Archives West Finding Aid

The Gallatin County Veterans Service Records consist of seven reels of microfilm containing the names, serial numbers, dates of service, and other pertinent information for over 7,000 men and women who joined the various branches of the United States Military from 1898 through 1965. Originally gathered into ten volumes and meticulously indexed by Johnson based on the location of the original documentation, the material was microfilmed without identification targets and there is no indication where most of the volumes begin and end within the seven reels of film produced. There is, however, an uneven chronological and alphabetical arrangement apparent which has been described in the following reel listing. The records of World War I veterans include the listing of a few Spanish American War veterans still living in 1918 and later in the early twentieth century, and the records of Korean War veterans also include a few who served during the Vietnam conflict up to 1965. In addition to the basic service documentation on any one individual, the records sometimes display additional information such as: newspaper clippings of obituaries, weddings, and service highlights; draft board registrations; and miscellaneous brochures, clippings, and typewritten information pertaining to Memorial Day observances, the establishment of the Soldier's Chapel in Big Sky, and other matters of interest to war veterans. A special scrapbook of "Honor Roll" clippings referring specifically to World War II servicemen who were either killed, taken prisoner, or listed as missing in action appears on reel three of the set, and a photocopies of that section have been bound and included with the collection.