Don't end your search with your ancestor's military records. The web really shines as a tool for historical background research, offering easy access to unit histories, battle details, firsthand accounts, photos, timelines, and memoirs. You can picture what military life was like for your ancestor by learning about the battles he participated in and the activities of his unit. Most people aren't lucky enough to have letters or a diary left behind by an ancestor, but the letters and journals of your ancestor's fellow soldiers may offer similar, although less personal, insight. If your ancestor was awarded a medal, buried in a military cemetery, or imprisoned in a POW camp, you can learn about that too. The Internet can also help you locate interactive maps, historical timelines, and photos of soldiers, ships, planes, and battle-grounds for enhancing your family history.

Regimental and Battle Histories

Reading a history of the regiment or unit in which your ancestor served allows you to more fully appreciate what he experienced — from campaigns and battles to daily life in the trenches. Many regimental histories can be found online, especially for the U.S. Civil War. The Civil War Archive (www.civilwararchive.com), for example, includes thousands of regimental histories organized by state, as well as some soldier diaries and other personal history sources for Civil War soldiers. Search the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov) to locate published unit histories, or do a search online for the specific unit name, state, and war in which your ancestor was a participant.

Casualty Lists and Military Cemeteries

Casualty and remembrance lists, especially for twentieth-century and later conflicts, are fairly easy to find online with a quick web search, including sites such as the National World War II Memorial Registry (www.wwiimemorial.com), State-Level Lists of Casualties from Vietnam and Korea on the site of the National Archives (www.archives.gov/research/korean-war/casualty-lists), and a 34,000-plus name Virginia Military Dead Database (www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/vmd) from the Library of Virginia. Major genealogy database sites such as Ancestry.com and Footnote.com also include such lists.

Military Heritage Societies

Many people think of joining a military heritage society such as Daughters of the American Revolution (www.dar.org), Sons of Confederate Veterans (www.scv.org), and General Society of the War of 1812 (www.societyofthewarof1812.org) only after they have documented their military ancestor, but these organizations also serve as an excellent repository of knowledge to help you during the search process as well. Use Cyndi's List of Lineage Societies and Groups (www.cyndislist.com/soc-lineage.htm) to find one which may fit with your military ancestor, and check out their website to see if they have a library, online databases, some type of research service, or even a forum or mailing list where you can ask questions of society members.

Military Medals, Ribbons, and Insignia

Online award databases and historical newspaper accounts are the best places to start your search for information on your ancestor's military awards. Home of Heroes (www.homeofheroes.com) is a good online starting point for identifying an unknown military ribbon or medal worn by your ancestor. Full-text Medal of Honor citations are available online courtesy of the U.S. Army Center of Military History (www.history.army.mil/moh.html). The Pennsylvania State Archives (www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/archive.asp) features a database of World War I medal applications. Search online historical newspapers from the time period your ancestor served for award mentions as well.