LibGuides Home: History Day Blueprint: Military &amp; Events OLD

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Military & Events

See separate pages for specific events.

For very specific topics, see the Previous Topics guide.

See our regular research guides too.

Military Records
by History & Genealogy Last Updated May 29, 2025 6306 views this year
History Day Previous Topics
by Jenny Groome Last Updated May 27, 2025 1260 views this year

Connecticut Military Service Personnel Photograph Collection Index
Index to photographic images of Connecticut Military Service Personnel, circa 1938-1953, as found in State Archival Record Group #012, Connecticut State Library Records, Connecticut War Department that are stored in the Connecticut State Archives.

Reference and Research Guides A-Z list
List of research guides assigned to Reference Services' groups.

Connecticut

Connecticut Military Department
Site: "The Military Department is a unique dual-status agency, having both federal and state missions. The federal mission is to maintain properly trained and equipped National Guard units for prompt federalization in the event of war, domestic emergencies or other emergencies. The state mission is to coordinate, support and augment federal, state and local authorities in emergency response, to provide emergency response planning and to conduct community service programs."
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More description at https://portal.ct.gov/MIL/Public-Affairs/Agency-Information

Museum of Connecticut History

The focus of the Museum and its collections is Connecticut’s government, military and industrial history. Permanent and changing exhibits trace the growth of the State and its role in the development of the nation from the Colonial era to the present.

Museum of Connecticut History
The focus of the Museum and its collections is Connecticut’s government, military and industrial history. Permanent and changing exhibits trace the growth of the State and its role in the development of the nation from the Colonial era to the present.
Connecticut in World War 1
Museum of Connecticut History exhibits to show the impact of the great war, both on the home front and in France (1917 – 1919).
Great War Commemorative Medals
Images from the Museum of Connecticut History collection.
Connecticut Postcards
Sample Set of Connecticut Industry, Manufacturing and War Memorials from the Postcard Collections held in the Museum.
Published Articles by Museum staff

Archives at CSL - Military

These are some examples. See also specific topics on sub-pages.

Military Department (RG013) CTDA
Connecticut Digital Archive (CTDA) has some items online. Most are not.
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The records of the Military Department consist primarily of materials documenting the history of Connecticut’s militia, national guard units, and the service of Connecticut volunteers during the Civil War. The records contain extensive materials documenting the work of the Adjutant General, 1792-1807, including general orders, resignations and discharges, correspondence, militia returns, pensions, and reports and rosters. RG 013 also holds records of Civil War volunteer regiments, courts martial, bounty and pension files, and fragmentary pre-Civil War records of militia regiments. The Civil War regimental records include enlistment papers, muster rolls, monthly returns, and muster out rolls. In addition, records exist for the First Company, Governor’s Foot Guard, and Connecticut’s Civil War “Colored” 29th, 30th, and 31st Regiments. Extensive documentation on various units of the Connecticut National Guard are included, consisting of records on specific regiments, the Connecticut Home Guard, and of artillery, naval, and air units. The bulk of the materials cover the period after 1820, although some records document the War of 1812 period.
Connecticut Military Portrait Collection PG570
Archives Finding Aid
This collection combines both group and individual portraits of Connecticut soldiers and veterans. A number of Connecticut National Guard, Putnam Phalanx, New Haven Grays and World War II portraits are included in the Collection, but Civil War veterans predominate.
Dates: circa 1860-1959
Department of Veterans' Affairs records (RG073)
Archives finding aid.
The Department of Veterans' Affairs assists the State's veterans in obtaining benefits or privileges entitled to them under state and federal law. This record group includes records of the Fitch's Home for Soldiers and the Veterans Home and Hospital in Rocky Hill.
Dates: 1866-1990
Hartford City Guard records (RG124)
Archives fin ding aid.
Overview The Hartford City Guard was an Independent Company from January 8 to September 11, 1861. It then became Artillery Company A, 1st Regiment, Connecticut Militia, organizing under the captaincy of Charles H. Prentice. In 1863 it became an infantry company. Some Hartford City Guard officers joined the volunteer forces in the Civil War. The company was designated Company A, 4th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers on May 16, 1861. Afterwards, it changed to First Connecticut Heavy Artillery, which was...
Dates: 1861-1917
Military Department records (RG013)
Archives finding aid.
Overview The records of the Military Department consist primarily of materials documenting the history of Connecticut’s militia, national guard units, and the service of Connecticut volunteers during the Civil War. The records contain extensive materials documenting the work of the Adjutant General, 1792-1807, including general orders, resignations and discharges, correspondence, militia returns, pensions, and reports and rosters. RG 013 also holds records of Civil War volunteer regiments, courts...
Dates: 1776-1986
Military Order of Foreign Wars, Connecticut Commandery records (RG109)
Archives finding aid.
Overview The Military Order of Foreign Wars of the United States, Connecticut Commandery, was organized on February 13, 1896, to honor the names and deeds of military men and for related purposes
Dates: 1901-1921
Military Service Veterans Organizations small collections (RG173:002)
Archives finding aid.
Overview Artificial collection of military service veterans associations material consisting of single items or small collections.
Dates: 1885-1948

Books, Documents, etc.

