between the ages of 18 and 45. There were three registration periods that had requested slightly different information:

  • Version 1: June 5, 1917, for all men 21-31
  • Version 2: June 5, 1918, all men who turned 21 since the last draft
  • Version 3: September 12, 1918, for all men 18-45

The type information by version on the registration cards includes:

  • Full name (V1, V2, V3)
  • Home address (V1, V2, V3)
  • Date of birth (V1, V2, V3)
  • Place of birth (V1, V2)
  • Age in years (V1, V2, V3)
  • Occupation (V1, V2, V3)
  • Name and address of employer (V1, V2, V3)
  • Name of nearest relative (V3)
  • Citizenship status (V1, V2, V3)
  • Physical description (V1, V2, V3)
  • City, county and state of local draft board (V1, V2, V3)
  • No. of Dependents (V1)
  • Marital status (V1)
  • Date of registration (V1, V2, V3)
  • Signature of applicant (V1, V2, V3)
  • Previous military service (V1)
  • Grounds of exception (V1)
  • Name and address of nearest relative (V2, V3)
  • Father’s birthplace (V2)

The following is the WWI Registration Card for Thomas J. Stewart.

 

Carefully record the information you gain from the cards to give you clues of other records to search. I have used the information on the cards to:

  • Learn the birth date and place of the individual. Use the information to birth records and more information about immediate family, parents, and siblings.
  • Learn the names of spouses, dependents and residence. Use the information to look for additional records about the family, such as census, church and land records.
  • Learn biographical details
  • The occupation which leads to occupation records
  • Land ownership used to help find land records

You can research these cards on FamilySearch, Ancestry.com and other databases.

WWI Soldier Service records

Soldier service records cover the time a person was actually in the service. These records almost always include a name, dates of enlistment, attendance and discharge, beginning and ending rank, and military unit. Use service records to learn about the following

  • An individual’s military service
  • The necessary details to locate a pension file or military history
  • Place or date of birth (secondary source for this information)
  • Other information such as residence, occupation or citizenship
  • A physical description
  • Death or burial information
  • Medical information
  • Insights into the person’s personality and performance (promotions, AWOL notations, and so on)
  • See if and where the individual was held as a prisoner of war

Service records are available from before World War I and are located in the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR), St. Louis, Missouri. The repository holds millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century. Access to the records is usually limited to veterans or next of kin. The next of kin is defined as the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran must provide proof of death of the veteran, such as a copy of the death certificate, a letter from the funeral home or a published obituary.

You may now use vetrecs.archives.gov to order a copy of your military records. For all others, your request is best made using a Standard Form 180. It includes complete instructions for preparing and submitting requests. Please Note: All submissions must be in writing, signed and mailed to us at the address shown below.

Special note: On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF). The records affected:

Branch Personnel and Period Affected Estimated Loss
Army Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960 80%
Air Force Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 (with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.) 75%

No duplicate copies of these records were ever maintained, nor were microfilm copies produced. Neither were any indexes created before the fire. Also, 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. However, in the years following the fire, the NPRC collected numerous records (referred to as Auxiliary Records) used to reconstruct basic service information. 1

If you desire the service record of an individual, do not assume they were burned. Go through the procedures that were outlined above.

WWI soldier pension records

Pension records are related to the post-service period when an individual (or their next-of-kin) may have received benefits. They usually include a name, dates of enlistment and discharge, beginning and ending rank, and military unit.

Use pension records to learn about the following:

  • An individuals’ military service
  • The necessary details to locate a military history
  • Place or date of birth (secondary source for this information)
  • Dates and places of other life events
  • Names of spouse or children (and sometimes their birth dates)
  • Other details (such as residence, occupation, or citizenship)
  • A physical description
  • Death or burial information
  • Medical information
  • Insights into an individual’s personality and performance (through his or her letters, affidavits filed by others who knew him or her, and so on)
  • Learn of an individual’s literacy; see individual’s signature
  • Learn more about individuals’ post-war years and life

The Department of Veteran Affairs all the applications for pension files. Veteran files are located in regional offices. I would suggest that you start with the regional offices in your area. Ask the staff in these offices to guide you through the request process and what relationship you need to obtain copies of the papers in the pension files.

WWI Military History

Military histories can add historical background to help you understand the conflict and an individual’s participation. Military history is often referred to as regimental or unit histories. They usually include a roster of those who served in the unit and dates of significant engagements.

Use military history records to more fully appreciate the military experience of an WW1 soldier, learn who he or she served with, learn which engagements he or she was involved in, and see what he or she looked like.

