Idaho Military Records

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

The major depository for military records in the United States is the National Archives. Copies of many of these records and others are found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and at and other federal and state archives. For Idaho the following sources are also very helpful:

Civil War (1861-1865)
An index to service records of a few Union volunteers from the Washington Territory is at the Family History Library (FHL film 821948). The library also has the federal index of pensioners, but the actual service and pension records are only at the National Archives.

Forts
Forts were authorized by the federal government, built to house and maintain the military who were to assist in maintaining peace by enforcing treaties and providing protection to settlers.


 * Fort Boise
 * Fort Hall
 * Fort Lapwai

Indian Wars
Many soldiers served in Idaho and other western states during the Indian Wars. The Family History Library has enlistment registers for soldiers who served in the regular army from 1798 to 1914. These provide the soldier's rank, unit, commanders, physical description, occupation, and birthplace. The records are arranged by year and by the first letter of the surname (FHL films 350307—).

An index of pension applications filed between 1892-1926, for service in the Indian Wars from 1817 to 1898 is on FHL films 821610-21. The pension records are at the National Archives.

World War I (1917-1918)
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 Idaho, see:

United States. Selective Service System. Idaho, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1452106.) These records are also accessible through the commercial site, Ancestry.com for a paid subscription rate.

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, D.C.: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

Modern Wars
A published roster of soldiers who died in World War I is W.M. Haulsee, et al, Soldiers in the Great War, Three Volumes. (Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record Publishing Association, 1920; FHL book 973 M23s; fiche 6051244). Volume 1 includes Idaho.