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Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources

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Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Julissa Gomez-Granger Information Research Specialist Anne Leland Information Research Specialist July 26, 2012 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS21282 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Summary  Guide to Locating Sources
February 27, 2015 (RS21282)

Summary

This guide provides information on locating military unit histories and individual service records of discharged, retired, and deceased military personnel. It includes contact information for military history centers, websites for additional sources of research, and a bibliography of other publications. This report will be updated as needed. Congressional Research Service Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A  Guide to Locating Sources Contents Personnel Files: Military Service and Pension Records at the National Archives........................... 1 Finding Unit Histories ..................................................................................................................... 1 Additional Sources for Research ..................................................................................................... 3 Select Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 3 Tables Table 1. Military History Centers and Museums ............................................................................. 2 Appendixes Appendix. Standard Form 180......................................................................................................... 5 Contacts Author Contact Information............................................................................................................. 8 Congressional Research Service Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Personnel Files: Military Service and Pension Records at the National Archives

Personnel Files: Military Service and Pension Records at the National Archives

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), Military Personnel Records, holds most existing military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services from World War I to the present. Personnel records may be requested online at (http://www.archives.gov/veterans or by completing the Standard Form 180 (see Appendix) and sending it to the correct), by mail (the appropriate address listed on the back of the form. Note that in), or fax (314-801-9195) using the Standard Form 180. In 1973, a disastrous fire at NPRC destroyed approximately 16 million to 18 million Army and Air Force official military personnel files. In such cases where files were lost, NPRC uses alternate sources of information to respond to requests. More information about obtaining military personnel files can be found on the NPRC website, http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/,, or by contacting the center at National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 Tel: (314) 801-0816 1 Archives DriveSt. Louis, MO 63138Tel: [phone number scrubbed] congressional line Tel: (314) 801-0800Tel: [phone number scrubbed] public line E-mail: MPR.center@nara.gov E-mail: [email address scrubbed] Older military personnel records (generally prior to World War I, depending on the service branch1917) are located at National Archives and Records Administration Old Military and Civil Records Branch (NWCTB-Military) Textual Archives DivisionWashington, DC 20408 http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/pre-ww-1-records.html Finding Unit Histories Unit records are preserved at The Modern Military Records office of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For unit records of World War I contact the Archives I Textual Reference Branch of NARA, Washington, DC 20408; telephone (202)-501-5430. For unit records of World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Conflicts contact the Archives II Textual Reference Branch at NARA, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001; telephone (866) 272-6272. NPRC has morning reports for the Army (from November 1, 1912 to 1974) and the Air Force (from September 1947 to June 30, 1966). In addition, NPRC has Army unit rosters from 1912 to 1974, with certain exceptions. For more information on unit rosters and morning reports, see the NPRC website at http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/morning-reports-and-unitrosters.html. Congressional Research Service 1 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Certain published unit histories can be found in the collections of the Library of Congress or military history centers of each branch (see Table 1). Table 1. Military History Centers and Museums Center or Museum Telephone Number Air Force U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency 600 Chennault Circle Building 1405 Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6424 has custody of records relating to World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The records vary by conflict and branch of service. The records for Army units active during the interwar periods (1920-1939 and 1945-1950) are incomplete. For more information, contact the Textual Records office at National Archives and Records Administration - College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001; telephone 301-837-3510. Online contact information is available at http://www.archives.gov/contact/.

Most U.S. military unit records after 1954 (except Vietnam), if they still exist, are in the custody of the Department of the Army. Information may be requested in writing from the Department of the Army, Freedom of Information Act Office, 7701 Telegraph Road, Room 102, Casey Building, Alexandria, Virginia 22315-3860.

Auxiliary and organizational records, including morning reports, unit rosters, officer pay cards (Army), muster rolls (Navy), U.S. Army Surgeon General's office records and Veterans Administration index cards are maintained at the National Archives at St. Louis, Missouri. Further information is available at http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/archival-programs/other-records/index.html.

Certain published unit histories can be found in the collections of the Library of Congress or the military history center of each U.S. military branch (see Table 1). Table 1. Military History Centers and Museums

Center or Museum

Telephone Number

Air Force

U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency 600 Chennault Circle Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6424 E-mail: AFHRANEWS@MAXWELL.AF.MILhttp://www.afhra.af.mil/index.asp (334) 953-2395 Air Force Historical Studies Office HQ USAF/HOH 3 Brookley Avenue, Box 94 Bolling AFB, DC 20032-5000 E-mail: afhso.research@pentagon.af.mil http://www.afhso.af.mil/ (202) 404-2264 National Museum of the U.S. Air Force 1100 Spaatz Street Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/ (937) 255-3286 Army U.S. Army Center of Military History Collins Hall 102 4th Avenue Bldg. 35 Fort McNair Washington, DC 20319-5060 E-mail: CMHAnswers@conus.army.mil http://www.history.army.mil/ (202) 685-4042 U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center 950 Soldiers Drive Carlisle, PA 17013-5021 E-mail: usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.usamhi@mail.mil (research inquiries) http://usahec.org (717) 245-3949 Coast Guard U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office (CG-09224) U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Rm B-717 2100 Second Street, SW Washington, DC 20593-7362

[phone number scrubbed]

Air Force Historical Support Division HQ USAF/HOH 3 Brookley Avenue, Box 94 Joint Base Anacostia BollingWashington, DC 20032-5000 http://www.afhso.af.mil/

[phone number scrubbed]

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force 1100 Spaatz Street Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

[phone number scrubbed]

