North Carolina, World War I Service Cards,1917-1919 - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes an index and images of statement of service cards for the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard, which was provided for by an act of Congress July 11, 1919. The collection is located at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh.


 * Susan Goss Johnston " World War I Statement of Service Cards" NGS Magazine 43 (July-September 2017): 42-45

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Service cards
 * Date of Enlistment
 * Name
 * Place of Residence
 * Home Address
 * Date of Birth
 * Place of Birth
 * Military Service
 * Age at time of enlistment

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The age of your ancestor
 * The years your ancestor served in the military
 * The names of family members and their relationships

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Branch of Service
 * 2) Select the Surname Range to view the images.

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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s service card, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details.

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

 * 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 a different index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities
 * Consult the North Carolina Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of North Carolina.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States World War I Research
 * North Carolina Guided Research
 * North Carolina Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * World War I, Army and Marine Corp. service cards
 * World War I, Navy and Coast Guard service cards
 * North Carolina, World War I American Expeditionary Forces, deaths, 1917-1919
 * North Carolina, World War I Selective Service System draft registration cards, 1917-1918

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

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

Related Digital Books

 * North Carolina's Role in the First World War
 * J. R. Graham. Tar-heel War Record. in the Great War. Charlotte, N.C.: World War Publishing Company,1921

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.