Mil. Recs 1917-on

World War II 1941-1945
Over 16.5 million men and women served in World War II, of which 291,557 were killed in action. Another 113,842 died off the battlefield, while 670,846 were wounded.

It is important to note that the Navy & Marines kept two separate files on their personnel: one detailing their actions, another for medical histories. The Army & Air Force kept these together in one file.

Draft Cards
In 1942, men born between 1877-1893 were required to register with their local boards so the government would have a comprehensive listing of those too old to be drafted, but who possessed skills that may be vital to the war effort. These 4x5 cards, called the Old Man's Registration contain the following information:
Full name
Age
Date of Birth
Address
Telephone Number
Country of Birth
Town of Birth
Place of employment
Physical charecteristics (on the reverse side)
Signature
The cards for New York City are alphabetized, however the Brooklyn cards are arranged by board number than alphabetical by surname. You must know the board number in order to search the Brooklyn cards. These cards are available at NARA - Northeast Region in New York City.

Online Resources

Casualty Listings
The Brooklyn Information page has an online listing of Naval personnel killed and missing in action from 1942.

Access Genealogy has the scanned casaulty listings for Bronx, New York and Queens counties. The listings are alphabetical by surname.

The USS West Virginia website has the full history of the battleship, it's role in the attack on Pearl Harbor, full Pearl Harbor casualty list, ship's casualty list and details of the Japanese surrender. Fascinating site.

You can search NARA's online database of WWII casualities by using NAIL. Cemeteries
The American Battle Monuments Commission has a listing of WWII dead, buried overseas.

Interment.net has an online listing of interments at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (aka the "Punchbowl"). Click on the appropriate letters to bring up the transcription. Most of the interments are WWII military personnel.

Holocaust
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC contains three floors of 900 artifacts, 70 video monitors and four theaters. Tours include films and eyewitness accounts. The website offers an online museum and articles, and information on the Benjamin and Vladka Meed Registry of Jewish Holocaust Survivors.

JewishGen offers one of the most comprehensive Holocaust databases on the internet. It pulls together 37 other databases for a total of 140,000 entries. Additions to the database are ongoing, so please be sure to check back.

The Simon Weisenthal Center has detailed instructions for those interested in Holocaust restitution.

The Swiss Bankers' Association Dormant Accounts website details claim procedures for Nazi victims or their heirs.

Memorials
The National World War II Memorial broke ground in September 2001. It is monument dedicated to all those who served in World War II. The website offers sketches of the finished design and enrollment information.

The Arizona Memorial Museum Association is the offical website of the USS Arizona. Site includes links, photographs and history.

Oral Histories
The US Army Military History Institute at Carlisle, PA is accepting donations of personal letters, papers, diaries, photographs and all other material representing military service from all eras. They are especially interested in personal correspondence, camp and unit newspapers, photographs, soldier art and unit insignia. Only unconditional donations will be accepted. Artifacts will be placed in the furture Army Heritage Museum located at Carlisle Barracks, which will tell the history of the US Army and its contributions to the nation and the world. To donate, please contact the museum curators at (717) 267-3419 or email Acquisitions at: mhi-acq@carlisle.army.mil.

The US Army Military History Institute also offers questionnaires for WWII army veterans. These questionnaires will be incorporated into the Army Heritage Museum. Questions are related to impression of camp life, army life, battle, etc. If you are a WWII veteran or are related to one, please take the opportunity to preserve your memories so future generations will understand the sacrifices of 'The Greatest Generation.'

Orphans
The American WWII Orphan's Network is a resource organization for the children left fatherless by WWII. Sons and daughters of KIAs and MIAs are welcome.

Purple Heart
The WWII Purple Heart Database is a user contributed listing of purple heart recipients.

Location/Reunion Sites
The US Merchant Marine Shipmate Search provides instructions on locating anyone who served in the Merchant Marines during WWII. There is also a message board where queries can be posted.

Women
The American Rosie the Riveter Association was formed to honor the working women on the homefront who were so crucial to winning the war. Founded in 1998, it is open to original "Rosies" and their descendents.