The Great Fire of 1973 - were you affected?

2015-03-14T21:55:31-04:00

The National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973,[1] also referred to as the 1973 National Archives fire was a fire that occurred at the United States National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in Overland, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, on July 12, 1973, striking a severe blow to the National Archives and Records Administration of the United States.[1] NPRC, the custodian of military service records, lost approximately 16-18 million official military personnel records as a result of the fire.

I personally wasn't affected, I was born in 1970. However, my father's records were lost, but thank God we found his DD-214. What about you? Did you have reconstruct yours or a family members record.

I suspect a bit conspiracy here, anyone else? Think about the billions of dollars saved on medical payments to veterans. What a travesty...I'd like to here some personal horror stories with perhaps a happy ending.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2015 9:57 PM

2015-03-14T21:57:12-04:00

Branch Personnel and Period Affected Estimated Loss
Army Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960 - 80%
Air Force Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964
(with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.) 75%

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Mar 14 at 2015 10:00 PM

2015-03-14T22:00:51-04:00

Nope (wasn't born yet) but it is why I tell everyone to keep copies of everything. You can't count on the national archive having it. "Stuff happens"

Response by MSgt Aaron Brite made Mar 14 at 2015 10:11 PM

2015-03-14T22:11:45-04:00

Well both my father's and my wife's father's (he passed away when she was 12) lost their records. My wife has a potentially service connected birth defect but as the only records of her father's service are heavily redacted mimeographs, no claim can be substatiated. I find it odd the shortly after the US decision to withdraw from Vietnam, so many SM records were destroyed. Conspiracy, who knows. PITA for SM and families definitely.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2015 10:12 PM

2015-03-14T22:12:07-04:00

Thinks that make you go hmmmm!

The destroyed sixth floor of the NPRC also housed a security vault which contained high profile and notable records of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel. Known as the "Sixth Floor Vault", confirmed destroyed records included the Navy file of Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou as well as the record of Adolf Hitler's nephew William Patrick Hitler. The sixth floor security vault also held all the records of current NPRC employees who had their own Navy and Marine Corps records retired at the agency.

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Mar 14 at 2015 10:29 PM

2015-03-14T22:29:48-04:00

If there is a conspiracy involved, it would have been better to adjust the areas of data loss to the Viet-Nam era in its entirety.

Response by SSgt Donnavon Smith made Jul 12 at 2016 11:41 AM

2016-07-12T11:41:28-04:00

My Grandfather was Army During WWII and Marine during Korea and according to the NPRC, "all records lost" Very disappointing when researching his contributions.

Response by PVT Gary Rohr made Oct 10 at 2018 5:32 PM

2018-10-10T17:32:15-04:00

I was a Huey door gunner in Vietnam. I now suffer from PTSD, but I also got cancer from Agent Orange. This waited until 2010 to hit me. But, I'm told that time means nothing when it comes to AO. It could eventually affect my kids. Then, after I completed my cancer therapy, my shoulder and my knee began to rot away at the same time. I wanted to file a claim with VA, But, I needed my DD-214. Archives had no record. Army Personnel had no record. I tend to agree with a previous response that it sure would save the government a lot of money if the records of us Vietnam Veterans just "accidently" burned in a fire. If there is ANYBODY that might have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks. Chickenplate