Louisiana, World War I Service Records, 1917-1920 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1917-1920.

Index and images of enlistment or induction records from World War I. The collection is arranged alphabetically by parish name and is located at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge.

Record Content
Louisiana World War I Military Service records may contain the following information:
 * Soldier’s name
 * Birth date and place
 * Enlistment or Induction date and place
 * Age
 * Estimated birth year
 * Residence parish, city, and state

How to Use the Record
This section includes tips and information on how to search the collection.

When searching: As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, estimated military service years, and family relationships.

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'Name of Parish' category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Using the Information

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the soldier's age and location of the military unit to find his family in census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * 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.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * You may need to search for both their Indian name and their English name.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military units, counties, parishes, etc.).

General Information about These Records

 * Physical description or format of the original material
 * History of the record
 * Why the record was created
 * Reliability of the information in the record
 * Percentage of the population covered in the record
 * Preservation quality of the record

Related Websites

 * Military Indexes
 * Louisiana Military Records – National Archives
 * Veterans Service Records - National Archives
 * US World War I Draft Registration Cards Ancestry ($)

Related Wiki Articles

 * United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Louisiana Military Records
 * World War I United States Military Records, 1917 to 1918
 * United States World War I Draft Records

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: