United States, Veterans Administration Master Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains a card index created by the Veterans Bureau (Veterans Administration) of veterans who served between World War I and earlier and who made (or whose heirs made) of benefits claims between 1917-1940. Additional information may be available at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Additional indexed records will be published as they become available.


 * K - Life Insurance
 * A - Adjusted Compensation (Bonus)
 * T - War Risk Insurance
 * R - Rehabilitation
 * CT -WWI Certificate
 * I -Permanent Disability

Collections at the National Personnel Records Center that are related to the master index
 * Deceased Veterans Claim Files (XC Files),10.1917-ca. 1945 NAID 23904754
 * Deceased Veterans Claim Files (XC Files), 10.1917-ca. 1949 NAID 12280123
 * Deceased Veterans Claim Files (XC Files), 10.1917-ca. 1955 NAID 26466267
 * Deceased Veterans Claims (XC Files), 10/1917-ca. 1955. NAID 28894631

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Information found in the collection are listed below:


 * Name of the veteran
 * Home address at the time of enlistment
 * Date of birth
 * Date of death

Additionally, the cards may provide the following service information:
 * Rank
 * Branch of service
 * Service number
 * Date of entry and discharge
 * Claim number
 * Insurance number(s)
 * Cross-reference to the beneficiary of the veteran
 * First organization the veteran was assigned

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know: To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The military unit in which your ancestor served
 * The names of family members

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.

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

 * Search for a birth record
 * Search for the family in the 1910 and 1920 census records
 * Search for the veteran's discharge certificate, statement of service card and published military unit or county history

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
 * Search the military records at Fold3

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

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.
 * Collection Citation: "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940." Database. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 5 December 2018. Citing NARA microfilm publication 76193916. St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985.

Top of Page