If you are researching military personnel who served during WWII, the WWII Hospital Admission Card Files are an often-overlooked resource that can provide details about injuries received during WWII and the Korean War.
This collection contains records for some 5.3 million patients, mostly US Army personnel, treated at Army facilities between 1942 and 1954. However, when the military created these records, many service members’ names were not included – only military service numbers. Thus, when searching this collection, you should search by military service number and name.
How Do I Find a Military Service Number? You can find military service numbers in various records available on Fold3®. One option is Army Enlistment Records. Go to our WWII Army Enlistment Records Collection and search by name. When you have located your ancestor’s enlistment record, you will find the Army Serial Number on the second line.
How to Filter Your Search by Military Service Number? Once you’ve located your ancestor’s Military Service Number, search Fold3® by selecting ‘Military’ and then ‘Service Number’ under the search filter.
If you find your ancestor in the WWII Hospital Admission Cards collection, it can reveal details about their life and military service, including admission age and date, type of injury, and more. Hospital Admission Cards specify whether the reason for admission was an illness or battle injury.
This is the Hospital Admission Card for Sylvester Antolak. During the Allied invasion of Italy, Antolak came under intense fire near Cisterna di Littoria. Despite being shot three times, Antolak continued to charge towards a German machinegun nest before being mortally wounded. He received a posthumous Medal of Honor.
Explore the Hospital Admission Cards collection on Fold3® today and discover new details about the service and injuries of US military personnel during WWII and the Korean War.
My father Elmer Clyde Miner (:Hal”) was hospitalized in Calcutta, India. Do you have those records?
Hi Bruce, there are several Elmer Miners. If your father enlisted in Binghamton, NY, I see at least two hospitalizations in this collection. For best results, search by his military service number (in case the name was not included on the record)
Don’t know how you could find the service record but my father Clifton E. Moore was assigned to the recreation department of the hospital in Calcutta he spent a year and a half in Calcutta from 44 to the end of the war.. and apparently he lived in the barracks there and had a dog named cookie….. He came back to Walter Reed with amoebic dysentery…
My father, Robert William Hill b. Aug 22 1913 was inducted at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis MN on Jan 5 1943. He was wounded at Cherbourg in France on Monday July 3 1944 just after D Day. He was a second lieutenant in the 387th AAA in the US Army. He was sent back to Springfield MO hospital camp for rehab for about a year and took retirement pay as a first lieutenant. His ID was # 37545727.
I can not make your web site work to find his hospital papers. Please help me. I appreciate it very much as he was a hero to his men. Thank you very much from me, who helped the US government in the Middle East over many years and living in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War.
The NPRC is the records custodian for most discharged and retired members of all branches of service. The fastest way to obtain a copy is through their website, at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/. Expect a two to three week wait to receive requested records.
This is the site I use to obtain service records for family members.
My father Alex McIntyre was wounded in World War Two in Metz and received a Purple Heart.
My adopted Dad, Col. Richard Aldean Scott, was wounded during WWII but I don’t know the date or location in the
European campaign. I know he was US Army under Omar Bradley & fought in Battle of the Bulge. His rank was Captain during the war and he remained in the Army reserves, retiring with the rank of Colonel
The NPRC is the records custodian for most discharged and retired members of all branches of service. The fastest way to obtain a copy is through their website, at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/. Expect a two to three week wait to receive requested records.
This is site I use to research family service records.
My father was hurt in the Korean Conflict and is a Purple Heart recipient. Gary Donald Garrison. Can you tell me about his injuries and what hospital he was in. He was in the U. S. Army
My uncle served in World War II under Patton with the 20th armored division liberators trying to find out some more information. Thank you.
My Uncle Harold Kinder was in the hospital in England during WW 2 ,US Army. Any info would be appreciated.
