United States, Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949

What is in This Collection?

This collection consists of images of over 621,000 applications for headstones received by the Cemeterial Division of the Quartermaster General from two National Archive microfilm publications. The first publication, over 290,000 applications, covers 1925 to 1941 and is M1916. Most are for veterans of the Civil War or later. A few may cover earlier wars. The second publication, over 331,000 applications, covers 1941-1949 and is M2113. These records are part of Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group (RG) 92. Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Related National Archives Collections

• Record Group 15 Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Records of Interments at National Cemeteries, ca. 1862–ca. 1984 NAID 1224994
• Records of Interments at National Cemeteries, 1991–1993 NAID 562453
• Burial Registers, 1867–2006 NAID 5928352

• Record Group 92 Records of the Office of the Quartermaster general. Memorial Division
• Burial Registers of Military Posts and National Cemeteries, ca. 1862–ca. 1960 NAID 4478151
• Internment Control Forms, 1928-1962 NAID 5833879
• Rough Draft Cards Relating to Reburials and Release of Bodies for Private Burials, 1920 - 1931 NAID 7367939
• Correspondence, Reports, Telegrams, Applications, and Other Papers Relating to Burials of Service Personnel, 1/1/1915 - 12/31/1939 NAID 595318
• Applications for Headstones, January 1, 1925–June 30, 1970 NAID 596118

• Record Group 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office
• Records of Deaths and Certificates of Disability for Discharge, 1868–1884 NAID 7423810
• Carded Death Records of Civilians, 1884–1912 NAID 655728
• Reports of the Death and Internment of Civilians, 1862–1866 NAID 7349620
• Registers of Deaths in the Regular Army, Volunteers, and Naval Forces, 1861–1867 NAID 7423809

• Record Group 117 Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission
• Headstone Inscription and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 NAID 7408555

• Finding Aid
• United States, National Archives, RG 92, Applications for Headstones for Sailors, Marines, and Soldiers Buried Outside the Continental U.S.
• United States, National Archives, RG 117, Headstone Inscription and Interment Records

Related Reading

• Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. Headstone records for US military veterans. Part I: Headstone design. NGS Magazine 39 #1 (January - March 2013): 30-33.
• Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. Headstone records for US military veterans. Part II: Records for headstones requested from 1879 to 1925. NGS Magazine 39 #2 (April-June 2013): 32-35.
• Claire-Prechtel-Kluskens.Headstone records for US military veterans Part III: Records for headstones requested from 1925 to 1985 NGS Magazine 39 #3 (July-September 2013): 43-47.
• Claire-Prechtel-Kluskens. Records of Burial Flags for Veterans. NGS Magazine 42 #4 (October-December 2016): 39-42.
• John P. Deeben. Last rites for the honored dead: Records of military burials in national cemeteries. NGS Magazine 37 #1 (January-March 2011): 15-18.

To Browse This Collection

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

Collection Content

Sample Image

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  1934 Application for a Headstone

In the early frontier years, garrison commanders were expected to bury their dead. During the Civil War, however, the numbers of the dead became too much for them to handle. On September 11, 1861, the War Department began to take command of the responsibility of granting deceased soldiers the privilege of a marked grave. Most of the applications are for the Civil War and later, but some may apply to earlier wars. Approximately 10% of the forms will have two images. The applications are arranged in alphabetical order by surname, then first name. The Office of the Quartermaster General established a Cemetery Branch. This new branch was responsible for establishing, maintaining, and improving national military cemeteries. On March 3, 1873, Congress granted burial rights in national military cemeteries to all honorably discharged veterans of the Civil War on March 3, 1873, then extended the privilege of government-provided gravestones to soldiers buried in private cemeteries on February 3, 1879. For more information, visit the report "Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941." Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans.