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World War II Soldiers

How to Research World War II Records

The National Archives

Military personnel records are a valuable tool in genealogical research. Most veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Report of Separation) and other military and medical records. Limited information is releasable to the general public without the consent of the veteran or the next-of-kin. You are considered a member of the general public if you are asking about a veteran who is no relation to you, or a veteran who is a relative but you are not the next-of-kin. Next-of-kin is defined as the unremarried widow or widower, son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran. (NOTE: Some DD Form 214 may be available online. Check FamilySearch for availability. See Databases below.)

Request veterans' service records from WWII at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/.

Other Resources available at the National Archives:

Databases

NOTE: Search all Discharge Record collections. Different Discharge Documents may appear for same individual in different collections. List of Veterans Military Discharge Documents by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Carolina World War II Soldiers

         Print

  • 071.5677 BEL NCC OVER. World War II Military Photographs of Belmont, NC Area People. Belmont Banner.
  • 355 GAS NCC OVER 2014. Saluting Our Veterans: 2014 Veterans Day Special Edition. Gazette Publishing Company.
  • 920 SOL NCC. Soldiers' Stories: The Gaston Gazette Remembers Area World War II Veterans by Bo Peteresen. List of Gaston County World War II dead on pages 134 - 135.
  • 929.81 REC NCC OVER. Recipients of Military Service Awards 1898-2004, North Carolina Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy.
  • 940.53 CLO NCC. WWII - The Last Man Club of Gaston County, North Carolina: stories of the honor guard by Marty Cloninger.
  • 940.53 WOR NCC. World War II Hometown and Home Front Heroes: Life Experience Stories from the Carolinas' Piedmont by Margaret G. Bigger. Includes several people from Gaston and Lincoln counties.
  • 940.54 NOR NC. North Carolina's Shining Hour: Images and Voices from World War II by Our State Books.

         Online

         State Archives of North Carolina

Other Resources

Search our Catalog by Subject for: World War, 1939-1945.

 

 

Author: Gaston County Public Library
Title: Researching World War II Soldiers
URL: http://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/wwii/researching-world-war-ii-soldiers
Revised: 22 November 2022

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