My uncle was wounded in the Korean War. I would love to find information about his time in army. Thank You
I should have said his name was Morris C Folden
These requests for research help are heartbreaking because military research is not always easy. A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973 destroyed 80% of military records for Army personnel discharged from 1912 to 1960. It also destroyed 75% of Air Force personnel discharged from 1947 (when the Air Force was formed) to 1964. There were no duplicate records kept. Sadly, this involves our WWII and Korean War veterans. The National Archives have worked tirelessly to restore partially destroyed files – they call them B-Files for burned files. Constructing a military history is possible but requires in-depth research. This collection of hospital records is just one tool. You can search by the veteran’s name (try all variations of the name), but some hospital records don’t have a name – just a military service number. I recommend looking at all the collections that may involve your ancestors. Were they in a plane crash – search the Missing Air Crew Reports. Were they in the Navy – search Navy Muster Rolls. We have several blogs in our archives with search tips. Here is one that can give you additional information. Good luck with your military research! https://blog.fold3.com/reconstructing-the-past-the-national-personnel-record-center-fire-of-1973/
I know this article is specific to WWII and Korean War, but by chance is there such a file for other wars? My great grandfather became gravely ill while in camp in North Carolina in 1899 (roughly Spanish Am. War time frame. I have only been able to locate a small article about his death as a result of this illness. Just asking in case I am missing an important resource!
Great Article! Thanks, Kay
Kay, there is not a record set similar to this for that timeframe. Sorry.
The NPRC is the records custodian for most discharged and retired members of all branches of service from 1917 to current service. You may request a copy of military service records through their website, at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/
You might wait a few weeks for a reply.
Although this is the most reliable site, several million records were destroyed in the 1973 records depot fire. There has been an effort to retrieve records from other sources, but research is slow and tedious.
Does this record set include Navy personnel who were hospitalized?
I find this website difficult to navigate, you mention places to access information but leave out how to get there. I am 82 years old and a Navy veteran how can I find my records? Also, my brother, Albert Fernow was wounded in WW11. He was awarded medals but I never saw them because he threw them into the Ohio river, he was 20 years older than me. Can you help me please.
You may request a copy of military service records through the NPRC website, at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/
You might wait a few weeks for a reply.
Although this is the most reliable site, several million records were destroyed in the 1973 records depot fire. There has been an effort to retrieve records from other sources, but research is slow and tedious.
Suggest making a request through the NPRC website, at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/
You might wait a few weeks for a reply.
Too bad Fold3 is a ” for profit” part of the LDS ancestry holdings”
Hello, Fold3 is owned by Ancestry which is a private company and is not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (though the church and Ancestry have a shared mission and cooperative relationship).
Thanks for posting. Do the physical hospital index cards typically identify the particular hospital (hospital number or location) and the admitted soldier’s specific unit? Given that so many Army and AAF World War II records were lost in the fire, those clues would be quite beneficial.
Hi Mike, Sadly they don’t include that information (which would be a very beneficial clue for further research).
David Fernow, you can get help getting your records through a chapter of the DAV or the VFW. You will need your service number and SSN and that of your brothers. Hope this information helps.
My father Tom S Hatsukano served ww2 and was in the 442nd.
Dr. William Zimmer was hospitalized in 1944 in New York State as his unit was due to embark for D-Day.. Are those records available?
We do not have those records on the site.
Do you have records for Tripler Army Hospital on Oahu, Hawaii for 1944 and 1945? Thank you.
Unfortunately, the hospital is not designated in this record. You will need to search by name and/or military service number.
My Dad Garland Bryce Funkhouser was in the hospital twice I think one was in France but I can’t find either one. One was with Trench Foot and the other he got hit by a car in Belgium . WW2 He started in the 99th until trench foot sidelined him.
Is there any way to find out the name of the hospital? After being injured in combat shortly after D Day, my father was operated on a hospital ship and then sent to a hospital in England and then to a rehab facility, I think near Shrivenham, as he briefly attended classes at Shrivenham American University during his recuperation. Anything you can tell me about the name of the hospital or rehabilitation facility will be greatly appreciated. Soldier: Donald A Wendt, 01319370