The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Archives holds a biographical file for every alumnus who attended VMI during the World War I era (1914-1919) and these files frequently contain information about military service. If you would like to view these files, please contact us to schedule an in-person visit.

To view a list of alumni associated with World War I:

1. Visit the Historical Rosters Database.
2. Enter World War I into the Keyword Search box.

Cadet Life

The following are some resources related to cadet life during the World War I era:

• “Life at V.M.I. During the World War 1917-1920”
  • This excerpt is from the book “One Hundred Years at V.M.I” Volume IV by William Couper.
• VMI yearbook digital archives
• The Cadet newspaper digital collection
  • Many War-related events and topics are covered throughout the era, but most articles appear in issues dated between March 1917 and December 1918.
• VMI Annual Reports
  • Reports from 1914 to 1919 provide details about major activities and issues for each academic year as reported by the Superintendent and other officials.

Primary Resources

The Archives has a variety of World War I primary resources. To browse these resources:

1. Visit the Archives Catalog.
2. Enter World War I into the search box under the Search The Archives heading.

The following are some primary resources related to VMI alumni in World War I:

• Alfred D. Barksdale collection
• Frank W. Buckles oral history interview
• Horatio P. Mason World War I scrapbook
• T. Randolph Perkinson, Jr. collection
• Samuel D. Rockenbach papers
• Lemuel C. Shepherd papers

Secondary Resources

The following are some secondary resources related to VMI alumni in World War I: 

• World War I casualties and prisoners of war
  • This excerpt is from the book “Record of Service of V.M.I. Alumni and Their Alma Mater” by Joseph R. Anderson.
• Alumni in British and French armies during World War I
• VMI Medal of Honor Recipients page
• General and Flag Rank Officers