On Day 12 of Family History Month, check out what you can access online at the US National Archives.

The US National Archives, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), has online databases, many of which are helpful in family history research. These are listed at the NARA site, Access to Archival Databases (AAD).

 

Here’s an example of one type of record you can find. This is a Prisoner of War record for the famous author, Kurt Vonnegut, who was captured at the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

 

Some helpful collections include:

Immigration to America

Russian Immigrants

• Data Files Relating to the Immigration of Russians to the United States, created, ca. 1977 – 2002, documenting the period 1834 – 1897

  • Russians to America Passenger Data File, 1834 – 1897

  • Russian Immigration Manifest Header Data File, 1834 –  1900

Irish Immigrants to America

• Records for Passengers Who Arrived at the Port of New York During the Irish Famine, created, 1977 – 1989, documenting the period 1846 – 1851

  • Famine Irish Passenger Record Data File (FIPAS), 1846 – 1851

  • List of Ships that Arrived at the Port of New York During the Irish Famine, 1846 – 1851

 

German Immigrants to America

• Data Files Relating to the Immigration of Germans to the United States, created, ca. 1977 – 2002, documenting the period 1850 – 1897

  • Germans to America Passenger Data File, 1850 – 1897

  • Manifest Header Data File, 1834 – 1900

 

Italian Immigrants to America

• Data Files Relating to the Immigration of Italians to the United States, created, ca. 1977 – 2002, documenting the period 1855 – 1900

  • Italians to America Passenger Data File, 1855 – 1900

  • Manifest Header Data File, 1834 – 1900

 

 

Military Personnel Records

World War II

• World War II Army Enlistment Records, documenting the period ca. 1938 – 1946

  • Enlistment Records

  • Reserve Corps Records

• Records of World War II Prisoners of War, documenting the period 1941 – 1946

• World War II Prisoners of the Japanese Data Files, documenting the period ca. 1941 – ca. 1945

• Records About Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, documenting the period 1942-1946

• Records of Duty Locations for Naval Intelligence Personnel, documenting the period 1942 – 1945

 

Korean War

• Records of Military Personnel Who Died as a Result of Hostilities During the Korean War, 1950 – 1957

• Records on Korean War Dead and Wounded Army Casualties, 1950 – 1953

• Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Korean War Extract Files, 1950 – 1954

• Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, 1950 – 2006 (Non-hostile war deaths)

• Records of Repatriated Korean War Prisoners of War, 1950 – 1954

• Records of American Prisoners of War During the Korean War, 1950 – 1953

 

Vietnam War

• Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam War, 1956 – 1998

• Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam War, 1956 – 2003

• Records of Deceased, Wounded, Ill, or Injured Army Personnel, Including Dependents and Civilian Employees, 1961 – 1981

• Cambodian Friendly Units Files, 1961 – 1977

• Viet Cong Initiated Incidents Files (VCIIA), 1965-1968

• Related Vietnam War digital databases

• Records of Awards and Decorations of Honor During the Vietnam War, 1965 – 1972

• Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Vietnam War Extract Files, 1956-2006

• Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, 1950 – 2006 (Non-hostile war deaths)

 

Gulf War & War on Terrorism

• Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, 1950 – 2006 (Non-hostile war deaths)

 

Panama Canal Zone

• Index to the Gorgas Hospital Mortuary Death Records, 1906 – 1991

 

Military Awards

• Awards Information Management System (AIMS) Files, 1925 – 2004

  • Awards Information Management System (AIMS), as of August 1993: Public Use History Data File, ca. 1925 – 1992

  • Awards Information Management System (AIMS), as of August 1993: Participating Commands File, 1984 – 1989

  • Awards Information Management System (AIMS), as of May 2004: Public Use History Data File, ca. 1925 – 1994

 

US Civil War

• Records About Civil War Battle Sites, 1861 – 1865

  • Events File, 1861 – 1865

  • Counties File, 1861 – 1865

 

All the digital records at NARA are free to use and if you’re on site you’ll have free access from NARA computers to these subscription record collections (if you use these links from an off-site computer, you will not have free access):

• Ancestry.com 

• Fold3 (Formerly Footnote.com)

• ProQuest/UMI

  • ArchivesUSA 

  • ProQuest Direct 

• GaleNet

  • Biography and Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) 

  • Archives Unbound 

• America: History and Life 

• Ingenta (Articles) 

• Digital National Security Archive 

• U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection 

Best in your research, whether it’s fee or free!