Most of us have ancestors who served in the military.  Often, we can fill out part of the family story by discovering the battles that our ancestors fought in, or by discovering more about their enlistment.  Often, we can even find physical descriptions of our ancestors. Here are some general sites to help you start your search.

http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/military/

http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/lesson14.htm

http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/military.html

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/military/

http://www.militaryindexes.com/

http://www.genealogy.com/00000106.html

 

For many soldiers, the American Revolution was a war for the short term.  Some soldiers only served a few months befoe returning to their fields.  Here are a few sites with information about Revolutionary War soldiers.

http://www.militaryindexes.com/revolutionarywar/

http://colonialancestors.com/revolutionary/soldiers.htm

 

The War of 1812 was fought against Great Britain, in part because they were conscripting Americans on the open seas.  Here are some links to soldiers who fought in that war.

http://www.militaryindexes.com/warof1812/index.html

http://friendsofallencounty.org/military/warof1812/index.php

 

Civil War pension records can provide much information about our ancestors, including marriages and physical descriptions. 

 

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/3680/cw/cw-va.html

http://www.ilsos.gov/genealogy/

http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/database/civilwar.html       

http://ancestorsatrest.blogspot.com/2007/05/new-civil-war-records-online-at.html

 

The First and Second World Wars were intended to be the Wars to end all Wars.  Information about your ancestor who fought in World War II will be found in the National Archives in St. Louis.

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html

 

Here are some other sites that can provide information about your ancestors who fought in the First and Second World Wars.

 

World War I

            http://www.militaryindexes.com/worldwarone/

            http://history.denverlibrary.org/research/draft_minorities/index.html

            http://www.state.tn.us/tsla/history/military/ww1intro.htm

            http://www.floridamemory.com/Collections/WWI/

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World War II

            http://www.militaryindexes.com/worldwartwo/

http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/milit2.htm

            http://www.hcpl.org/genealogy/wwiisoldiers.html