Posted on Nov 5, 2015
What Do You Know About Your Military Records and “the Records Fire”?
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This article from TAH breaks down the dates and times the fires affected or didn't affect the military records destroyed in a fire at the The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
I don't know that much about what records were destroyed, but I know my dad's records were destroyed. I once sent an SF-180 in to get my dad's Army records. I wanted to have them put in a shadow box next to mine. Several months later, I received a letter telling me all of his records were destroyed in a fire. They wrote that the information I put on the SF-180, was more than they had and would add what I sent. All I received was one medal. This article may answer some of your questions, if you have any, about records destroyed in the fire and how wannabes use this as an excuse for not having any records.
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Many of us have heard something about a “records fire” that destroyed many military Official Military Personnel Files (OPMFs) years ago. And we’ve also heard some people claim that “my records were destroyed in ‘the records fire’ – and that’s why there’s no record of my ”.
But many people don’t know much more than the fact that a fire once happened where many military records were stored. The reality is that liars using the excuse of a “records fire” to justify false claims about their military service are regrettably common. Such claims are very often if not almost always false.
This article will give the facts concerning that fabled “records fire”. In it, I’ll give some background about the storage activity, its history, and its design – which contributed to the severity of the fire. I’ll also briefly discuss the fire and its impact.
And, finally, I’ll discuss what records were – and what records weren’t – affected by the fire. I’ll also provide some references that provide much more detail.
BLUF: if someone was an Army retiree alive in July 1973; served in the Army after 1959; served in the USAF after 1963; or served in the Navy or USMC – it’s a virtual certainty that their records of service were not affected by the fire. Any claims to the contrary are pure, unadulterated organic fertilizer of the type produced by male bovines capable of reproduction.
http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=39667
I don't know that much about what records were destroyed, but I know my dad's records were destroyed. I once sent an SF-180 in to get my dad's Army records. I wanted to have them put in a shadow box next to mine. Several months later, I received a letter telling me all of his records were destroyed in a fire. They wrote that the information I put on the SF-180, was more than they had and would add what I sent. All I received was one medal. This article may answer some of your questions, if you have any, about records destroyed in the fire and how wannabes use this as an excuse for not having any records.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many of us have heard something about a “records fire” that destroyed many military Official Military Personnel Files (OPMFs) years ago. And we’ve also heard some people claim that “my records were destroyed in ‘the records fire’ – and that’s why there’s no record of my ”.
But many people don’t know much more than the fact that a fire once happened where many military records were stored. The reality is that liars using the excuse of a “records fire” to justify false claims about their military service are regrettably common. Such claims are very often if not almost always false.
This article will give the facts concerning that fabled “records fire”. In it, I’ll give some background about the storage activity, its history, and its design – which contributed to the severity of the fire. I’ll also briefly discuss the fire and its impact.
And, finally, I’ll discuss what records were – and what records weren’t – affected by the fire. I’ll also provide some references that provide much more detail.
BLUF: if someone was an Army retiree alive in July 1973; served in the Army after 1959; served in the USAF after 1963; or served in the Navy or USMC – it’s a virtual certainty that their records of service were not affected by the fire. Any claims to the contrary are pure, unadulterated organic fertilizer of the type produced by male bovines capable of reproduction.
http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=39667
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Government Administration St. Louis
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SGT (Join to see)
I had reason to search for some personnel records and was at first told incorrectly that the records were destroyed in the fire. I'm posting this because I believe some have been told that their records or their loved one's records were destroyed in this fire when in fact they were not. To help explain what happened I'm copying over from a couple of sources.
"Burned Records Intervention:
Working with burned records, or "B-files," is one of the core activities of the Preservation Program. Within the Laboratory, technicians provide file review, assessment and treatment for the burned records. Key efforts involving "B-files" include:
Assessing files for mold, fire and water damage and/or loss of information and determining access levels and treatment actions based on the condition of the records.
Providing basic holdings maintenance so that lightly-damaged records can be released to the NPRC reference personnel.
Providing records handling training to the NPRC personnel tasked with Fire-related reference.
Cleaning and treating moderately damaged records for use by the public, NPRC personnel or other Federal agencies.
Providing surrogate copies of heavily damaged records to the public, NPRC personnel or other Federal agencies.
