...Advertisement...
Online World War I Indexes and Records - USA
Before 1939, the First World War was known as "The Great War."
- World War I Indexes and Records at Ancestry (these require payment, except the Naval Deaths database)
- American Soldiers of World War I - Death Index arranged alphabetically by state
- U.S., Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty, 1917-1918 for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
- U.S. Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939 not specific to World War I, but includes the WWI years
- U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls, 1893-1940 not specific to World War I, but includes the WWI years
- U.S. Naval Deaths, World War I (free with registration)
- World War One Alien Registration Records - Indexes of German (and some Austrian) Aliens in the US 1917-1918
- See links in the Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, and North Dakota sections below. Also see the "WWI Era Alien Registration Records and Case Files" section near the bottom of this page.
World War I Records by State
- California...
- California WWI Soldier Service Cards, 1917-1918 (at Ancestry/requires payment)
- California, Geographical and Name Index of Californians Who Served in WWI, 1914-1918 from FamilySearch
- California, Honor Roll of Californians who served in WWI, 1914-1918 from FamilySearch
- California, World War I Death Announcements, 1918-1921 (at Ancestry/free with registration)
- California, San Francisco, World War I Enemy Alien Registration Affidavits, 1918 at FamilySearch
- Kansas...
- Kansas WWI and Military Indexes includes
- Kansas World War I Bounty Claims Index
- Kansas Soldiers of the Great War
- Kansas World War I Records at Ancestry (these are included with an Ancestry subscription)...
- Kansas, World War I Veteran Collection, 1917-1919 (requires payment) "...includes newspaper clippings, photos, service records, letters from family and friends, biographical sketches, and other documents related to Kansas veterans who served in World War I."
- Kansas Enrollment of WWI Veterans, 1930 (requires payment) "This database contains forms used to enroll eligible Kansans for World War I veterans' benefits" Original data from the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas.
- Kansas: Camp Funston Military Records, 1914-1919 (requires payment)
- Kansas Casualties in the First World War 1917-1919
- Kansas, Military Discharge Records, ca.1862 - ca.1999 from FamilySearch; for these counties: Atchison, Butler, Chautauqua, Clay, Coffey, Elk, Greenwood, Harvey, Jackson, Leavenworth, Linn, Marshall, McPherson, Morris, Neosho, Pottawatomie, Riley, Rush, and Wyandotte. Coverage varies by county.
- Shawnee County, Kansas, Honor Roll, World War, 1914-1918 scanned book from FamilySearch
- Kansas World War One Enemy Alien Registration Records...
- Mississippi...
- Mississippi, World War I Army Veterans, Master Alphabetical Index, 1917-1918 from Family Search
- Mississippi World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 from FamilySearch
- Mississippi World War I Statement of Service Cards from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History
- Mississippi, Military Discharge Records, 1917-1974 from Family Search; for Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, Copiah, DeSoto, Franklin, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Neshoba, Oktibbeha, Warren, Wilkinson, and Yazoo Counties; coverage varies by county
- Missouri...
- Missouri: World War I Service Cards included in the Missouri State Archives' Soldiers Records database
- Missouri, Pre-WWII Adjutant General Enlistment Contracts, 1900-1941 (National Guard) from FamilySearch; for National Guard enlistments
- Missouri, Military Discharge Records, 1862-1996 at FamilySearch; for these counties: Adair, Audrain, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Dunklin, Grundy, Iron, Knox, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Polk, Ste. Genevieve, and Wayne. Coverage varies by county.
- St. Louis...
- Ohio...
- Ohio Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918 (requires payment - part of an Ancestry subscription)
- Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 from FamilySearch
- Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 from FamilySearch; for the Marine Corps, Navy, and out of state enlistments
- Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 from FamilySearch; for soldiers who served in the 83rd Division
- Oklahoma...
- Oklahoma, Military Discharge Records, 1898-1993 from FamilySearch; For Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Cimarron, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Ellis, Harper, Jackson, Latimer, Major, Marshall, McClain, Pittsburg, Seminole, Texas, Washita, Woods, and Woodward Counties. Coverage varies by county.
- Tennessee...
- Tennessee Military Research: World War I includes...
- Tennessee Records of Ex-Soldiers in World War One Index (see the "Record of Ex-Soldiers" database listed below for digital images)
- Tennessee World War I Gold Star Records Index
- Tennessee World War I Veterans' Questionnaires Index
- Tennessee Virtual Archive includes:
- Record of Ex-Soldiers in World War I, Tennessee Counties, 1917-1919 (with digital images)
- Tennessee World War I Gold Star Records
- Texas...
- Texas World War I Records, 1917-1920 from FamilySearch
- A Short History and Photographic Record of the 359th Infantry Texas Brigade (scanned searchable book) primarily from 39 Northeast Texas counties, but other counties are included
- Texas, Various Counties, Military Discharge Records, 1916-1990 at FamilySearch; for Anderson, Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Ellis, Falls, Hood, Llano, Williamson, and Wise Counties; coverage varies by county
National (Military) Cemeteries
The 1930 Census - Military Question - Did Your Ancestor Serve in WWI?
- The 1930 U.S. census can usually tell you if someone served in WWI (or a previous war). Look at columns 30 and 31 on the census form: "Whether a veteran of U.S. military or naval forces." Column 30 asked, "yes or no." Column 31 asked, "What War or Expedition?"
- The 1930 U.S. census is available online for free (with registration) at FamilySearch, or at Ancestry if a you have a (fee-based) subscription.
WWI Era Alien Registration Records and Case Files
Registration Records
- Unfortunately, most of the WWI Enemy Alien Registration Records have not survived. There are some available online for Arizona (partial), California (San Francisco), Colorado (Denver - from a newspaper), Indiana (Allen County), Kansas, Minnesota, New York City (from a newspaper), and North Dakota. See the state listings above for links to those.
- FamilySearch has a helpful list of what is available from the U.S. National Archives (NARA) at: Alien Registration Files. Items listed there for the WWI era include: Arizona (Phoenix), Kansas, Kentucky (Eastern District/Frankfort), Louisiana (Western District/Shreveport), Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina (Eastern District/Raleigh), and Ohio (detained enemy aliens; Western Division of the Southern District/Cincinnati); most of this material is not available online.
Case Files