How to Find Military Records for Various Family Members

Have you ever wondered about the military service of a family member? Perhaps a grandfather who fought in World War II, a great-uncle who served in Vietnam, or a parent who was stationed overseas.

You could experience the thrill of finding a forgotten photograph, a heartfelt letter, or a medal of honor. These artifacts can bring history to life, connecting you to the past and honoring the sacrifices of your ancestors. But, you’ll first need to deal with the vast archives and bureaucratic hurdles.

Below, we’ll give you a guide to finding your family member using military records, complete with resources to help you in the search. From the types of records available to using online databases of government agencies, we’ll equip you with the knowledge to reveal your family’s military heritage.

» Access military records for your family members

8 types of military records

1. Service records

Service records provide a detailed account of your ancestor’s military career. These documents outline their enlistment date, ranks held, units assigned, promotions received, and discharge date.

By examining these records, you can:

• Trace their military service history.
• Confirm their participation in specific battles.
• Determine their discharge date, which may correlate with other family events.

You can further enrich your understanding by cross-referencing this information with local history books or census records. This can reveal more about your ancestor’s life beyond their military service.

2. Pension and widow’s pension records

Pension records are rich in personal details because they required veterans or their widows to document their service and marital history thoroughly. For example, a Revolutionary War pension file might include the veteran’s account of battles, affidavits from comrades, and marriage certificates.

By studying these documents, you can find stories about your family member’s military experiences, locate relatives through spousal or witness testimony, and connect these details to your broader family history.

3. Compiled military service records (CMSRs)

CMSRs compile key details from a soldier’s service into one convenient file, often referred to as a “jacket.” These records include enlistment details, muster dates, and even personal papers or notes about medical treatment. For example, a CMSR for a Civil War soldier may list his unit and rank, with notes on wounds or desertion.

You can use these records to confirm a family member’s presence in a military unit and gather details about their experiences, such as where they were stationed and under which commanders they served. These details can provide historical context for their service.

4. Bounty land warrants

Bounty land warrants were a form of compensation for military service, mainly during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. These documents typically contain the veteran’s name, rank, and service duration, as well as specifics about the land granted.

For example, you might come across a record detailing a plot of land in Ohio granted to a War of 1812 veteran. Utilizing a bounty land warrant can assist you in pinpointing where your ancestor resided after their service, enabling you to track their post-war activities or identify relatives who may have inherited the land.

5. Muster rolls and payroll records

Muster rolls document when soldiers reported for duty and where they served, while payroll records confirm payments and arrears. For example, a Civil War muster roll might show your ancestor’s participation in specific battles or their absence due to illness.

You can use these documents to pinpoint a relative’s location during their service, understand the conditions they faced, and locate comrades who may have been part of their social network.

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6. Prisoner of War (POW) Records

POW records provide details about soldiers captured and detained by the enemy, including the date and location of capture, camps where they were held, and eventual release or death.

A World War II POW record might describe the soldier’s internment in a German camp. You can investigate these documents to understand the challenges your family member faced. They may even include personal correspondence that adds emotional depth to their story.

7. Medical Rolls and Records

Medical records highlight the injuries, illnesses, and hospital stays. For example, a Civil War medical record might describe a wound sustained at Gettysburg and subsequent treatment in a field hospital. These records help track your ancestor’s physical condition during their service and can place them in specific locations at particular times​.

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8. Descriptive rolls and personal papers

Descriptive rolls physically describe soldiers, listing their height, complexion, and eye color. For example, a descriptive roll for a Revolutionary War soldier might note their occupation and birthplace. On the other hand, personal papers might include letters, diaries, or other individual records.

You can use these documents to confirm the identity of a relative and provide additional personal context, such as their appearance or skills. Each of these records provides a unique perspective on a soldier’s life, both during and after their military service.

Obstacles to military record discovery

Military records are subject to national archival practices, historical conflicts, and record-keeping standards. The U.S. preserves military records from the Revolutionary War to the present in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). [1] Similarly, the U.K. keeps detailed records through The National Archives at Kew and the Ministry of Defence. [2]

But, in countries with tumultuous histories—such as parts of Eastern Europe during World War II—you may find fragmented, dispersed, or destroyed records. For colonial India, British military records exist, but documentation for native Indian soldiers might be less detailed or scattered between British and Indian archives.

It is important to consider the time period when your family member served. Older records (e.g., pre-20th century) often exist only in physical form, so you may need to visit a specific archive. On the other hand, recent records are available in digital format and you can find them online.

