FREE MILITARY DATABASES AT ANCESTRY.COM FOR VETERANS' DAY <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ============================================================ In honor of those who served, Ancestry.com is offering its collection of military databases free this weekend. Search the military collection at: http://www.ancestry.com/dailynews/militaryDBs.htm Best of luck to you as you search out the veterans in your family history! We salute all who have served this country! ============================================================ "VETERANS IN YOUR FAMILY: FINDING BACKGROUND HISTORY AND IMAGES TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR FAMILY HISTORY" by Juliana Smith <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ============================================================ As we remember the veterans in our family this Veterans' Day, the Internet has many resources available that can help us document their service in our family history. As you go through these sites, although you may not find a photo of your ancestor, you can find historic photos, documents, and other information that can greatly enhance your family history. Was he onboard a ship in the Navy? Include a photo of the ship from the U.S. Naval Historical Center's Photographic Unit. (http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usn-name.htm) What was the insignia for the military unit he served in? See the section below on insignias, medals, etc. Be creative. Was your great-great-grandfather one of the soldiers who listened to Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? If so, a copy of the address (http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/) can bring an interesting element to the story, indelibly linking him to the history of the country. For more information on researching your military ancestor, visit the Ancestry.com Military Resource pages at: http://www.ancestry.com/dailynews/memorialday.htm You will find articles, helpful addresses, maps, reference materials, and products from the Ancestry E-Store to aid you in your search. HISTORICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION U.S. Army Military History Institute--Historic Documents http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/DL/ Historical documents can add an extra element to our family history. It places our veteran ancestors in the context of history. Browse a huge selection of documents at: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/DL/AtoZ.htm U.S. Army Center of Military History Location: Building 35 102 Fourth Avenue Fort McNair Washington, DC Mail: 103 Third Avenue Fort McNair, DC 20319-5058 Tel: 202-761-5413 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/default.htm This site often features revealing articles and online exhibits. Check back often as this page is updated regularly. Also check out the Army Division Matrix, which includes insignia information, lineage and honors, photos, unit decorations, sound and video, division commanders, order of battle, bibliography, interviews, and war service by division. Current online exhibits include: "Remembering the Korean War A Prelude to the Official Commemoration;" "The German Campaigns in the Balkans;" "German Antiguerrilla Operations in the Balkans (1941-1944);" and "Images of West Point." Naval Historical Center Washington Navy Yard 901 M Street, SE Washington, DC 20374-5060 Library: Tel: 202-433-4132 Fax: 202-433-9553 Museum: Tel: 202-433-4882 Fax: 202-433-8200 Operational Archives: Fax: 202-433-2833 Ships History Branch: Tel: 202-433-3643 Fax: 202-433-6677 http://www.history.navy.mil/ Loads of information here on U.S. Naval history. Sections include: "War & Conflicts of the U.S. Navy;" "Traditions of the Naval Service;" "Ships History;" a photographic section; information on facilities; bibliographies; and much more. PHOTOS U.S. Army Military History Institute 22 Ashburn Drive, Carlisle Barracks Carlisle, PA 17013 Tel: 717-245-3611 Email: [email protected](Special Collections) [email protected] (Archives Collection) [email protected] (Historical Reference) http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/ Historic Photographs Online http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/HPOL.html Photographic Database http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/PhotoDB.html Naval Historical Center--Photographic Section http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org11-2.htm National Archives' NAIL database http://www.nara.gov/nara/nail.html Search NARA's digital collection for photographs. I tried a search for "machine gun battalion" because my grand uncle served in the 105th in World War I. The search produced eight hits, one of which was a group photo of the 129th Machine gun Battalion. Although I did not locate a photo of my grand uncle's battalion, I did locate a photo of "American troops going forward to the battle line in the Forest of Argonne, France, September 26, 1918" and I know from previous research that he was in the area around this time. Civil War Photographs at the Library of Congress (American Memory Collection) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphome.html INSIGNIAS, MEDALS, ETC. U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry 9235 Gunston Road, Room S-112 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5579 Tel: 703-806-4968 703-806-4969 http://www-perscom.army.mil/tagd/tioh/tioh.htm Military Insignia Information Center http://www.naples.net/clubs/zmilins.htm Also has a great collection of military links at: http://www.naples.net/clubs/milsites.htm Americal Division Veterans' Administration: Army Awards and Decorations http://www3.servtech.com/americal/awards/ Full-text Listings of Medal of Honor Recipients http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/moh1.htm U.S. Army Center for Military History--Lineage and Honors Certificates http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/lineage/lindex.htm "Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Separate Brigades" by John B. Wilson http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/BOOKS/Lineage/ACDSB/ACDSB-notice.htm CMH publication for sale--page has links to selected images online. VETERANS DAY PAGES Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Day Page http://www.va.gov/pubaff/vetsday/index.htm Remembering Our Veterans and Selfless Service to Our Country http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/vetsday/vets1.htm