Va-Hist and Va-Roots subscribers:

For those of you who may not know or recall, my reference librarian
colleague Edwin Ray at the Library of Virginia has been at work on a
remarkable database of Virginia Military Dead, which is now five years
old. You can consult it at 

http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/mil/vmd/index.asp

Here is a copy of Ed's message to the Library of Virginia's staff about
the anniversary:


It's hard to believe, but it has now been five years since the Virginia
Military Dead (VMD) database was first released to the public on May 21,
2002.
 
The tenth semiannual update was released to the public last week in
commemoration of Memorial Day (hence, the tardiness of this
announcement).  In the interim, the database has grown from 3,728
entries, representing five conflicts (Spanish American War through World
War I), using about 75 sources to 34,400 entries, representing more than
twenty conflicts from the seventeenth century to the present, using more
than 744 sources.  In addition, there are five companion bibliographies
in the "Virginia's Participation In the _______ War" series, with more
on the way.
 
At the current pace, I foresee, at least, another five or six years' of
work before I can get it past the building phase to what I would
consider to be a maintenance level.  For example, I am currently about
half way through the H.E. Howard Regimental series of books that are my
first source(s) for the conflict commonly referred to as the civil war,
and I am working on Box 7 (of 20 Boxes) in the World War II Personal War
Service Records.
 
Of course, I haven't done all this alone.  I have had great assistance
from staff and volunteers (in IT, Reference, Archives, Publications, and
Circulation, et al) too numerous to mention here.
 
Usage statistics, feedback from the public, and citations in other
places indicate the VMD has begun to be the helpful reference source I
hoped it would become.  I want to thank everyone who has helped me reach
this milestone.  Please join me in this opportunity to reflect on the
high price Virginians have paid (along with their fellow Americans, of
course) in the defense of freedom.
 
Sincerely,
 
Edwin Ray
Reference Librarian
Editor and Compiler,
Virginia Military Dead database
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804-692-3572