The following is a press release written by Abcestry.com:

Seventy-five years after the start of the Korean Conflict, America’s “Forgotten War” remains just that: under-taught and often missing from the pages of U.S. history lessons. In fact, a new survey* from Ancestry reveals that 70% of Americans don’t know enough about the Korean War to explain it to someone, though 80% say they’d be more interested if they had a personal family connection. 

Continued Partnership Brings Military Records to Light 

Ancestry has collaborated with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to make important record collections searchable and viewable online for the first time. By digitizing these records, Ancestry customers can uncover critical pieces of their family's stories. This expansion continues a five-year commitment by Ancestry to digitize, catalog, and make available tens of millions of NARA records to the public.

This joint effort has resulted in the online publication of two million newly digitized Korean War-era draft cards, spanning the years 1948 to 1959. Using advanced, proprietary AI handwriting recognition technology from Ancestry, this collection includes 2M more records from 17 states and territories featuring information like the names, birthdates, next of kin details, previous service information, and physical descriptions of men aged 18-25 who were eligible to be drafted for 21 months of military service (aligned with the Selective Service Act of 1948).

The broader collection includes draft cards belonging to cultural luminaries such as baseball legend Yogi Berra, acclaimed actor Warren Beatty, and legendary musician Marvin Gaye. These records offer a rare look into the early lives of individuals who helped shape American culture – and remind us that behind every “forgotten” historical event is a real human story. 

Those seeking to explore this historical period or trace their family's connection to the military can access the new collection on Ancestry with a U.S. Discovery subscription. Explore the expanded collection of Korean War Era Draft Cards to unlock meaningful family history discoveries.