Oregon, World War I, County Military Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains Oregon State Defense Council's Personal Military Service Records for various counties in the state of Oregon. The records are arranged alphabetically by county name, then numerical by the school district and alphabetical by surname. This series documents an individual's military service in Oregon during WWI and used as a basis for medal distribution.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
These records may contain: • 3

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your relative
 * Approximate date they served

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the names, age and residence to find census records including the 1910 and 1920 census. The 1930 also identifies World War I veterans
 * Look for discharge records. Many veterans registered their discharges at the local county courthouse
 * Look for membership applications at the local American Legion Post
 * Look for a published military unit history
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for an index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military units, counties, parishes, etc.)

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Oregon.
 * Oregon Guided Research
 * Oregon Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1903 | 1900-Present
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States World War I Research

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Oregon war records - personal military service, 1919-1920
 * World War I veterans who were residents of Oregon FHL 4 rolls WWI starts on item 2 of the first roll
 * Oregon National Guard. Military enlistment and service records, 1887-1924; index, 1848-1928, 1887-1924
 * Oregon combined military service records index, 1852-1954 - Indexes National Guard personnel index, 1897-1919 -- Statement of service cards, 1917-1919, 1941-1945 -- Citation cards, 1898-1924 -- Died and wounded in service cards, 1917-1919, 1941-1945, 1951-1954 -- Victory Medal application cards, 1918-1919
 * Oregon, World War I Veteran State Aid Applications, 1921-1938
 * Oregon combined military alphabetical index, 1837-1933"Includes index to records of the : Defense Council personal military service records, 1917-1918."

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
 * United States, World War I American Expeditionary Forces Deaths, 1917-1919
 * United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940
 * Oregon, World War I, Veteran State Aid Applications, 1921-1938
 * United States, Enlisted and Officer Muster Rolls and Rosters, 1916-1939

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Willis Rowland Skillman. The A.E.F : who they were, what they did, how they did it. Philadelphia : G.W. Jacobs, ©1920
 * Hermine Scholz ; with accompanying chapter by Richard J. Sommers,  World War I manuscripts : the World War I survey Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania : U.S. Army Military History Institute, 1986
 * Oregon. AGO. Oregon's honor roll : names of officers and enlisted men from Oregon who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces during the World War. Salem, Oregon : State Printing Department, 1922 FHL Digital Images

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.