I am trying to find more information of my grandfather who severed in WW1. What is the best way to get his service record. I only have name and birth information, nothing on where or when
he severed.
I am trying to find more information of my grandfather who severed in WW1. What is the best way to get his service record. I only have name and birth information, nothing on where or when
he severed.
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
If you can provide us with his name, date of birth, and the places that he lived, there are a number of online records available through genealogy websites that we or other members of the the History Hub community may be able to check for you; such as the United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940; U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939; and the U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010.
We suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and individual medical reports for those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I and separated from the service more than 62 years ago are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis. In many cases where Army and Army Air Corps personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard OMPFs were not affected by the fire. Please complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. In Section 1, Item 1, where it asks which items you are requesting, please check “Other” and specify that you want the entire file. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests.
World War I era OMPFs may also be requested by visiting the Archival Research Room at the National Archives at St. Louis. Please see the linked website for more information. Email stlarr.archives@nara.gov for further assistance prior to making an appointment.
Since some veterans registered with their state or local veterans service agencies after they separated from service, we suggest that you contact the state or county veterans agency where John J. Hall lived for additional assistance. Please review the NPRC web page Other Methods to Obtain Military Service Records for more information. Please be advised that registering discharge papers with local and state authorities was optional, so we cannot guarantee that these types of organizations will have his records.
We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series titled Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 in the Records of the Selective Service System (World War I) (Record Group 163) that may include a card for your relative. We then located Classification Lists, 1917–1918 in Record Group 163. Each entry shows the registrants' order number, name, race, serial number, classification, physical examination information, date to report for military duty and entrainment to the mobilization camp, and the date he was accepted, rejected, discharged, or reported delinquent. For more information about and/or copies of these records, please contact the National Archives at Atlanta (RRFA) via email at atlanta.archives@nara.gov.
We hope this is helpful with your research!
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
If you can provide us with his name, date of birth, and the places that he lived, there are a number of online records available through genealogy websites that we or other members of the the History Hub community may be able to check for you; such as the United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940; U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939; and the U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010.
We suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and individual medical reports for those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I and separated from the service more than 62 years ago are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis. In many cases where Army and Army Air Corps personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard OMPFs were not affected by the fire. Please complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. In Section 1, Item 1, where it asks which items you are requesting, please check “Other” and specify that you want the entire file. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. Veterans and next of kin of deceased veterans also may use eVetRecs to request records. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests.
World War I era OMPFs may also be requested by visiting the Archival Research Room at the National Archives at St. Louis. Please see the linked website for more information. Email stlarr.archives@nara.gov for further assistance prior to making an appointment.
Since some veterans registered with their state or local veterans service agencies after they separated from service, we suggest that you contact the state or county veterans agency where John J. Hall lived for additional assistance. Please review the NPRC web page Other Methods to Obtain Military Service Records for more information. Please be advised that registering discharge papers with local and state authorities was optional, so we cannot guarantee that these types of organizations will have his records.
We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series titled Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 in the Records of the Selective Service System (World War I) (Record Group 163) that may include a card for your relative. We then located Classification Lists, 1917–1918 in Record Group 163. Each entry shows the registrants' order number, name, race, serial number, classification, physical examination information, date to report for military duty and entrainment to the mobilization camp, and the date he was accepted, rejected, discharged, or reported delinquent. For more information about and/or copies of these records, please contact the National Archives at Atlanta (RRFA) via email at atlanta.archives@nara.gov.
We hope this is helpful with your research!
