The Utah Army Corps played a major role in the CWSS project. They volunteered thousands of hours of their time to enter a large part of the 6.3 million soldier Index Card records into computer databases. The Corps also helped to process and edit the data to send to GSU (Genealogical Society of Utah) for final release onto the Internet.
Monumental Task
The monumental task of data entry, editing, and converting millions of soldier records into a database format required a tremendous amount of time and effort. This process could only have been accomplished through the help of our partners. (Read about the recording process.)
Beginnings
The "Utah Army Corps" started out as a mostly-Utah organization. A brief note about their work in the "LDS Church News" brought volunteer requests from Latter-day Saints in many areas, and they were soon included as typists. Then a local TV news station ran a five-minute summary on the Utah Army Corps in their "Nightbeat" segment, and that caused an enlistment of many more recruits. Also BYU's elder-hostel program gave the Corps good publicity, and that generated many more volunteers.
At its height the Utah Army Corps had 404 typists working throughout the United States (most in Utah) and Canada, doing data entry and verification of Civil War index cards for the CWSS project. The "Utah Army Corps" did about 3/4 of the 1,748 microfilm rolls.
Record Status
With the completion of the data entry and verification work, the Corps became involved in the post-audit review of the 1,748 films in the Civil War index card project. These reviews were completed in May 2002.
KEY INDIVIDUALS
The Utah Army Corps was created by TERRY MOYER, who was the driving force behind the unyielding volunteer effort by the organization. He and his wife organized the Corps and put them into regiments (thus their unique regimental names).
The National Park Service wishes to thank Mr. and Mrs. Moyer and all of the Utah Army Corps for their efforts. Below is a list of some of the key individuals who have done so much to finish the work on the Civil War index cards:
NAOMI SESSIONS, Layton, Utah.
Naomi's husband had Alzheimer's disease, so she had to stay close. While she watched her husband fade away, she typed index cards and supervised the "20th Layton Cavalry."
BRYANT STRINGHAM, Bountiful, Utah.
Bryant is a semi-retired CPA. He spent countless hours typing index cards and supervising the 16th Bountiful Infantry.
TRACEY BROUGH, Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
Tracey has cerebral palsy, which has left her with no voice and a handicapped body. Her left hand is twisted back along her wrist. Her right hand also is twisted, though she does have one finger which she can extend to type. She has no voice. Tracey spends most of her days typing index cards--with ONE finger! She's "General Tracey" to those at Church.
JO LYNNE SWENSEN, California.
Jo Lynne types endlessly and supervises the 14th Mountaineers. She and several other ladies in the area work from microfilm, typing index cards.
ROSEMARY FINTER, Utah.
She types and types, while supervising the data entry work of about fifteen other missionaries. They have typed a huge volume of index cards.
PARRY HARRISON, Caldwell, Idaho.
Parry has rounded up about fifteen volunteer typists. Together, they have typed a great many index cards in the Caldwell--Boise area.
KIM BREWSTER, Orem, Utah.
The father of seven and a man of endless talents and energy, Kim supervises the work of the 10th Orem Infantry, a group of twelve strong typists. The 10th has typed a great many batches of Civil War index cards.
JIM WARLICK, Raleigh, North Carolina.
He supervises the work of the 28th North Carolina Regulars. Jim and his people have done yeoman work on the project.
Last updated: June 27, 2012