Army

U.S. Army Center of Military History Collins Hall 102 4th Avenue Bldg. 35 Fort McNair Washington, DC 20319-5060E-mail: usarmy.mcnair.cmh.mbx.answers@mail.milhttp://www.history.army.mil/

[phone number scrubbed]

U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center950 Soldiers Drive Carlisle, PA 17013-5021E-mail: [email address scrubbed] (research inquiries) http://usahec.org

[phone number scrubbed]

Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office (CG-09224) U.S. Coast Guard Stop 7031 2703 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE Washington, DC 20593-7031 http://www.uscg.mil/history/ [phone number scrubbed][phone number scrubbed] Coast Guard Museum history/ (202) 372-4651 Coast Guard Museum Waeshe Hall U.S. Coast Guard Academy 15 Mohegan Avenue New London, CT 06320-8511 http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg092/museum/

[phone number scrubbed]

Marine Corps

museum/ (860) 444-8511 Marine Corps Marine Corps History Division 3078 Upshur Avenue Quantico, VA 22134 Congressional Research Service (703) 432-4874 2 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Center or Museum Telephone Number Marine Corps Heritage Foundation 3800 Fettler Park Drive Suite 104 Dumfries, VA 22025 E-mail: info@marineheritage.org http://www.marineheritage.org/ (800) 397-7585 (703) 640-7965 Merchant Marine American Merchant Marine Museum 300 Steamboat Road Kings Point, NY 11024 http://www.usmma.edu/about/museum/ (516) 726-6047 Navy Naval History & Heritage Command 805 Kidder Breese Street, SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5060 http://www.history.navy.mil (202) 433-2210 main (202) 433-4132 library Source: Table compiled by the Congressional Research Service. Additional Sources for Research • Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans. http://www.loc.gov/vets/ • Veterans Affairs Nationwide Gravesite Locator The database contains burial locations of veterans and their family members. http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1 • American Battle Monuments Commission The website contains databases of veterans interred or memorialized at overseas American military cemeteries and memorials. http://www.abmc.gov • Philippine Army and Guerilla Records at the National Archives The collection includes records of the Philippine Commonwealth Army of the United States Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE), including recognized Philippine Guerrilla forces (not the Army of the United States or Philippine Scouts) during World War II. http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/philippine-armyrecords.html#reasons Select Bibliography Quantico, VA 22134 https://www.mcu.usmc.mil/historydivision/SitePages/Home.aspx [phone number scrubbed][phone number scrubbed] Marine Corps Heritage Foundation 3800 Fettler Park DriveSuite 104Dumfries, VA 22025E-mail: info@marineheritage.orghttp://www.marineheritage.org/ [phone number scrubbed] [phone number scrubbed]

Merchant Marine

American Merchant Marine Museum 300 Steamboat Road Kings Point, NY 11024E-mail: [email address scrubbed]http://www.usmma.edu/museum

[phone number scrubbed]

Navy

Naval History & Heritage Command 805 Kidder Breese Street, SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5060 http://www.history.navy.mil [phone number scrubbed] archives[phone number scrubbed] library

Source: Table compiled by the Congressional Research Service.

Additional Sources for Research Veterans History Project at the Library of CongressThe project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans.http://www.loc.gov/vets/ Veterans Affairs Nationwide Gravesite LocatorThe database contains burial locations of veterans and their family members. http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/ American Battle Monuments CommissionThe website contains databases of veterans interred or memorialized at overseas American military cemeteries and memorials.http://www.abmc.gov Philippine Army and Guerilla Records at the National ArchivesThe collection includes records of the Philippine Commonwealth Army of the United States Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE), including recognized Philippine Guerrilla forces (not the Army of the United States or Philippine Scouts) during World War II.http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/philippine-army-records.html Select Bibliography Beers, Henry Putney. The Confederacy: A Guide to the Archives of the Government of the Confederate States of America. Washington: National Archives and Records Administration, 1998. Congressional Research Service 3 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources 1998. Center of Military History. Order of Battle of the United States Land ForcesForces in the World War. Washington: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1988. 3 v. Controvich, James T. United States Army UnitUnit and Organizational Histories: A Bibliography. Histories: A Bibliography. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2003. —— ——United States Air Force and Its Antecedents: Published and Printed Unit Histories, a Bibliography.Its Antecedents: Published and Printed Unit Histories, a Bibliography. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004. Dinackus, Thomas D. Order of Battle: Allied Ground Forces of Operation Desert Storm. Central Central Point, OR: Hellgate Press, 2000. Dornbusch, C. E. Military Bibliography of the Civil War. New York: New York Public Library, 1971. Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. New York: T. Yoseloff, 1959. Stanton, Shelby L. World War II Order of Battle, U.S. Army (Ground Force Units). World War II Order of Battle, U.S. Army (Ground Force Units). Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2006. —— ——Vietnam Order of Battle. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2003. U.S. Department of the Army. Office of Military History. Order of Battle of the United States Army Ground Forces in World War II, Pacific Theater of Operations: Administrative and Logistical Commands, Armies, Corps, and Divisions. Washington: Department of the Army, 1959. U.S. Naval War Records Office. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. Harrisburg, PA: National Historical Society, 1987. 30 v. U.S. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: GPO, 1880-1901. 70 v.

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this report was authored by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

 Washington: GPO, 1880-1901. 70 v. Congressional Research Service 4 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Appendix. Standard Form 180 Congressional Research Service 5 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Congressional Research Service 6 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Congressional Research Service 7 Military Service Records and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources Author Contact Information Julissa Gomez-Granger Information Research Specialist jgomezgranger@crs.loc.gov, 7-8981 Congressional Research Service Anne Leland Information Research Specialist aleland@crs.loc.gov, 7-4704 8