The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides information for inquiring minds. Although not all records are available online, NARA houses a portion of the 1% to 3% of federal data that are retained for legal and historical reasons. Of particular interest may be the Veterans Service Records (http://www.archives.gov/veterans), where military records are stored and ready to be accessed.
NARA guides users through this plethora of data based on search preference: general search guidance, searching online, and searching in-person. At http://www.archives.gov/research/start, NARA provides a kick-start for users on their archive search journey.
Online records are sorted by war era, from the Revolutionary War through the Vietnam Conflict. Here, visitors can find casualty reports, photos, and other select military records under Online Documents for Veterans. NARA provides access to additional research catalogs and databases, including the microfilm catalog, housing more than 3,400 numbered microfilm, and the Access to Archival Databases search engine. Other site functions include requesting medical records, replacing lost medals and awards, and a select World War II photo library.