These are some general resources, see specific topic sub-pages for additional examples.

Qui transtulit sustinet : Connecticut Battle Flag Collection. 2nd ed., rev. and enlarged.
Call Number: Online and Stacks E499.4 .C384 2011
Publication Date: [2011], ©2006
Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965 by Morris J. MacGregor
Call Number: Federal Documents D 114.2:In 8/940-65 and 2001 reprint online
ISBN: 9780160019258
Publication Date: 1981-12-31
GPO: "CMH Pub 50-1-1. Defense Studies Series. Discusses the evolution of the services' racial policies and practices between World War II and 1965 during the period when black servicemen and women were integrated into the Nation's military units."
Jane's Fighting Ships by Jane, Fred T. (Frederick Thomas), 1865-1916.
Call Number: Stacks VA40 .J34 Item does not circulate. In-house use only.
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships by Mooney, James L. ; United States. Naval History Division. ; Naval Historical Center (U.S.)
Call Number: Some online and Federal Documents D 207.10:
Publication Date: 1959-1981
Multi-volume. for additional links to online versions, search the Internet Archive, HathiTrust and other digital collections.

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships -- Index
Site: "The Histories Branch researches and writes the multivolume Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, available in many libraries in the United States and abroad. Compiled like an encyclopedia, each volume includes summary histories of U.S. Navy ships from certain sections of the alphabet. The volumes also include an assortment of appendices on small craft, dictionary entries for Confederate Navy ships and various essays related to naval ships."
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Site: "Although digital versions of DANFS entries have been available on non-government websites for some time, the Online DANFS Project makes the official version of all 10,000+ entries available for the first time. This valuable research resource was made possible by a generous donation from former CNO Admiral James L. Holloway III, USN (Ret.) to the Naval Historical Foundation, who gifted the completed digital DANFS to the Navy in 2004."

Twenty-six historic ships : the story of certain famous vessels of war and of their successors in the navies of the United States and of the Confederate States of America from 1775 to 1902 by Hill, Frederic Stanhope, ; Belknap, George E.
Call Number: Stacks E182 .H64 Item does not circulate. In-house use only.
Publication Date: 1903 [c1902]
In Hathi Trust
Aspects of Leadership: Ethics, Law, and Spirituality by Marine Corps University Press (U.S.) (Editor); Carroll Connelley (Editor); Paolo Tripodi (Editor) GPO: "Aspects of Leadership brings together scholars from different disciplines and practitioners from a broad variety of backgrounds to address three key areas: Ethics, Law, and Spirituality. Aspects of Leadership intends to inform leaders, and the general public, about the challenges of ethical decision making, the application of the law of war and the important role of spirituality in the battlefield. Essays are about ethics and armed conflict in the 21st Century."
Call Number: Federal Documents D 214.2:L 46/6
ISBN: 9780160913686
Publication Date: 2012-12-18
Uniform Insignia of the United States Military Forces by Jack L. Britton
Call Number: Stacks UC533 .B795 1981
ISBN: 0912958065
Publication Date: 1980
Combat Stress : A Concept For Dealing With The Human Dimension Of Urban Conflict
Call Number: Online and Federal Documents D 214.2:C 73/3
Publication Date: 2007
Warfare in Peacetime by Christopher Harmon
Call Number: Online and Federal Documents D 214.513:W 23/2
ISBN: 9798985340488
Publication Date: 2022
Online access through our catalog, Primo.
"Warfare in Peacetime offers an expansive and elaborated portrait of overseas proxy wars. The structure and substance will prepare observers, analysts, and participants seeking to understand challenges before American and other statesmen. The work helps frame the morass in Syria, with all its foreign links; the contest for influence in Libya, where innumerable hands vie for dominance; the fighting in Yemen, where Houthi Shia organizations backed by Iranian sponsors battle Sunni tribes; and life along the borders of Russian expansionism, where Ukrainians plea for outside assistance, including weapons from Washington. Such ongoing "warfare in peacetime" has a thousand precedents in a dozen ages, including our day, and some of the patterns are explored along with detailed case studies"

Other Institutions

Connecticut

CT Veterans Hall of Fame
Site: "The Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame was established to increase the awareness of the lifetime contributions of Veterans after completion of honorable military service. The Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame is not a military hall of fame; instead it seeks to recognize Veterans for their countless contributions to society after their service."

