On July 17, 1951, SFC Milton Wesley Bailey was patrolling with his unit near the 38th Parallel in Korea. While on this reconnaissance mission, Bailey’s unit came under heavy enemy fire on an exposed ridgeline. Bailey was the Rear Guard on this mission and shouted for his team to retreat while he provided cover. When…
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was a pivotal WWII battle fought March 2-4, 1943, in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). Allied aircraft from the US Fifth Airforce and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attacked a convoy of Japanese ships transporting troop reinforcements to Lae, New Guinea. The Allies destroyed most of the convoy,…
We are pleased to announce that we have added a new collection of records for Black and Indigenous Soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War. These records are primarily manuscripts dating from 1775-1783, including muster rolls, pay vouchers, and enlistment records. Barring a few units, the Continental Army was mostly integrated. Black and Indigenous men…
In January 1944, the military launched a top-secret operation called Operation Carpetbagger. The aim was to supply European resistance fighters with weapons, supplies, and secret agents behind enemy lines. The effort required risky night missions flown in specially modified B-24 Liberator Bombers under the direction of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) – the forerunner…
We are pleased to announce the addition of records for soldiers who resided in National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938. This free collection contains records for twelve National Homes where disabled soldiers and sailors could live following the Civil War. During the Civil War, many benevolent and philanthropical groups ran soldiers’ homes where disabled…
As the magnitude of the attack on Pearl Harbor became apparent in December 1941, men eager to defend the country flocked to military recruitment offices. On December 8, newspapers reported that lines formed nationwide as men waited to enlist. Some recruitment offices stayed open around the clock to accommodate demand. In many cases, brothers enlisted…
On December 8, 1941, hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan launched an attack on the Philippines. In the following days, Japanese troops advanced rapidly towards Manila, the capital city. The US Army, under the direction of General Douglas MacArthur, decided to vacate Manila and move their forces, consisting of US soldiers and Filipino…
