Many military records since the Revolutionary War are available to the public. Our government keeps all military records for all past wars (except classified records) at different facilities in the U.S. plus many of these records are available online.
Our National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) collects many government records at their Washington D.C. headquarters besides the eleven regional NARA offices throughout the U.S. There is a major archives facility in Broomfield, CO, open to the public on Monday through Friday except federal holidays from 8:30 am until 4 pm. Call 303-604-4740 for more info.
All NARA facilities have microfilm and online databases on military records. The Washington D.C. facility has all the older military records from the Revolutionary War (1775) to the Spanish War (1898). The regional offices include similar records, but either on a national or regional level. Relatives of veterans can request different records online at www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records using their eVetRecs online service.
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis houses all records for veterans since WWI (1916) through the present wars. Unfortunately, a 1973 fire destroyed many Army and Air Force WWII records (from Hubbard through Z surname records), but many Veterans Administration WWII records did survive. If you’re a relative, use the eVetRecs form to order veteran’s records. Many simple requests are free, but expanded document requests can cost up to $100 for genealogy research.
Ancestry.com and Footnote.com have many military records online from the RW to WWII. Visit the National Archives website: www.nara.gov for more info on military records. In addition, there are many military unit websites maintained by relatives of veterans to help veterans and genealogists on research.
~ Bob Larson is a genealogy instructor for Larimer County Genealogical Society. Visit their website at www.lcgsco.org or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lcgsco for more information and their monthly events.