Military Records Research: How to Begin – FORT

A better understanding of military research has been a short-term goal. Dad served in the Army prior to World War II but has very little information in his personal history concerning his time in the military. I’ve been able to find information for some of my grandparents and want to learn more and the best way to do that is to teach others about the methods and available resources.

My interest in family history research hastened when Elaine and I were called to serve in Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission in July 2017. There were 20 different zones that we could have received an assignment for. We were blessed to serve in the Family History Library, now known as the FamilySearch Library.

Being the oldest of five siblings, I’ve had the unofficial assignment of keeping track of the Fort and Stratton family histories for my mom and dad’s family lines. My mother’s family has had a family reunion every three years for her mother and father’s descendants over the last 24 years and usually has more than 200 family members participate for four days during the Labor Day weekend.

My father’s family is much smaller, with only one brother that survived childhood, and he only had one daughter. We don’t have any contact with any extended family on his family line.