Arizona Military Records

The U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many military records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more information on federal records. For Arizona the following sources are also very helpful:

Forts and Camps
Military forts and camps were established by the military through authorization of the federal govenment. One of the purposes was to maintain peace with the American Indian tribes and to protect settlers and settlements during western expansion.

Fort Apache

Fort Bear Springs

Fort Bonito

Fort Bowie

Fort Breckinridge

Fort Buchanan

Fort Crittenden

Fort Defiance

Camp Douglas

Camp Emmet Crawford (1886)

Fort Grant

Fort Hauchuca

Fort Lowell

Fort McDowel

Fort Mason

Fort Mohave

Camp Newell

Camp Tucson

Fort Thomas

Fort Verde

Fort Wallen

Fort Whipple

Fort Yuma

Civil War (1861-1865)
Arizona soldiers served in both the Union and Confederate armies. The compiled military service records (FHL film 536241) and indexes (FHL film 821837) for the Confederacy are available at the Family History Library and the National Archives. You may also find the union soldiers listed in the New Mexico Territory Civil War Records (FHL films 471538-83) and index (FHL films 821883-6).

The compiled service records and pensions of Union soldiers have not been microfilmed. They are only available at the National Archives. An index to the pensioners is on film at the Family History Library. (beginning with FHL film 540757)

Indian Wars (1798-1914)
Soldiers who served at military posts can be located by searching Registers of Enlistments in the United States Army, 1798-1914. These enlistment registers are available at the Family History Library (beginning with FHL film 350307). These include data on the soldier's name, physical description, age, occupation, and birthplace.

Two indexes are available for pension records: Old War Pension Index (1815-1926) and Index to Indian Wars (1892-1926). Both of these indexes are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives. These indexes are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under UNITED STATES - MILITARY RECORDS.

A history of military forts is Ray Brandes, Frontier Military Posts of Arizona (Globe, Arizona: Dale S. King, 1960; FHL book 979.1 M2b). There is a map of army installations, 1849-1886, on FHL fiche 6017659.

World War I (1917-1918)
World War I draft registration cards for men age 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For registration cards for Arizona, see:

United States. Selective Service System. Arizona, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, DC: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1473300.)

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board. Most counties had only one board; large cities had several.

Additional Military Records
Additional military records are at the Department of Libraries, Archives and Public Records.

Web Sites

 * Family History Library at www.familysearch.org
 * National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/
 * Arizona Department of Libraries, Archives and Public Records at http://www.lib.az.us/