Daily AncestorDestd.
Destd. or Des. in a military roster means deserted: the soldier left his unit without permission and did not return.
Rosters shorten deserted in several ways: destd. in the Nebraska roster key, Des. in the Windham County list, and other forms in other states. It is usually followed by a date and sometimes a place.
A desertion mark is not always the last word on a soldier, so read his full service record before deciding. Also do not confuse destd. with disd., which means discharged.
As seen in a recordCompany roster in a state adjutant general's report
Destd. Oct. 3, '62
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Destd.." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/abbreviations/desd. Last checked 2026-10-10.