US Military Archival Collections

Helping Military Personnel, Veterans, Families, and Descendants Discover More About Their Service.

Our collections include books, yearbooks, magazines, brochures, historical documents, and period articles. While much of our collections have focused on the United States Navy, we also have significant materials on World Wars I and II. Our military collections are known for Bootcamp yearbooks, primarily for the US Navy. Still, they include the US Army and the US Marine Corps.

Links to our most popular topics for each military branch and WW1 and WW2 are included below.

United States Navy

United States Army

United States Marine Corps

World War I (WW1): The Great War

📜 The Great War Begins – Why America Entered World War I

This section of the GG Archives' World War I Collection provides an in-depth look at the origins and escalation of the Great War, focusing on key events that led the United States to enter the conflict. The collection examines the Zimmermann Telegram, Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and Britain’s entry into the war, culminating in President Woodrow Wilson’s historic war declaration on April 6, 1917.

📜 World War I: In-Depth Articles on the Great War’s Key Events, Battles & Innovations

This section of the GG Archives' World War I Collection presents a wealth of articles covering major battles, military operations, technological advancements, and personal narratives from the First World War. From the Christmas Truce of 1914 to the Sinking of the RMS Laconia and the role of immigrant soldiers, these articles shed light on often-overlooked aspects of the conflict while providing valuable primary sources for teachers, students, historians, and genealogists.

📜 World War I: The Great War – Battles, Soldiers, Documents & Personal Accounts

The World War I: The Great War Collection at the GG Archives serves as an unmatched digital archive, compiling historical documents, photographs, books, military records, and personal accounts from one of the most transformative conflicts in modern history. From battlefield strategies to the draft process, from women's wartime contributions to the sinking of the Lusitania, this collection covers nearly every facet of the Great War.

📜 World War I Book Collection: Regimental Histories, Battlefront Accounts & Military Manuals

The World War I Book Collection at the GG Archives is an invaluable trove of rare and historic books detailing military operations, personal experiences, training manuals, and post-war analyses of the Great War. Covering a vast range of perspectives—from soldiers on the battlefield to political and military leaders, and from infantry regiments to naval warfare—this collection provides firsthand knowledge and historical insights that are essential for historians, students, educators, and genealogists.

This collection is particularly valuable for those studying the war from an American perspective, offering detailed accounts of U.S. involvement, personal narratives, and military records that help piece together family histories and scholarly research.

📜 World War I Brochure Collection: Recruitment, Military Training & Veterans' Resources

The World War I Brochure Collection at the GG Archives is a valuable resource for historians, genealogists, teachers, students, and military enthusiasts. These brochures, pamphlets, and booklets provide firsthand insights into wartime recruitment, military life, demobilization, and the experiences of soldiers returning home.

This rare collection covers a broad spectrum of WWI topics, from motivational addresses to enlisted soldiers and guides on military life to informational booklets for discharged veterans. Whether studying U.S. military training camps, post-war adjustments, or recruitment propaganda, these primary sources offer a rich and detailed view of the era.

📜 World War I Documents & Archival Collection: Military Orders, Draft Records, Soldier Diaries & More

The World War I Document Collection at the GG Archives is an invaluable resource for anyone researching military history, genealogy, wartime journalism, and economic conditions during the Great War. This comprehensive collection includes official military documents, personal correspondence, pay records, war passes, and more, offering a firsthand look at the lives of soldiers, war correspondents, and civilians affected by the conflict.

This document collection is particularly useful for historians, educators, students, and genealogists, providing primary source materials that enrich our understanding of World War I and its lasting impact.

🪖 World War I Draft Archive (1917-1918): A Nation Mobilized for War

The World War I Draft Archival Collection offers an unparalleled glimpse into the Selective Service process that mobilized millions of American men for the Great War. This collection includes:

✔ Draft Registration Cards 🪖

✔ Notices of Military Enrollment & Physical Examinations 📜

✔ Lottery Draw Results & Exemption Certifications 🏛️

✔ Presidential Proclamations for Registration & Conscription 🏛️

✔ Historical Photographs of Registrants & Inductees 📷

Between 1917 and 1918, nearly 24 million men (98% of the eligible male population under 46) registered for military service. This archive is a treasure trove for historians, genealogists, educators, and students, providing firsthand accounts of military bureaucracy, personal sacrifices, and national wartime mobilization.

🏅 World War I’s Greatest Generals: Leaders Who Shaped the Great War’s Outcome

The First World War was not only a clash of nations but also a test of military leadership. This section of the GG Archives' World War I Collection highlights biographies of the most influential Allied generals, men whose strategic decisions determined the course of the war and ultimately led to victory in 1918.

📞 The “Hello Girls” of World War I: Telephone Operators of the U.S. Army Signal Corps & Their Fight for Recognition

The Telephone Operators of World War I Archival Collection at the GG Archives is a historically rich and invaluable resource for researchers, educators, students, genealogists, and military historians. It documents the experiences of the first female U.S. Army Signal Corps telephone operators, known as the “Hello Girls.”

These women played a critical role in military communication, handling thousands of calls between General John J. Pershing’s headquarters, field commanders, and troops on the front lines. Their work was so essential that Pershing himself requested their deployment to France to support the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

Despite their vital contributions, they were denied military recognition for decades—an oversight that historians and lawmakers worked to rectify long after the war. This collection provides a unique look into their stories, training, service, challenges, and the fight for their recognition as veterans.

📷 World War I Photo Archive: Rare Images of Soldiers, Battles, and Life on the Homefront

The World War I Archival Photograph Collection at GG Archives is an extensive visual documentation of the Great War, capturing the realities of military life, battlefield conditions, wartime propaganda, and post-war recovery. This highly curated collection includes photographs sourced from books, magazines, newspapers, and official government reports, providing an invaluable resource for historians, teachers, students, genealogists, and military enthusiasts.

This collection serves as a window into the past, offering firsthand glimpses into the experiences of soldiers, nurses, military leaders, and civilians. It not only showcases combat and military strategy but also Homefront efforts, propaganda, and the impact of the war on daily life.

Whether for research, education, or personal exploration, these rare and well-documented photographs offer an unparalleled resource for understanding World War I in a visually compelling way.

World War II

Holidays & Observances

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