Federal and Other

Government Publishing Office (GPO) & Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)

Official Register of the United States (GPO)
Government Publishing Office (GPO) digital collection: "A record of all the Federal government’s civil, military and naval employees. This section provides information on the employee’s name and official job title, the location of their post, and their annual salary. The Register provides information on the years 1829, 1835-1837, 1841-1861, 1879-1891, 1895-1907, 1911-1921, 1925-1926, 1929-1940 and 1941-1959."

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

U.S. Army Center of Military History
Site: "The Center Of Military History (CMH), which reports to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), is responsible for the appropriate use of history throughout the United States Army. Traditionally, this mission has meant recording the official history of the Army in both peace and war, while advising the Army Staff on historical matters."
Role of Women and Ethnic/Racial Groups in the Army
From the U.S. Army Center of Military History
2024 - Web site being reorganized
Artwork and Photography
From U.S. Army Center of Military History - art and photography related to U.S. Army.
Naval History and Heritage Command
U.S. Navy history. In addition to documents and reports, they also have Collections of art, artifacts, etc. Links to the Museums are also on the site.
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The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), formerly the Naval Historical Center, is an Echelon II command of the United States Navy responsible for the preservation, analysis, and dissemination of U.S. naval history and heritage. The NHHC publishes various materials related to U.S. naval history and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about U.S. naval history.
Wars and Conflicts of the United States Navy. Overviews of Naval History
From Naval History and Heritage Command
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships -- Index
Site: "The Histories Branch researches and writes the multivolume Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, available in many libraries in the United States and abroad. Compiled like an encyclopedia, each volume includes summary histories of U.S. Navy ships from certain sections of the alphabet. The volumes also include an assortment of appendices on small craft, dictionary entries for Confederate Navy ships and various essays related to naval ships."
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Site: "Although digital versions of DANFS entries have been available on non-government websites for some time, the Online DANFS Project makes the official version of all 10,000+ entries available for the first time. This valuable research resource was made possible by a generous donation from former CNO Admiral James L. Holloway III, USN (Ret.) to the Naval Historical Foundation, who gifted the completed digital DANFS to the Navy in 2004."
Strategic Documents - U.S. Navy
Links to WayBack Machine.
US Navy list of documents identified as strategic, with links to some.

Library of Congress (LOC)

Veterans History Project
From the Library of Congress.
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Site: "The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war."
Veterans History Project Web Archive
Site: "The Veterans History Project Web Archive enables the Library to accept veteran-generated websites for inclusion in the larger Veterans History Project, which collects, preserves, and provides access to personal accounts of American war veterans. Some of the projects in the web archive are digital versions of physical collections held by the Veterans History Project, while others provide unique collection material preserved in its born-digital format. The Collection ID Number for each veteran can be found alongside their names in the item title. This ID can be used to search for additional materials held in the larger Veterans History Project Collection."
All Story Themes - Experiencing the War (VHP)
Veterans History Project (VHP) links by theme for Experiencing the War

Additional

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) Library
You will need to use drop down menu to find different pages for the CIA Library. Scroll through the page, as many resources are lower on the page.
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Site: "The CIA releases millions of pages of documents each year and frequently releases items of public interest on this website. The Library contains a wealth of information, from unclassified current publications to basic references, reports and maps."
American Military - National Park Service (NPS)
NPS portal leading to selected materials on U.S. Military
Costs of Creating a Space National Guard (CBO)
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) nonpartisan research office for Congressional inquiries on budgetary impacts of legislation and programs.
The Price of Freedom: Americans at War
Smithsonian National Museum of American History: "Americans have gone to war to win their independence, expand their national boundaries, define their freedoms, and defend their interests around the globe. This exhibition examines how wars have shaped the nation’s history and transformed American society. It highlights the service and sacrifice of generations of American men and women."
Previous versions archived in the WayBack Machine, under earlier URL, at https://web.archive.org/web/20211001000000*/https://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/
U.S. v. Lyon, U.S. v. Cooper, and U.S. v. Callender: The Sedition Act Trials
Federal Judicial Center (FJC): "The rise of political parties and the threat of war raise questions about the rights of free speech and a free press."
U.S. Department of State - Historical Documents
Site description: "The Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity."
"Someday at Christmas, There’ll Be No Wars": Winter Holidays in the Military
Library of Congress blog December 14, 2018 by Megan Harris

Other Libraries' Guides

Items listed in these guides are not necessarily available through the Connecticut State Library, especially subscription databases. Many of the federal documents will be.

