United States, World War II Army Enlistment Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection contains a name index of Army enlistments from the years 1938-1946. Database courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.

Record Content
Information found in this collection generally include the following:


 * WHEELER RAYMOND W JR
 * 1920 Texas
 * White
 * Dallas, Texas
 * 01 Feb 1944
 * Skilled mechanics and repairmen, n.e.c.
 * Married

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * Name of the enlisted person
 * Other identifying information such as date and place of birth or date of enlistment and residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals 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 look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Continue to search the index to identify other relatives.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * NARA article World War II Army Enlistment Records File
 * NARA Reference Information Paper 82 on American Military Casualties and Burials
 * World War II Army Enlistment on World Vital Records
 * National Archives Veterans Service Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * United States World War II Enlistment Records
 * World War II United States Military Records, 1941 to 1945
 * United States Military Records
 * National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation: Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):