If military records are scarce in the country you’re researching, consider these strategies:

• Explore alternative records: Look for pension files, land grants, or local court records that may reference military service.
• Contact local archives or institutions: Many countries have regional or local archives that may hold militia or state-based military records. In some cases, military records are stored in cultural or historical societies.
• Engage experts: Many national and regional archives have staff who specialize in military genealogy. They can provide guidance on locating obscure records.
• Leverage community knowledge: Online forums and genealogy networks — such as the MyHeritage user group on Facebook — often have members who can help navigate country-specific challenges​. [3]

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How to find military records for your family member

Step 1: Identify the family member and their military service

Start with gathering basic information from family records, letters, photographs, or oral histories. Aim to pinpoint:

• Full legal name (including spelling variations)
• Dates and places of birth, death, or residence
• Military service period (approximate year or war)
• Branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.)
• Rank or role (enlisted soldier, officer, medic, etc.)
• Conflicts (e.g., Civil War, World War II)

You can use this information to focus your search on specific records and avoids confusion with similarly named individuals. For example, a photograph of your ancestor in uniform might include insignia identifying their branch, while letters might mention unit names or locations.

Step 2: Determine the time period and conflict

Determine the time period in which your family member served in the military. Different conflicts often have distinct types of records.

For example:

• Revolutionary War to early 20th-century records are generally housed in the U.S. National Archives in Washington, D.C.
• Post-WWI records are maintained at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri​. [4]
• For Confederate veterans of the U.S. Civil War, records are typically stored at state archives.

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3. Explore online databases

You can visit MyHeritage and browse the extensive collection of military records, such as those from U.S. Civil War Soldiers (1861–1865), Revolutionary War Pension Records, and Korean War Casualties. If your ancestor’s military service aligns with these conflicts, the database will be invaluable.

Start by visiting the Historical Records section of the platform and selecting the Military Records category. You can use the Search Engine to input the name of the ancestor you’re researching. You can even add additional filters such as birth and death years, locations, or the specific military conflict to narrow your results. The platform supports searches for draft, enlistment, pension, and service records.

4. Request records from official archives

You can call the county historical societies and state archives in the appropriate area where your veteran was born or died, and inquire about their military records and research services.

• Typically, veterans, their next of kin (spouse, children, parents, or siblings), or authorized representatives can request service records.
• Determine whether the record is archival or non-archival. Archival records are those older than 62 years, while more recent records are considered non-archival and subject to privacy laws.
• In the U.S., the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) handles most requests for military personnel records.
• For records outside the U.S., locate the appropriate government archive or defense department in the veteran’s country of service. Examples include the British National Archives for U.K. or Archives Canada for Canadian personnel.

For an online request, you can use the eVetRecs system on the National Archives website for U.S. military records from 1917 onward. For older records, use NATF Form 86 for pre-1917 records. [5] Then, complete and mail Standard Form SF-180 to the NPRC or appropriate archive. Remember to include as much detail as possible to expedite the process.

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Step 5: Investigate ancillary records

Ancillary records are documents that provide additional details about a soldier’s life, service, and related events. These documents include some of the resources we’ve mentioned, such as muster rolls, hospital logs, prisoner-of-war records, burial records, and regimental histories.

For example, a soldier’s hospital records from the Civil War might show the treatment they received for injuries or illnesses during their service. This information can complement their CMSR or pension application. If the soldier claimed a disability pension, you could look at hospital records to confirm treatment dates and locations and cross-reference them with service records to verify the claim.

To find ancillary records, begin by identifying what might exist for the specific time and location of service. National and state archives, such as the U.S. National Archives (NARA), hold many of these records. Specialized resources, like regimental histories, document the soldier’s unit activities, even if individuals aren’t mentioned.

You can also look for records of soldiers’ homes or military cemeteries, particularly for soldiers who died during or shortly after service. The American Battle Monuments Commission may have these documents. [6]

Finally, cross-reference ancillary records with primary documents to confirm details about service, locations, and relationships. For example, you can compare hospital records listing a soldier’s next of kin with census data or pension applications to confirm their identity.

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Helpful military jargon, abbreviations, and codes

Military records can be quite complex, especially for those unfamiliar with military jargon and conventions. The military uses a lot of specialized terms, like “Lieutenant” or “MOS” (Military Occupational Specialty), which might be confusing to civilians. Units and divisions often have abbreviations, which can be particularly challenging when researching historical conflicts like the Civil War, where units frequently disbanded and reformed.

To effectively track your military family member, it’s crucial to focus on their specific location and timeframe. If you know where they were stationed during a particular period, concentrate your research efforts on that area. If you’re aware of their involvement in a specific battle, resources like Battlefields.org can help you identify the regiments that fought there. [7]

The military also employs a unique alphabet, known as the NATO phonetic alphabet, for clear communication over radio or phone. This alphabet assigns a word to each letter, such as “Alpha” for A and “Bravo” for B.

NATO phonetic alphabet.

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Finding fragments of courage

Each muster roll, pension record, or descriptive document carries whispers of human resilience—stories of people who stepped forward during moments of national challenge. The process of finding these records is not only an academic exercise.

Military documentation carries layers of complexity that extend far beyond rank and unit. These are narratives of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, whose lives were shaped by conflicts that redefined nations.

If you’re ready to discover the stories that shaped your family legacy, you can use the powerful suite of MyHeritage genealogy tools. Don’t let the stories of your ancestors remain untold. Join millions of others who have already begun their journey. Sign up now and take the first step.