Contact, Brawls, and Chambering: The Combat Action Ribbon

Today’s post comes from Thomas Richardson, an expert archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri.  Not all service members in the United States Armed Forces serve in combat. In fact, fewer than 15 percent of enlisted personnel ever see combat or are assigned a combat role. How can one … Continue reading Contact, Brawls, and Chambering: The Combat Action Ribbon

New Year’s poems from Navy Deck logs

Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD.  In 2019 the National Archives entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to digitize U.S. Navy and Coast Guard deck logs from vessels with Vietnam-era service (1956–78). The more than 200 million images will … Continue reading New Year’s poems from Navy Deck logs

Recognizing Service: How to Determine Entitlement to Medals

Today’s post comes from Thomas Richardson, an archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. It is part of a series on records at the National Personnel Records Center. Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces can be beautifully complex and informative. New awards are established, and existing ones … Continue reading Recognizing Service: How to Determine Entitlement to Medals

From Armistice to Veterans Day

November 11 is Veterans Day. Visit the National Archives website to learn more about our resources and events related to the holiday. Today’s post comes from Paige Weaver, an intern in the National Archives History Office. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in the year 1918, World War I … Continue reading From Armistice to Veterans Day

From the Battlefield to the Oval Office: Presidents Who Were Veterans

Today’s blog post comes from Paige Weaver in the National Archives History Office. From George Washington to the present day, 44 different men have been elected President of the United States. The men who compose this exclusive list are diverse and unique in many ways, but 26 of them shared a significant common experience: service … Continue reading From the Battlefield to the Oval Office: Presidents Who Were Veterans

Gerald Ford: President and Veteran

In honor of Veterans Day, today’s post comes to you from Sanjana Barr of the National Archives History Office. On September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation returning the official date for celebrating Veterans Day to November 11. For the previous four years, Veterans Day had been observed on the fourth Monday in … Continue reading Gerald Ford: President and Veteran

A look back at 2014

What a year! Here's some of the highlights of the last 12 months of the National Archives that we shared on our blog. Thanks for reading in 2014--we'll see you in 2015 with more pieces of history! The National Archives turned 80 The Historian of the National Archives, Jessie Kratz, shared the stories of an agency … Continue reading A look back at 2014

The Ike Jacket

Today's post comes from Timothy Rives, deputy director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. In honor of Veterans Day and those who have worn a uniform while serving their country, here's the story behind the famous jacket now on display in our exhibit "Making Their Mark: Stories Through Signatures." General Dwight D. Eisenhower considered … Continue reading The Ike Jacket

On display: GI Bill of Rights

The GI Bill is on display in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building from June 6 through July 14. Today's post comes from education and exhibit specialist Michael Hussey. “With the signing of this bill a well-rounded program of special veterans' benefits is nearly completed. It gives emphatic notice to the men … Continue reading On display: GI Bill of Rights

“I was a gunner and a gun captain on a 90MM-AAA gun during World War II…”

Today’s post comes from Alan Walker, archivist at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. Now, maybe it's happened to you: that "needle in a haystack," "home run," unbelievable find that blew you away, and brought joy to a researcher. We archival folks live for that moment. Let me share with you one such moment … Continue reading “I was a gunner and a gun captain on a 90MM-AAA gun during World War II…”