Frequently Asked Questions
General questions:
- Is this project in any way associated to the US Government or Army?
- How can I contact the project staff?
- How can I learn more about the project?
Questions about the website:
- Do I need to register an account to use the site?
- I forgot my password. How can I reset it?
- Is there a mobile version of the website?
- Is the website available in another language?
- How can I report a problem / bug with the website?
Questions about the data:
- Can I download a complete copy of the data?
- What is the source of the data?
- What is a "Laundry Number"?
- Can you provide more information about a particular serviceman / woman?
- Can I use images that have been added to records by other users?
- Do you have an API, or some other means for developers to use your data?
General questions
1. Is this project in any way associated to the US Government or Army?
No. The project was founded by a WW2 researcher and historian living in the UK, and although the primary data used
within the site was received from the US National Archives and Records Administration, the project is in no way connected,
affiliated or associated with either the US Government or Army.
2. How can I contact the project staff?
Our staff can be contacted using the 'Contact' link at the
bottom of our website pages. Alternatively, you can send us an email to: [email protected].
Typically, all correspondence will be handled in a 24-hour period.
3. How can I learn more about the project?
You can visit the 'About' page on the website to learn
more about the project and its history.
Questions about the website
1. Do I need to register an account to use the site?
Absolutely not! But registering a free account does have some benefits that you�re certain to find useful when conducting
research into WWII US servicemen and women. With an account, you can:
- Upload photographs to records
- Add unit and grade information to records
- Add records to your 'Saved Records' for quick reference
- Add personal notes to records for your reference only
2. I forgot my password. How can I reset it?
You can easily request a new password for your account by clicking here.
3. Is there a mobile version of the website?
We're currently working on a mobile version of the website which will be supported by the major handset operating systems
(namely iOS and Android). This project is still in the pre-beta stage, and there may be parts of it that do not function as
expected. If you'd still like to access the mobile version of WWII US Army Enlistment Records, please visit
m.wwii-enlistment.com.
4. Is the website available in another language?
The website is only currently available in English. However, we are currently working on translations to other common languages
(primarily French and German). Information and news regarding the release of new languages will be announced in the
"News" section of the website.
5. How can I report a problem / bug with the website?
If you've spotted a problem or bug on the website (excluding with the data itself), you can report it to our staff by using the
form that is located here.
Questions about the data
1. Can I download a complete copy of the data?
At this time, the enlistment data that is in use on this website is not currently available to download in any format. This is
largely due to logistic and file storage reasons.
2. What is the source of the data?
The enlistment records that were used to compile the database which forms the foundation of this project were obtained through
the National Archives and Records Administration.
They were then converted into a useable format, and numerous indexes generated. Certain records also contain user-submitted
information.
All photographs that appear on records have been provided by website users. It should be noted that the accuracy of
user-submitted data cannot be guaranteed.
3. What is a "Laundry Number"?
Laundry numbers were special identification codes that were introduced by the US Army in order to allow service personnel to quickly
identify their individual equipment. The laundry number consisted of the soldier’s last initial, followed by the final 4 digits of
their Army Serial Number. These numbers were then applied to personal equipment so that they could be easily identified when stored
with others’ items. While laundry numbers are not unique to the soldier, they were sufficiently specific within a soldier’s
unit.
Many militaria collectors have items within their collections which have these markings applied to them, but trying to trace the
original owner has, until the introduction of this project, proven extremely difficult. While the searchable records provided by
NARA allow for wildcard searches, the system does not provide sufficient flexibility to search by last initial and the last four
digits of an ASN. By painstakingly analysing the original records, and compiling a database of almost 9,000,000 records, this
project has now made this kind of research possible, all within the click of a button!
4. Can you provide more information about a particular serviceman / woman?
Since we are in no way affiliated with, or linked to, the US Government or Military, it is impossible for us to provide
additional information that is not otherwise listed on the website. All data that is currently available for each record is
listed under its individual page.
5. Can I use images that have been added to records by other users?
All user-submitted data, including photographs and information remains and the copyright and intellectual property of the
submitting user. As a result, permission must be obtained before use of said material. In order to seek permission, you should
first contact us, providing as much information about
the request as possible. We will then seek the necessary permission from the uploader on your behalf.
Please note: This process can take a long time. You will be informed as soon as the owner of the material has
approved or denied your request.
6. Do you have an API, or some other means for developers to use your data?
Yes. We provide a RESTful API that can be used to access the data available through this project. You can read more about the
API and its use in our Developers section.
The API is currently in version 1.