About

Veteran Records Finder is a free, volunteer-built research tool. It grew out of one family's effort to piece together a grandfather's WWII service from muster rolls, ship histories and old newspapers, which took weeks by hand. The tool does that legwork automatically and shows its work.

What it does

It searches free public archives for a veteran's name, weighs each possible match, and assembles a readable report: where they went, when, with which ship or unit, original page scans, and period photographs. Every fact is cited. Anything inferred is marked Likely.

What it isn't

• It is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Archives (NARA) or the Department of Defense.
• It is not an official record and can't be used for benefits, medals or burial claims. Official copies are free from NPRC via SF-180.
• It is a personal volunteer project, not a product of any bank or business, and it carries no advertising.

Corrections & takedowns

Every report has a form to add information, question a finding, ask for a correction, or ask for removal. Family-reported details stay labeled until a record supports them. Takedown requests from the veteran or next of kin are honored, and the report link stops working. If you can't reach the form, write to [email protected].

Why it's free

It runs on free public data and low-cost hosting. Daily limits keep it that way.