Collection Information
Recognition for heroism under fire comes in various ways, but often it is in the form of a medal or ribbon. These records contain the names of war heroes, their acts of bravery and their subsequent awards.
These records will tell you what your ancestor did to be recognised and awarded by the military, and often when and why the award was bestowed.
War service provides most soldiers opportunity for heroism and honour. Surely many heroes go unnoticed, but for those that are, recognition comes in various ways - often in the form of a medal or ribbon. Lists of these honours and descriptions of the event leading up to it are listed here.
These collections can be a unique source for discovering the names of parents, spouse, and children.
Sample Images
Search Tips
- The best way to find a military record is to enter as much information as you can into your search. The more you tell us about your ancestor, the easier it will be to find good matches about him or her.
- In your searching, remember to allow for name spelling variations and that sometimes records only used one or more initials for the given names.
- Since each collection includes different information, it is valuable to search collections that apply to your ancestor individually. Once you see the results for some individuals you can see what terms might be useful in the Keyword field to refine your search.
- With some record collections, the description provides instruction for how to receive additional information.
- Once you find a matching military record, save it to your family tree – that way you can provide evidence to back up the info in your family tree, easily share your discovery with your family, and quickly find the historical record again later.