World War I Records (2)€¦ · 10/15/2018 1 WORLD WAR I RECORDS United States Involvement 1917...
Transcript of World War I Records (2)€¦ · 10/15/2018 1 WORLD WAR I RECORDS United States Involvement 1917...
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WORLD WAR I RECORDS
United States Involvement
1917 - 1919
HORACE H. WATERS
Retired Archives Technician
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Contact National Archives at Boston
Address380 Trapelo RoadWaltham, Massachusetts 02452Toll Free Telephone: (866) 406-2379Telephone: (781) 663-0144Fax: (781) 663-0154E-mail: [email protected]
Area served: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Military Records
1. Lost in 1973 Fire www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/fire-1973
2. New England Records at Waltham www.archives.gov/boston
3. Prologue Magazine Online www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/genealogy-notes.html#wwi
4. National Personnel Records Center at St. Louis www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center www.archives.gov/st-louis
5. Ancestry.com Ancestry.com. U.S., WWI Troop Transport Ships, 1918-1919 [databaseon-
line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.
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The 1973 Fire, National Personnel Records Center
On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at the NPRC destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military
Personnel Files (OMPF). The records affected:
WWI Personnel discharged between 11/1/1912 - 9/7/1939
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
• Maintains physical custody of records that are still
under the legal custody of the creating service
branch or agency
• Information contained within these records is still
protected under provisions of the Privacy Act of
1974 (P.L. 93-579)
• Information from these records is available to the
public under conditions specified by the creating
service branch or agency and according to FOIA.
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The National Archives at St. Louis (NARA)
• Maintains records that are in the legal custody of the
National Archives
• Records in the custody of the National Archives are
available to the public for research
• Information within these records is open to the public,
except for information protected by the personal
privacy exemption of the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA), U.S.C. 552(b)(6).
New England military service records at Waltham, including:
•Coast Guard station/vessel logs1915 – 1942 RG-26
•Coast Guard Academy cadet records1904 – 1986 RG-26
•Marine Corps Barracks records1816 – 1938 RG-181
•Merchant Marine vessel logbooks1910 – 1922 RG-26
•Navy shipyard/station/unit logs1888 – 1932 RG-181
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World War I Articles in Prologue Magazine
They Answered the Call
Military Service in the United States Army During World War I, 1917–1919
Fall 1998, Vol. 30, No. 3 | Genealogy Notes
World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages, Part I
Summer 1999, Vol. 31, No. 2 | Genealogy Notes
By Constance Potter
The Story of the Female Yeomen during the First World War
Fall 2006, Vol. 38, No. 3 | Genealogy Notes
By Nathaniel Patch
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue
World War IThe Army in the Woods (Summer 2014) - Some World War I soldiers harvested spruce trees for airplane production.
The Story of the Female Yeomen during the First Wor ld War (Fall 2006) - The vague language of the Naval Act of 1916 opened the door to women volunteering in the U.S. Navy.
World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages, Part I (Summer 1999) and Part II (Fall 1999) - Mothers and widows of U.S. soldiers who died overseas during World War I sailed to Europe to see the graves of their sons and husbands.
They Answered the Call: Military Service in the Uni ted States Army during World War I, 1917–1919 (Fall 1998) - A guide to looking for information about World War I army veterans.
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/gene alogy-notes.html#wwi
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General Pershing and his staff sailed for Europe
two days later, arriving in England on June 9,
and in France on June13.
General John J. Pershing
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The Navy chartered most of
the existing U. S. Merchant
Fleet and ordered emergency
construction of additional
ships to carry troops and
supplies to Europe for General
Pershing’s army, as depicted
in this New York Tribune
cartoon.
Posters soliciting money for the Victory
Liberty Loan to pay for the war
acknowledged that Americans were of
many different ethnicities. America is a
land of immigrants and all contributed
to the war effort.
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World War I draft registration began on June 5, 1917.
Charles F. Waters, Jr. registered for the draft the
same day.World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line].
Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
Charles enlisted in the Navy as a Ship’s Cook 1st
Class on July 12, 1917 and served on active duty
from July 12, 1917 to March 21, 1919 on the USNS
Morris, Torpedo Boat 14 and was honorably
discharged on July 11, 1921.
https://evetrecs.archives.gov/VeteranRequest/home.html
WWI Draft Registration Cards
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Torpedo Boat Morris, (TB-14), predecessor to WWII PT Boats
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After the Armistice
1. The Troops Came Home Ancestry.com/card catalog
2. But many did not return American Battle Monuments Commission www.abmc.gov/
3. Parades Were Held “102nd Regiment of New Haven in Thomaston's Welcome Home Parade,”
Digital History 511: Theory & Practice, accessed August 28, 2018,
http://library.ccsu.edu/dighistFall16/items/show/190.
4. Medals Were Awarded WWI Victory Medal: www.medalsofamerica.com/wwi-victory-medal
5. Monuments Were Erected WWI Monument Edgartown, MA Local Newspapers and/or Google Maps
Returning Troops after the Armistice
U. S. S. ALASKANN
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Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France
Many did not return
Thomaston, CT Welcome Home Parade July 19, 1919
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WWI Victory Medal
Awarded to all members of the armed forces who served at
least 1 day active federal service. Instituted for service
between April 6, 1917 and November 11, 1918.
Edgartown, MA WWI Monument
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Thank you for coming.
Any Questions?