Daily AncestorDishonorable discharge
A dishonorable discharge is the most severe discharge, imposed as punishment by a general court-martial after conviction for a serious offense.
Soldiers who met the standards of duty and conduct and finished their terms normally received an honorable discharge. A dishonorable discharge is different in kind: it is a punishment, not an administrative step, and only a general court-martial can impose it, after conviction for serious crimes such as desertion in the face of the enemy.
Before 1947 the Army also used a blue discharge, which was neither honorable nor dishonorable and needed no court-martial. Check which one the paper actually says before accepting a family story of disgrace.
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Daily Ancestor. "Dishonorable discharge." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/dishonorable-discharge. Last checked 2026-10-12.