Mold Remediation:
In the days after the 1973 Fire, the most immediate concern at the NPRC revolved around water. In order to combat the blaze, firefighters were forced to pour millions of gallons of water into the building. To stop sporadic rekindling of fire, firefighters also continued spraying water on the building until late July. In addition, broken water lines continued to flood the building until they could be capped. Standing water, combined with the high temperatures and humidity of a typical St. Louis summer, created a situation ripe for mold growth. As paper is highly susceptible to mold, officials immediately tried to prevent such an outbreak by spraying thymol throughout the building.
Damaged records that could be recovered in the wake of the fire were placed in a temperature controlled storage area to retard further mold growth. Today, mold evident on the records is generally dormant or desiccated as opposed to active. However, mold-damaged records must be carefully stored and handled, as an increase in temperature and humidity can cause dormant mold to become active again. In addition to mold contamination, many burned records are scorched, browned, brittle and/or in danger of information loss.
To ensure appropriate access, while at the same time minimizing unnecessary handling, the Preservation staff checks each requested "B-file" to:
Determine its condition and/or mold-damage before releasing it from the storage area.
Direct the record for appropriate treatment, if needed. Underneath a vented enclosure, inside the Laboratory's fume hood room, technicians use vacuums fitted with HEPA filters to remediate the records by removing as many spores as possible.
Direct the record to the appropriate area in the Archival Program Division or the Records Center where the record can be safely viewed by researchers or handled for reference work.
Staff members working in this area are specifically trained in records handling to minimize further damage or loss of information."
"Over the years, and as technology has developed, the center’s paper treatment lab has gotten better at retrieving lost information.
Portions of paper charred black by fire that were once useless are now yielding some of their secrets, thanks to the still-experimental use of infrared filters on cameras.
Burnt ink, whether from a pen or typewriter, looks different than burnt paper, but the naked eye can’t really see that, O’Neill explained.
“If you look at that piece of burned ash, and you turn it just the right way, you might get a little reflection, because ink doesn’t burn at the same rate as paper,” she said. “You might even be able to see a letter or two if you hold it at just the right position.
“We’ve found that using infrared filters on the cameras helps us capture ink, printed and typed, that’s still sitting on top of that ash. We can also manipulate that with standard software like Photoshop. After the scan, we can manipulate the light and play with curves and restore information that might have otherwise been lost.”
She said she’s not aware of this experimental technique being used anywhere else.
The lab is also considering purchasing and using new technology developed at the University of Colorado that can scan beneath fiber layers and reconstitute written information."
There is and has been on ongoing effort to reconstruct the files. If someone learns his or her file was in the burn section they can help in the reconstruction of the file by providing copies of information they may possess.
"Reconstruction of Lost Records
If veterans learn that their records may have been lost in the fire, they may send photocopies of any documents they possess -- especially separation documents -- to the NPRC. The address is National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. The NPRC will add those documents to the computerized index and file them permanently.
Alternate Sources of Military Service Data
When veterans don't have copies of their military records and their NPRC files may have been lost in the St. Louis fire, essential information about their military service may be available from a number of other 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 before 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 often can reconstruct a veteran's beginning and ending dates of active service, the character of service, rank, time lost on active duty, and periods of hospitalization. NPRC can issue NA Form 13038, "Certification of Military Service," considered the equivalent of a Form DD-214, "Report of Separation From Active Duty," to use in 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 or Social Security number
Place of entry into service
Last unit of assignment
Place of discharge"
Here is a link to explain which records were destroyed
Many people are not aware that there is also a "R" (reconstruction) file section in addition to the "B" (burn) section.
"The burned files include these categories
Army Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960 80%
Air Force Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 75%
(with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.)"
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html
I had reason to search for some personnel records and was at first told incorrectly that the records were destroyed in the fire. I'm posting this because I believe some have been told that their records or their loved one's records were destroyed in this fire when in fact they were not. To help explain what happened I'm copying over from a couple of sources.
"Burned Records Intervention:
Working with burned records, or "B-files," is one of the core activities of the Preservation Program. Within the Laboratory, technicians provide file review, assessment and treatment for the burned records. Key efforts involving "B-files" include:
Assessing files for mold, fire and water damage and/or loss of information and determining access levels and treatment actions based on the condition of the records.
Providing basic holdings maintenance so that lightly-damaged records can be released to the NPRC reference personnel.
Providing records handling training to the NPRC personnel tasked with Fire-related reference.
Cleaning and treating moderately damaged records for use by the public, NPRC personnel or other Federal agencies.
Providing surrogate copies of heavily damaged records to the public, NPRC personnel or other Federal agencies.
