Ages of Servicemen in Wars
This is a A guide to help you determine when and-or if your ancestor fought in one of the American Wars. Use the following chart to determine in which wars an ancestor may have served.
The chart list the following:
- The name of the wars chronologically.
- The typical birth years for men entered in that war, although younger or older soldiers may have enlisted.
- The start and ending years of each war
Request Copies of Military Records
Requesting Copies of Older Military Service Records – Prior to 1917
Request Military Service Records – Military records from 1917 – present
Request your military service records (including DD214) – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Requesting Military Records Including DD Form-214 – U.S. Department of Defense
The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration – National Resource Directory
Military Personnel Records – Air Force Personnel Center
Official Military Personnel Files – Marines
Military Records All Wars – Ancestry.com
Retrieval of Military Records from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Ordering Confederate Pension Records
Researching the Revolutionary War and the Civil War
Researching the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War can be particularly helpful in tracing the history and genealogy of formerly enslaved individuals for several reasons:
- Military Records: Both wars involved African Americans, free and enslaved. During the Revolutionary War, some enslaved individuals gained freedom by fighting for either the British or American forces. In the Civil War, over 180,000 African Americans served in the Union Army and Navy. Military records from these periods can provide names, descriptions, and other personal details.
- Emancipation Records: The Civil War led to the Emancipation Proclamation and subsequent amendments that freed enslaved individuals. Records generated during and after the war, like the Freedmen’s Bureau records, contain a wealth of information about formerly enslaved people, including family connections, places of origin, and labor contracts.
- Slave Narratives and Pension Records: Narratives from formerly enslaved individuals who served in the wars or were affected by them can provide personal insights. Additionally, pension records for veterans of these wars sometimes include detailed personal histories.
- Census Records: Post-Civil War census records (starting particularly from 1870, when African Americans were first fully included) can be cross-referenced with war records to trace individuals and families.
- Local Histories and Plantation Records: Understanding the context of specific battles, regions, and plantations involved in these wars can help identify where enslaved people lived and worked, and possibly track their movements following emancipation.
- Abolitionist and Legal Documents: Documents from the abolitionist movement and legal proceedings around these periods can sometimes contain references to specific enslaved individuals, particularly in cases related to freedom suits or abolitionist activities.
- DNA Testing and Ancestry Databases: Modern tools like DNA testing and online genealogical databases can complement historical research, helping to establish familial connections that might be rooted in these historical periods.
By exploring these various records and historical contexts, researchers can piece together the lives of formerly enslaved individuals, understanding not just their bondage and emancipation, but also their contributions to and experiences during these pivotal moments in American history.
Renaming Nine Confederate Bases : 2023 – 2024
In 2023 and 2024, the U.S. government undertook the significant task of renaming nine military bases that were originally named after Confederate figures. This effort was part of a broader movement to reevaluate and address historical symbols and names that were associated with the Confederacy and its support of slavery.
The bases undergoing renaming included some of the most well-known military installations in the United States. Each base’s new name was carefully selected to reflect values of unity, honor, and respect, replacing the previous names that were tied to a divisive period in American history. The process involved extensive consultation with military personnel, historians, and local communities to ensure the new names were appropriate and meaningful.
The renaming of these bases represented a substantial shift in acknowledging and correcting historical narratives, especially in the context of the military, which is a significant symbol
of national unity and strength. This action was seen as a step towards a more inclusive and understanding portrayal of American history, aligning with modern values and the diverse fabric of the nation.
Fort Benning, Georgia — Fort Moore, after Army Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore. Hal Moore received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in the Vietnam War. Julia Moore was an advocate for military families.
Fort Bragg, North Carolina — Fort Liberty
Fort Gordon, Georgia — Fort Eisenhower, after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was also a five-star Army general and served as the Supreme Allied Commander of forces in Europe during World War II.
Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia — Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the first female surgeon in the Civil War, and the only woman awarded the Medal of Honor.
Fort Hood, Texas — Fort Cavazos, after Army Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, who received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in the Vietnam War.
Fort Lee, Virginia — Fort Gregg-Adams, after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. Gregg was a key figure in the integration of black soldiers into the Army. Adams was one of the highest-ranking female soldiers in World War II.
Fort Pickett, Virginia — Fort Barfoot, after Army Tech Sgt. Van T. Barfoot, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions with the 45th Infantry Division during World War II in Italy in 1944.
Fort Polk, Louisiana — Fort Johnson, after Army Sgt. William Henry Johnson, who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for action in the Argonne Forest of France during World War I.
Fort Rucker, Alabama — Fort Novosel, after Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, an aviator who received the Medal of Honor for a medevac mission under fire in Vietnam where he saved 29 soldiers.
