In partnership with the National Archives, Fold3 recently finished scanning and publishing the complete set of compiled military service records of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). The collection is comprised of over 3.6 million document images for the 1st through 138th USCT Infantry, the 1st through 6th USCT Cavalry, and the USCT Artillery. Notably,…
The first military conscription in the United States occurred during the Civil War, but the military draft process we are familiar with today originated with the Selective Service Act of 1917, passed by Congress on May 18, 1917. Six weeks earlier, the United States had declared war on Germany and it was soon apparent there…
Fun Feature: Have you noticed that the image on the Fold3 landing page for the Civil War Collection changes from “Civil War” to “War Between the States” when you move your cursor over the 150th-anniversary logo? Give it a try. It’s one of the many ways Fold3 recognizes the history of the U.S. Civil War…
In an effort to bring a little “home” into their holidays, soldiers fighting on foreign shores in 20th-century wars added traditional touches to their celebrations. Please enjoy a slideshow of Christmas and Hanukkah traditions from the front lines. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl3xWIZCrHg
World War II Navy Muster Rolls are now being added to Fold3’s World War II Collection. With a full title of “Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities, compiled 01/01/1939 – 01/01/1949,” these are reports of enlisted personnel formally attached to ships, stations, or other commands (known as “activities”). They are…
Last week, some of the Fold3 team went to see the movie, Lincoln. (Not the one with vampires, but Mr. Spielberg’s epic based on Doris Kearns Goodwin book, A Team of Rivals.) In full disclosure mode, I must tell the reader that I hold Mr. Lincoln in the highest of regards. I consider him a…
On Wednesday, October 16, 1940, 25-year-old Beuford Astor Bost stood in line at his local draft board in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, to register for the first peace-time draft in U.S. history. He was one of over 16 million men throughout the country to do so that day. Bost was 5’ 8” tall, 152 pounds,…
