articles - MILITARY RECORDS
FACT SHEET
THE 1973 ST. LOUIS FIRE AND LOST RECORDS
The Fire
What Was Lost
Reconstruction of Old
Records
Alternate
Sources of Military Service Data
Necessary Information for File Reconstruction
The National Archives and Records Administration is the official
depository for records of military personnel separated from the United
States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. The records
are housed in three locations: the National Archives Building in
Washington, D.C., the Washington National Records Center in Suitland, Md.,
and the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Mo. The
NPRC contains records relating to:
U.S. Army officers separated after June 30, 1917, and enlisted
Army personnel separated after October 31, 1912.
U.S. Air Force officers and enlisted personnel separated
after September 1947.
U.S. Naval officers separated after 1902, and naval enlisted
personnel separated after 1885. U.S. Marine Corps officers separated
after 1895, and enlisted personnel separated after 1904.
U.S. Coast Guard officers separated after 1928, and enlisted
personnel separated after 1914. Civilian employees of predecessor
agencies (Revenue Cutter Service, Life-Saving Service and Lighthouse
Service) of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1864- 1919.
The Fire A fire at the NPRC in St.
Louis on July 12, 1973, destroyed about 80 percent of the records for
Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912, and January 1,
1960. About 75 percent of the records for Air Force personnel with
surnames from "Hubbard" through "Z" discharged between September 25,
1947, and January 1, 1964, were also destroyed.
What Was Lost It is hard to
determine exactly what was lost in the fire, because there were no
indices to the blocks of records involved. The records were merely
filed in alphabetical order for the following groups:
World War I: Army September 7, 1939 to November 1, 1912
World War II: Army December 3l, 1946 to September 8, 1939
Post World War II: Army December 3l, 1959 to January 1, 1947;
Air Force: December 31, 1963 to September 25, 1947
Millions of records, especially medical records, had been withdrawn
from all three groups and loaned to the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) prior to the fire. The fact that one's records are not in NPRC files
at a particular time does not mean the records were destroyed in the fire.
Reconstruction of Lost Records
If a veteran is advised that his or her records may have been lost in the
fire, he or she may send photocopies of any documents they possess to the
NPRC, particularly separation documents. The address is National Personnel
Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO
631325 1 00. This enables the NPRC to re-establish files by adding those
documents to the computerized index and filing them permanently.
Alternate Sources
of Military Service Data
In the event a veteran does not have any records in his or her possession,
the essential military service data may be available from a number of
alternate sources.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) maintains records on
veterans whose military records were affected by the fire if the
veteran or a beneficiary filed a claim prior to July 1973.
Service information may also be found in various kinds of
"organizational" records such as unit morning reports, payrolls
and military orders on file at the NPRC or other National Archives
and -Records Administration facilities.
There also is a great deal of information available in records
of the State Adjutants General, and other state veterans services"
offices.
By using alternate sources, NPRC may often be able to reconstruct a
veteran's beginning and ending dates of active service, the character of
service, rank while in service, time lost while on active duty, and
periods of hospitalization. NPRC is usually able to issue NA Form 13038,
"Certification of Military Service, "considered the equivalent of a Form
DD-214, "Report of Separation From Active Duty," for the purpose of
establishing eligibility for veterans benefits.
Necessary
Information for File Reconstruction
The key to reconstructing military data is to give the NPRC enough
specific information so the staff can properly search the various sources.
The following information is normally required:
Full name used during military service
Branch of service
Approximate dates of service
Service number
Place of entry into service
Last Unit of assignment
Place of discharge.
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