Military History: American Conflicts and Wars (FDLP)
Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) research guide: "This guide provides U.S. Government resources and information about the conflicts and wars through the Vietnam War."
Military & Veterans Resources (FDLP)
Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) research guide: "This guide provides a variety of resources for military members, veterans and their families. It covers financial, medical, educational and employment topics."
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previously https://libguides.fdlp.gov/military-and-veteran-resources
Guide to United States Naval Administrative Histories of World War II
From Naval History and Heritage Command
"Someday at Christmas, There’ll Be No Wars": Winter Holidays in the Military
Library of Congress blog December 14, 2018 by Megan Harris
Navy Personnel: A Research Guide
Naval History and Heritage Command research guide.
Veteran and Military Resources (FDLP)
Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) research guide: "Guides created by libraries in the FDLP community and submitted for use on FDLP LibGuides."

Red Cross

Red Cross Annex.

Primo catalog keyword search for: Red Cross and Red Crescent
Search Primo, CSL catalog and discovery tool for International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
Primo catalog subject search for: American National Red Cross
Search Primo, CSL catalog and discovery tool for items labeled as *about* American National Red Cross.
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Also try keyword searching for "Red Cross" as author, and/or specific Connecticut Chapters

History of Hartford Chapter, American National Red Cross
Call Number: Online and Stacks HV579.H3 H57 1919 Item does not circulate
Publication Date: 1919
Online access through our catalog.
Red Cross and Its Meaning by Hartford Chapter [American National Red Cross]
Call Number: Online and Stacks HV579.H3 R46 1917 Item does not circulate
Publication Date: [1917]
Online access through our catalog.
The Work of the American Red Cross: A statement of its war time activities throughout the world by American National Red Cross. War Fund.
Call Number: Online and Stacks D 629 .U6 A52 1918
Publication Date: [1918]
Other years also available.
The Work of the American Red Cross : Financial Statement of Red Cross War Fund, March 1st, 1918 ... by American National Red Cross. War Fund.
Call Number: Online and Stacks D628 .A44 1918 Item does not circulate
Publication Date: 1918
Online access through our catalog - scroll down catalog record for link.

Dudley Photograph Collection of Hartford During World War I (PG 034)
Digitized items from Dudley Photograph Collection.
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Most of the photographs in the Dudley collection are of war-related activities in Hartford during 1917-1919. All are believed to have been donated by William G. Dudley, a commercial photographer located on Main Street, Hartford during the war years. The subjects of the World War I photographs include the induction and embarkation of Connecticut soldiers, prominent Hartford citizens, military reviews, parades, Liberty Loan bond drives, Red Cross activities and armistice celebrations. Material of similar content is found in the Crocker Collection (RG69:002). Photographs attributed to Dudley can be found in the Crocker Group, while some pictures in the Dudley Collection were taken by another Hartford photographer, Frank Chudoba. Crocker, Dudley and Chudoba were all associated with the Hartford Courant. Many of the photographs in the Dudley Collection can be found printed in the Hartford Courant and citations are provided where applicable. In 1977 all of the negatives were placed in acid-free envelopes and 460 of the 573 glass plate negatives were printed. There were also 244 nitrate film negatives of Connecticut soldiers on the Mexican Front in 1916 which were digitized in 2014.

...Manual for Evacuation by Connecticut War Council
Call Number: Online and Conn Doc St291 ma
Publication Date: 1942
Online access through our library catalog.

Other Institutions

World War I, American Red Cross: Topics in Chronicling America (LOC)
Library of Congress (LOC) research guide for Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.
CT State Library's newspaper collection may also include articles on this topic.
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Be sure to check the second page, linked on the left menu.
Library of Congress (LOC): "Established in 1881, the American Red Cross became a major humanitarian organization during World War I. This guide provides access to material related to the "American Red Cross in WWI" in the Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers."
Clara Barton: Topics in Chronicling America (LOC)
Library of Congress (LOC) research guide for Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.
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Library of Congress (LOC) research guide: "Clara Barton was a nurse, teacher, patent clerk and founded the American Red Cross. This guide provides access to materials related to the "Clara Barton" in the Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers"
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Site: "The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a global humanitarian network of 80 million members and volunteers that helps those facing disaster, conflict, and health and social challenges. The Movement consists of the ICRC, 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)."

Cars are loaded with Red Cross comfort bags at the Red Cross Annex on Farmington Avenue. The comfort bags were filled with treats and other necessities. The Annex was the former home of Jonathan Niles.