Guide to getting started: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/help/getting-started-guide.html What will I find in AAD?
You will find in the Access to Archival Databases (AAD) resource online access to records in a small selection of historic databases preserved permanently in NARA. NARA has selected less than 1% of the data files in its holdings for public searching through AAD. We selected these data because the records identify specific persons, geographic areas, organizations, and dates. The records cover a wide variety of civilian and military functions and have many genealogical, social, political, and economic research uses. AAD provides:
-- Access to over 247 million historic electronic records created by more than 40 agencies of the U.S. federal government and from collections of donated historical materials. -- Both free-text and fielded searching options. The ability to retrieve, print, and download records with the specific information that you seek. -- Information to help you find and understand the records.
[NARA] will continually add more databases to AAD. Check back periodically and consult the What's New section of AAD.
For further information about all of NARA's electronic records holdings, including those not in AAD, see the Electronic Records Division table of contents page or the National Archives Catalog.
The databases in the Access to Archival Databases (AAD) resource are organized according to series and files and within the files, records. Some files consist of more than one data table. The series, files, and records are organized generally according to the way the creating U.S. federal government agency maintained the records and transferred them to NARA.