United States Enlistment and Discharge Records
United States Military Records to United States Military Service Records
Those who served in a military unit (company or regiment) were listed on muster rolls (similar to attendance rosters). These records generally give the soldier’s name and the date and place of enlistment and muster. You may also find descriptive rolls that provide the individual’s name, rank, age, physical description, marital status, occupation, place of birth, place of residence, and service information. The National Archives or the state’s adjutant general’s office may have these rolls. When an individual was discharged from military service, he or she was listed on muster‑out rolls. Copies of the federal muster‑out rolls were sent to the office of the state adjutant general. Discharge certificates, however, are not usually part of the service record. If a soldier served between 1865 and 1944, the discharge certificate may be in the family’s possession. Copies of the discharge were not kept in soldiers’ service files, but counties sometimes recorded discharges. The Family History Library has discharge records for some states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina,Ohio, West Virginia. Check the Introduction to the FamilySearch Catalog for additional state records under:
Contents
FamilySearch Related Collections[edit | edit source]
- United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914
- United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798 -1937
- United States Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855 -1891
- United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
State Collections
- Alabama, Military Discharge Records, ca.1918 - ca.1962
- Alaska, State Archives (Juneau), Military Service Discharge Records,1898-1934
- Arizona, Military Discharge Records, ca.1918 - ca.1989
- Arkansas, Military Discharge Records, ca.1917 - ca.1969
- California, Military Discharge Records, 1856-1965
- North Carolina, Discharge and Statement of Service Records, 1940-1948
- Texas, Various Counties, Military Discharge Records, 1916-1990
Related FamilySearch Catalog Holdings[edit | edit source]
- United States, World War I, military muster rolls and rosters, 1916-1939
- Muster rolls of the United States Marine Corps, 1798-1892
- United States, Marine Corps muster rolls, 1893-1940
National Archives[edit | edit source]
- DD Form 214, Discharge Papers and Separation Documents
- Request Your Military Service Records
- Veteran's FAQ
