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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: boston.archives@nara.gov

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?