The adjutant general of the Commonwealth, as executive administrator of the state's Military Establishment, came to be responsible for preserving information about past military episodes and service relating to Massachusetts. This series comprises an index to Massachusetts residents killed in the service of the United States during World War II. Information includes name, rank, residence, and branch of service, and may include race, date of death of each soldier, next of kin, the circumstances of death (e.g., killed in action, died of wounds, died in hospital), and the war theater in which it occurred. An accompanying printed booklet with title: World War II honor list of dead and missing--State of Massachusetts contains corresponding data, although the information in the booklet is arranged by county, and is confined to the name, serial number, rank, and circumstances of the death of each soldier.