Online Veterans and Military Documents

While most of our holdings are not online, a variety of military records, from photos to documents to searchable databases are available. Listed below are online collections of specific interest to veterans, their families and researchers. Additional online records may be found by searching the National Archives Catalog and Access to Archival Databases (AAD) systems.

Veterans' military service records and medical records are not online. However, veterans and next-of-kin can order copies of these records.
How to request military service records

Current Era and General Military Records

• Pictures of United States Navy Ships (1775-1941)

Vietnam Conflict Era

• Casualty Records for the Vietnam Conflict:
  • State-level Lists of Casualties from the Vietnam Conflict
  • Casualty Statistics from the Vietnam Conflict
  • Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam Conflict, 1/20/1967 - 12/1998 ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Vietnamese Conflict")
  • Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam Conflict ( description)
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Vietnamese Conflict")
• Records of Medals, Awards and Decorations from the Vietnam Conflict:
  • Records of Awards and Decorations of Honor During the Vietnam Conflict, 5/1969 - 3/1973.
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Vietnamese Conflict")
  • Medal of Honor Awards Case Files, 1964 - ca. 1972
• Records of Combat Operations from the Vietnam Conflict
  • Records About the Ground Combat Operations by the Army During the Vietnam Conflict, 7/31/1966 - 3/12/1973.
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Vietnamese Conflict")
  • Records About Air Sorties Flown in Southeast Asia, 1/1970 - 6/1975.
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Vietnamese Conflict")
  • Records About Hostile Fire Against U.S. and Australian Warships During the Vietnam Conflict, 10/25/1966 - 4/5/1970.
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Vietnamese Conflict")

Korean War Era

• Casualty Records for the Korean War:
  • State-level Lists of Casualties from the Korean War
  • Records of Military Personnel Who Died as a Result of Hostilities During the Korean War, ca. 1977 - 11/1979 ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Korean War")
  • Records on Korean War Dead and Wounded Army Casualties, 1950 - 1970 ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Casualties")
  • Records of American Prisoners of War During the Korean War, 1950 - 1953 ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Casualties")
  • Records of Repatriated Korean War Prisoners of War, 1978 - 1980 ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: Casualties")

World War II Era

• Casualty Records for World War II

  • World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel

  • World War II Casualties for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Personnel

  • Records of World War II Prisoners of War, 1942 - 1947 ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: World War, 1939-1945")
• World War II Enlistment and Draft Records
  • World War II Army Enlistment Records (Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File) ( description).
    [ Search AAD for these Records ]
    (Search tip: in AAD, select "Subject: World War, 1939-1945")
• Photos from World War II
  • Pictures of World War II: An online collection of selected photos of World War II.
  • Pictures of African Americans During World War II
  • A People at War: an online exhibit featuring photos and documents from the National Personnel Records Center.
• Research World War II
• Selected Finding Aids for World War II

World War I Era

• The Operation of the So-Called "Lost Battalion," October 2 to 8, 1918.
• American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917 - 1918
• Research World War I Records

Spanish-American War Era

• Selected Military Service Records of Spanish-American War Volunteers (Rough Riders)
• Selected Documents relating to the Spanish-American War and the sinking of the USS Maine

Civil War Era

• Service and Casualty Records
  • Selected Records of Death and Interment at Camp Nelson, KY, 1864-1865
  • Index of Compiled Military Service Records from the National Park Service's Civil War Soldier and Sailor System
• Pictures and Photographs of the Civil War
  • Pictures of the Civil War
  • Mathew Brady Photographs of Civil War-Era Personalities and Scenes
  • Photographic Sketch Book of the Civil War, by Alexander Gardner
  • Plans and sketches of Civil War forts
  • War Dept. Map Collection
    Civil Works Map File

American Revolutionary War Era

• Selected Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, ca. 1800 - ca. 1900