WW1 Soldier Military History

If you are fortunate to find photographs, they can provide unit information as in this WWI uniform insignia for the 2nd Army.

Suppose you have the company, division, squadron of the individual. In that case, you can search the internet for available information that can include histories and lists to detailed records about individuals and units they belonged to. An example of a Google search query could be:

  • 12th Division Infantry Division
  • 15th Cavalry Division
  • 2nd Division
  • 2nd Division OR Indian Head Division OR Warrior Division
  • V corps
  • 3rd Aero Squadron
  • Aero Squadrons
  • U.S. Ambulance Corps
  • 2nd Army Engineers
  • First United States Army
  • United States tank corps

Also, check with U.S. military resources regarding official military unit histories. The following are few resources on the internet:

Search the Cemetery for WWI Soldiers

Finding graves of soldiers from the World War I era is easier than you might think. The following are few resources.

Department of Veterans Affairs National Gravesite Locator. Search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in V.A. National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker using the Gravesite Locator. 2

Arlington National Cemetery provides information on service members buried there.3

Search the Cemetery for WWI Soldiers

The American Battle Monuments Commission provides information on service members buried in overseas cemeteries.  You can search U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans 1925-1963 on Ancestry.com.

Books of interest

Check out these books about deceased soldiers and where they can be accessed:

  • Book, “Pilgrimage for the Mothers and Widows of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the American Forces Now Interred in the Cemeteries of Europe,” lists the widow’s, or mother’s name, relationship, name of deceased, rank, organization and cemetery arranged by state and county. Can be found on LDS Family History microfilm (FHL book 973 M23uw), Worldcat (See if you can find a copy in a library near you), and Ancestry.com. 4
  • Book “Soldiers of the Great War,” lists all the soldiers who died (e.g, name residence, rank, and cause of death. May include photographs. Can be found on LDS Family History microfilm (FHL book 973 M23s; fiche 6051244.)
  • Book,” Officers and Enlisted Men of the United States Navy Who Lost Their Lives during the World War, from April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918,” lists the sailor’s name, rank, date and place of death, cause of death and name of next of kin. Can be found on LDS Family History microfilm (FHL 973 M23u; film 1415261 item 7)4

Search Home for WWI Soldier Records and Memorabilia

Search Home for WWI Soldier Records and Memorabilia

Home is a great place to begin your search for learning about family and an individuals’ military service. For example:

Military records and artifacts

This can include disability records, discharge records, National Guard records, pension records, selective service records, service medals or ribbons, sword or firearms, uniform.

Photographs

Photographs are great resources because you can see clues such as branch of service, unit numbers, specific war or time of service, service ribbons and medals, rank, patches, and pins related to skills and training. Photographs exist from as early as the Civil War.

Writings

As you research personals’ writings (e.g., postcards, letters, notes), look carefully at the periods covering the various wars and conflicts. These communications are among the most saved and treasured in families. In our family, we have the WWI letters between grandpa and grandma, which share their inner thoughts, activities, experiences, hopes, and dreams. Look at clues such as postmarks, stamps, inscriptions on postcards to see if they will give you any indications of where to look for information/records.

Scrapbooks and momentous

Look for collections of artifacts that include scrapbooks that are often organized by topic or timeline. I found a family trunk loaded with military images, letters, newspapers, postcards and much more from a WW I soldier.

Journals, written and oral family histories

Check to see if journals exist for family members. Has any member of your family written their memoirs about their military service? Is there an oral history or written history related to military service? I’ve been fortunate to record my dad and his brothers’ military experiences for WWII and Korean War.

Newspapers

Take the time to search microfilm or online collections of newspapers from the hometown of where the family lived during War/conflicts. The newspapers were filled with stories about soldiers such as enlistments, graduations, letters from the front being published, promotions, images and deaths. Search every issue carefully; most stories about soldiers were on the front page of hometown papers. In our family, we have articles showing grandpas enlistment in WWI and a series of articles about an uncle in WWII 1) June of 1943, his plane was shot down in WWII and was missing in action 2) July of 1943, he is in a prisoner of war in Germany and 3) April 1945 he is freed. Your best chance of finding articles will be from the 1890’s forward.

Death event records

As I have searched for death event records, I have been able to identify references that have helped me research military records. For example, obituaries will often mention branches of military service and related details. Headstones can say service and rank or even have markers related to the branch of service.

Sources for WWI Records

1 https://www.archives.gov/
2 https://vets.colorado.gov/burial
3 https://m.va.gov/gravelocator/overview.cfm
4https://www.familysearch.org/