Nevada Military Records

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

Many military records are available at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more information about the federal records.

The Nevada State Library and Archives has an excellent collection of military records, including:

Muster rolls from the 1860's to 1902
Nevada State Militia records beginning in 1865
National Guard records
Selective Service cards from World War I to the Vietnam War

Civil War (1861-1865)

An index to service records of Union army volunteers is on FHL film 821939. The library also has the index to the pension applications. The service and pension records are available at the National Archives.

A special census was taken in 1890 of Union veterans of the Civil War and their widows (FHL film 338198; index in book 979.3 X22jv 1890).

World War I (1917-1918)

Biographical sketches of soldiers who lost their lives during the war are in Nevada's Golden Stars (Reno: Nevada Adjutant General's Office 1924; FHL film 1000195 item 2).

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 Nevada, see:

United States. Selective Service System. Nevada, 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 1711534.)

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. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For a copy of this map see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, DC: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

Online Resources

http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~xander/nevada-records.htm

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/archival/exec/nng.htm

The WWI Draft Registration Cards are online at www.ancestry.com which is a subscription website.