The United States has participated in wars since the mid 1600’s with King Philip’s War in 1675. I was not familiar with this war, so I decided to see what other wars the United States fought in. I was especially interested in what documents these wars would have used, that my ancestors may have had to sign or be included in. Below are the main wars that the U.S. fought in:

• King Philip’s War (July 4, 1675-August 12, 1676): New England Colonies vs Wampanoag, Narragansett, and Nipmuck Indians
• King William’s War (1689-1697): English Colonies vs France
• Queen Anne’s War - War of Spanish Succession (1702-1713): French Colonies vs Great Britain
• King George’s War - War of Austrian Succession (1744-1748): French Colonies vs Great Britain
• French & Indian War - Seven Years War (1756-1763): French Colonies vs Great Britain
• Cherokee War (1759-1761): English Colonies vs Cherokee Indians
• American Revolution (1775-1783): English Colonists vs Great Britain
• Franco-American Naval War ((1798-1800): United States vs France
• Barbary Wars (1801-1805; 1815): United States vs Morocco, Algiers, Tunis & Tripoli
• War of 1812 (1812-1815): United States vs Great Britain
• Creek War (1813-1814): United States vs Creek Indians
• War of Texas Independence (1836): Texas vs Mexico
• Mexican-American War (1846-1848): Unites States vs Mexico
• U.S. Civil War (1861-1865): United States vs Confederacy
• Spanish-American War (1898): United States vs Spain
• World War I (1914-1918): Triple Alliance: Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary vs Triple Entente: Britain, France & Russia. The U.S. joined on the side of the Triple Entente in 1917.
• World War II (1939-1945): Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan vs Major Allied Powers: United States, Great Britain, France & Russia
• Korean War (1950-1953): United States (as part of the United Nations) and South Korea vs North Korea & Communist China
• Vietnam War (1960-1975): United States & South Vietnam vs North Vietnam
• Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961): United States vs Cuba
• Grenada (1983): United States Intervention
• US Invasion of Panama (1989): United States vs Panama
• Persian Gulf War (1990-1991): Unites States & Coalition Forces vs Iraq
• Intervention in Bosnia & Herzegovina (1995-1996): United States as part of NATO acted peacekeepers in former Yugoslavia
• Invasion of Afghanistan (2001): U.S. and Coalition Forces vs the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to fight terrorism.
• Invasion of Iraq (2003): U.S. & Coalition Forces vs Iraq
• Source: The New York Public Library Desk Reference, 3rd Edition

Below are some links that may help you in your United States Military research:

National Archives - Military Records

The Olive Tree Genealogy Military Links

Cyndi’s List for Military

GeneaLinks Military

US Wars - Research In Colonial & United States Wars From Earliest to 1865

FamilySearch article on US Military