Mold Remediation:
In the days after the 1973 Fire, the most immediate concern at the NPRC revolved around water. In order to combat the blaze, firefighters were forced to pour millions of gallons of water into the building. To stop sporadic rekindling of fire, firefighters also continued spraying water on the building until late July. In addition, broken water lines continued to flood the building until they could be capped. Standing water, combined with the high temperatures and humidity of a typical St. Louis summer, created a situation ripe for mold growth. As paper is highly susceptible to mold, officials immediately tried to prevent such an outbreak by spraying thymol throughout the building.
Damaged records that could be recovered in the wake of the fire were placed in a temperature controlled storage area to retard further mold growth. Today, mold evident on the records is generally dormant or desiccated as opposed to active. However, mold-damaged records must be carefully stored and handled, as an increase in temperature and humidity can cause dormant mold to become active again. In addition to mold contamination, many burned records are scorched, browned, brittle and/or in danger of information loss.
To ensure appropriate access, while at the same time minimizing unnecessary handling, the Preservation staff checks each requested "B-file" to:
Determine its condition and/or mold-damage before releasing it from the storage area.
Direct the record for appropriate treatment, if needed. Underneath a vented enclosure, inside the Laboratory's fume hood room, technicians use vacuums fitted with HEPA filters to remediate the records by removing as many spores as possible.
Direct the record to the appropriate area in the Archival Program Division or the Records Center where the record can be safely viewed by researchers or handled for reference work.
Staff members working in this area are specifically trained in records handling to minimize further damage or loss of information."
"Over the years, and as technology has developed, the center’s paper treatment lab has gotten better at retrieving lost information.
Portions of paper charred black by fire that were once useless are now yielding some of their secrets, thanks to the still-experimental use of infrared filters on cameras.
Burnt ink, whether from a pen or typewriter, looks different than burnt paper, but the naked eye can’t really see that, O’Neill explained.
“If you look at that piece of burned ash, and you turn it just the right way, you might get a little reflection, because ink doesn’t burn at the same rate as paper,” she said. “You might even be able to see a letter or two if you hold it at just the right position.
“We’ve found that using infrared filters on the cameras helps us capture ink, printed and typed, that’s still sitting on top of that ash. We can also manipulate that with standard software like Photoshop. After the scan, we can manipulate the light and play with curves and restore information that might have otherwise been lost.”
She said she’s not aware of this experimental technique being used anywhere else.
The lab is also considering purchasing and using new technology developed at the University of Colorado that can scan beneath fiber layers and reconstitute written information."
There is and has been on ongoing effort to reconstruct the files. If someone learns his or her file was in the burn section they can help in the reconstruction of the file by providing copies of information they may possess.
"Reconstruction of Lost Records
If veterans learn that their records may have been lost in the fire, they may send photocopies of any documents they possess -- especially separation documents -- to the NPRC. The address is National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. The NPRC will add those documents to the computerized index and file them permanently.
Alternate Sources of Military Service Data
When veterans don't have copies of their military records and their NPRC files may have been lost in the St. Louis fire, essential information about their military service may be available from a number of other 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 before 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 often can reconstruct a veteran's beginning and ending dates of active service, the character of service, rank, time lost on active duty, and periods of hospitalization. NPRC can issue NA Form 13038, "Certification of Military Service," considered the equivalent of a Form DD-214, "Report of Separation From Active Duty," to use in 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 or Social Security number
Place of entry into service
Last unit of assignment
Place of discharge"
Here is a link to explain which records were destroyed
Many people are not aware that there is also a "R" (reconstruction) file section in addition to the "B" (burn) section.
"The burned files include these categories
Army Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960 80%
Air Force Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 75%
(with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.)"
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html
Information about military personnel records burned in the fire of 1973 at the National Archives, National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
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CPT (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see) - I try to help when/where I can. There are a lot more sources than this. I'm not sure if I mentioned it in here but also look for and request pay records. There is a lot to be learned from them. Not mentioned here but I want you to know there is a special effort placed on restoring WWII records. If you've been told no before, check again and ask for the "B" and "R" sections.
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SGT (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see), I will do that. I'll fill out an SF-180 tomorrow. That would be awesome to build a shadow box for him before I die. Thank you so much.
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Well, SGT (Join to see) what I what I understand the 1973 fire in St Louis destroyed many military records. I enlisted in 1974 and kept copies of all of my records. Once computers became common and pdf capability improved I kept online copies in addition to my hard copy records.
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SGT (Join to see)
Yeah, but you've always been one up on everything. That doesn't really surprise me LTC Stephen F.. Good thinking. (-:
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