US, Washington State Military Records, 1855-1950

General collection information

This collection includes information about servicemen found in registers and index cards created in the state of Washington between 1855 and 1975. Images of the original documents are available, and the type of information they contain varies. Most documents include personal information and military service details.

Using this collection

Records in this collection may include the following information:

Branch of service
Service number
Rank
Company
Regiment
Unit
Age at enlistment
Birth date and place
Place of residence
Occupation
Military enlistment date and place
Military discharge date
Military pension date
War served in
Death date and place

This collection can be used to confirm that your ancestor served in the U.S. armed forces. The records also may verify your ancestor's branch of service and rank.

Collection in context

These records were created at military bases in the state of Washington by officers of the U.S. armed forces. The collection includes images of the original documents, which are primary historical sources. The original documents are housed at the Washington State Archives in Olympia, Washington.

Several U.S. military installations have been established in Washington state since the late 1800s. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard was opened near Bremerton in 1891. Fort Lewis near Tacoma was built on publicly donated land in 1917 during World War I. McChord Airfield was built near Fort Lewis in the 1920s. World War II brought several military institutions to the state, including Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Naval Station Bangor, and a U.S. Army training center in Yakima.