War records reveal America's past (BBC News)

[Yrys]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6681137.stm

Military records featuring 90 million Americans who have fought in wars from the 1600s through the American Civil War
to Korea and Vietnam have been brought together online.

The huge collection of documents, which includes draft registration cards, photographs, prisoner of war records and news reels,
is the work of family history website Ancestry.com.

It hopes to help millions of Americans uncover their ancestors' pasts through their military records, and to shed a little light on
the nation's history as it marks Memorial Day on 28 May.

About a third of the records - some 30 million names - are now visible for the first time on the internet following the collection's
launch on 24 May. Others were already searchable online.

The chances of finding a relative are reasonable - with every American male between the ages of 18 and 45 required to register
for the draft during World War I, details were collected on some 24 million people. The site's World War II records feature a further 15 million names.

Ancestry has also digitally uploaded enlistment, prisoner of war and pension records from 1860 to 1865 featuring the names of some 18 million
men who served in the Civil War.
...

For two weeks, from 24 May to 4 June, the military collection will available for anyone
to access free of charge. Census and other records from other countries are also available online.

 

[LineDoggie]

Yep, found My Granduncle, KIA on the "O'Rourke" River France with Able Company, 165th(Old 69th NY)Inf Rgt in 1918

 

[Journeyman]

Turns out my Dad enlisted 11 June 1943......and he was a "Citizen, White"  ;D

 

[larry Strong]

Interesting...is there a link to the site, the article did not provide one?

 

[Journeyman]

Interesting...is there a link to the site, the article did not provide one?

www.Ancestry.com

 

[larry Strong]

Thank you.