Blog
5 Things Learned from an NPRC Archivist
If an archivist ever has time to chat, take advantage of it! They know so much that any information will either enhance what you know or inform you of something you did not know. No matter what you have read about destroyed records, always ask an archivist. Some records were able to be restored. Navy and Marine Corps files from WWI and WWII should be undamaged. Even if you are the next-of-kin, once a military file moves into archival status (discharge date of 1954 or prior), there is a fee to obtain it. You can always view the file in person...
read moreTwo Days at the NPRC
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is an imposing facility located in St. Louis, MO. This summer I spent two days researching the 51st Pioneer Infantry at the NPRC. This post describes the planning and visit to the facility; a subsequent post will discuss the specific records I researched during my visit. The NPRC the central repository of personnel-related records for both the military and civil services of the U.S. Government. Always remember that their priority is to serve current veterans. Everyone you meet at the facility and...
read moreFamily History Outing: The National World War I Museum and Memorial (Part II)
In case you missed it, Part I can be found here. When you walk into the Museum, you cross over a glass floor to enter the exhibits. Below your feet is a field of poppies; above you the tower through the glass ceiling. You then walk through the chronologically arranged galleries, experiencing trenches and a bomb crater. The artifacts include weapons, vehicles, flags, personal effects and uniforms. The walls are filled with data that helps put the conflict in perspective. There are activities for families, including a family visitor guide and...
read moreFamily History Outing: The National World War I Museum and Memorial (Part I)
Dedicated in 1921 with five WWI leaders present, the Liberty Memorial Tower, Assyrian Sphinxes, Exhibit and Memorial Halls were completed in 1926. The newer part of the Museum sits below, and was completed in 2006. Read the Visitor Guide for the details of the Interior and Exterior. Symbolism is embedded in the architecture of the Museum. The Liberty Memory tower is 217 feet tall. Courage, Honor, Patriotism, and Sacrifice are the 40-foot Guardian Spirits on the Memorial. Ride the small elevator, and take a few steps for a 360-degree view of...
read more“The Summer of 1918 (in 2017)”
This summer I spent a lot of time in 1918. It was a time when our nation had entered a war of global conflict, an ocean away. It was a time when U.S. men began being drafted into military service, training and traveling. It was when men from the U.S. took up arms in defense of civilization. The United States had a small army and had to ramp up quickly to gather the needed troops. Private organizations became part of the war effort. People on the home front geared up to support the war by buying war bonds, wrapping bandages and conserving food....
read more5 Things to Tell New Genealogists
Have you ever helped a friend start a family tree? Starting out with a blank tree, and beginning to fill it, is always a joy. I have done this a few times and have come up with some hints to tell people who are completely new to all of it. 1) Start with yourself and work backwards. When you work backward, you are sure to construct a solid trail to a family that you can be sure is yours. 2) No, really, start with yourself. Collect and scan all the documents that prove you and your relationships. Think about what you would...
read moreWorld War I Dawn Patrol
While in the High Desert of California, I had a chance to catch up with an old friend, Steven Rainey from Ridgecrest, California. He has been involved in WWI reenactments for twenty years. Steven Rainey is shown here as an Army Air Corps Captain rank, working on the Flight Line as a Flight Safety Officer. One of the reenactments Steven attends is the WWI Dawn Patrol Rendezvous held every two years at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, OH. The Dawn Patrol is an early morning reconnaissance mission intended to...
read moreWWI in the Passenger Lists of the U.S. Army Transport Service (Part II)
To France and Back: All of the 51st Pioneer Infantry In part 1 of this series, you learned how to locate an individual in the U.S. Army Transport records on Ancestry.com. In these records, you may find family members or foreign personnel that were transported by the Army. These are from the Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92, held at NARA in College Park. In this post, you will learn how to find records for a specific military organization. In a previous post , I wrote about Joseph McMahon’s...
read moreRootsMagic + Ancestry = Great News
So, the time RootsMagic users have been waiting for has finally come! TreeShare for Ancestry is included in Rootsmagic version 7.5, which is a free update to RootsMagic 7. TreeShare for Ancestry allows you to move data between your RootsMagic and your personal Ancestry online trees. The free version of RootsMagic, RootsMagic Essentials includes TreeShare for Ancestry! If you use RootsMagic 7 or RootsMagic Essentials 7, you can directly download the update, or you can the “Check for Updates” feature within RootsMagic. To read more about...
read moreWWI in the Passenger Lists of the U.S. Army Transport Service (Part I)
In my lectures, I recommend searching for Ancestry.com’s military records from the Military Records Landing Page. When you search from the regular search page, the results are from the most popular 10% of all their databases. Searching from the Military Landing Page, I came across records from: U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939. The record in this database give you the name of the person traveling on U.S. Army Transport plus the military organization, the military serial number and whom to notify in...
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