America’s official involvement in World War I lasted from April 1917 to November 1918. During that time, about 4.8 million men and, yes, even a few women served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Was your relative one of them? There are a surprisingly large number of records from which you can gain insight into your relative’s involvement in “The War to End All Wars,” but many of them can’t be found on Ancestry. Join us for a discussion of which U.S. military and other records are available, what information they can provide, and how/where they can be accessed.

About the speaker:

Dr. William J. Sheleski, a native of Menasha, Wisconsin, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (B.S. Chemistry, 1976) and the University of Iowa (Ph.D. Chemistry, 1980). He retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel after 28 years of Active and Reserve service. Before his civilian retirement, Bill worked for about 40 years as a contractor for the Department of Defense. His interest in World War I was kindled by his grandfather, who served with the U.S. Army in France during the War, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.