Personnel Records of the National Archives at St. Louis Bryan K. McGraw Mr. McGraw provides an overview of the employees, selective service registration extensive holdings of the National Archives cards and ledgers, various courts martial at St. Louis. This large federal archive is records, individual deceased personnel files home to tens of millions of personal data of former military members, Veterans series records including the official military Administration deceased claim files, and personnel file of former military members of many others. He will also discuss how to all branches of the U.S. military, official request records on-site and off-site, and personnel folders of former federal civilian additional resources for further research. Session 3 www.archives.gov/calendar/genealogy-fair 1 of 38
Bryan McGraw joined the National development company; and as a Archives and Records commissioned officer in the United Administration in 2004 and was States Air Force with tours of duty in selected to his current position in the U.S. and in the Pacific theater. 2012. Mr. McGraw is responsible for and oversees the day-to-day Mr. McGraw’s education includes a operations of five federal archives, Bachelor of Science Degree from in Chicago, Denver, Fort Worth, Southeast Missouri State University, Kansas City, and St. Louis. a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma, Previously Mr. McGraw served as and a Ph.D. (all but the dissertation) Bryan K. McGraw the Director of Quality for the in Public Policy from Saint Louis Access Coordinator & Director Defense Finance and Accounting University. He is also a Senior National Archives at St. Louis Service; the Director of Quality for Fellow and graduate of the Deutsche Financial Services; Partnership for Public Service President and General Contractor Excellence in Government of a residential construction and Fellowship Program. Session 3 www.archives.gov/calendar/genealogy-fair 2 of 38
BRYAN K. McGRAW Access Coordinator – St. Louis & Midwest Session 3 3 of 38
Agenda • Records Available for Research • Access to Records • Resources Available to Guide Research • How to Request Records Session 3 4 of 38
Records Available for Research • National Archives at St. Louis is a personal data records series archive • Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) • Official Personnel Folder (OPF) • Selective Service System Registration Cards & Ledgers • Army Courts Martial Records • Many other personnel-related records rich in genealogical material Session 3 5 of 38
Military Personnel Records at NARA PWW 1947-196 3 NAVY ( 1775 ) MC fNLISTfD MARI NE 19 39- 19&3 "N" REGISTRY CORPS 1964 · 2008 ( 1 775) COAST GUARD " B" REGISTRY ( 17 90 ) 1 906 - 1963 ARMY "B" ond "R" RE G IS TRJ ES "A" REGISTRY 1 912 · 19 59 1 960-2008 ( 177 5) "F" REGISTRY AIR FORCE 1947 · 2008 ( 19 47 ) S panish- Ameri can W ar 1898 W ar of 181 2 Phi lipp in e 1812-1815 A me r ican W ar W ar in Me xican W ar 1899-1902 Af ghanistan 1846-1848 2001 - present In dia n W ars and I ra q 1864- 1890 Ci vil W ar 1861- 1865 Session 3 6 of 38
OMPFs – Archival Date • All OMPFs become a public, archival record 62 years to- the-day from when the veteran retired, separated (final) or was killed in service • This is a rolling date… (62 – Today’s date) = October 21, 1953 • Any record with this date of retirement, separation or KIA or EARLIER is a public, archival record • Anyone can request & review or purchase a copy (subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Privacy Screening requirements • If a record is newer that the current archival date it has limited access • Veteran, Next-of-Kin, military service department, law enforcement Session 3 7 of 38
Branch of Service Official Military Personnel Files, Archival Holdings Army Enlisted discharge dates 1912 to today’s date in 1953 (includes Army Air Corps Officers discharge dates 1917 to today’s date in 1953 & Army Air Forces) Navy Enlisted discharge dates 1885 to today’s date in 1953 Officers discharge dates 1902 to today’s date in 1953 Air Force All Personnel with discharge dates 1947 to today’s date in 1953 Marine Corps All Personnel with discharge dates 1895 to today’s date in 1953 Coast Guard All Personnel with discharge dates 1898 to today’s date in 1953 Session 3 8 of 38
What is in an OMPF? • The OMPF documents the individual’s military service: • Date and type of enlistment/appointment • Duty stations and assignments • Training & qualifications • Performance reports • Awards and decorations received • Non-judicial disciplinary actions (e.g., Article 15; Letter of Reprimand) • Insurance • Emergency data • Administrative remarks • Date and type of separation/discharge/retirement (including DD Form 214, Report of Separation, or equivalent) • May also contain: birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, letters, and photographs • Detailed information about the veteran’s participation in battles and their military engagements is NOT contained in the record Session 3 9 of 38
~- "AVPEAS~"SI .e:=-· :.:.;=:.U.~C =~A~D ~:;:!:~ t ~ r~o ~ ;~ "'"~ E OF SEPARATION FROM U.S. NAVAL SERVICE U.S. Navy Report tACV -4~) of Separation – USJ PE S. SEP . CE • U IT f 3 GRE T L AKES , ILL. 9 78 44 26 1145- 587 - 3 A. I <'HOP , ILL I I: Pre- DD Form 214 usr.R SE A 1/C S V6 11- 25 ns Hot: t. O LE R . R. 1 OX 2 17 T. Aao.-caa FIO~ CM"-D"'' MltJrfT W ... L ec ~· co. COV If G Tot , KY . KE TO •. aa tl. N&IIITAL. aTATVe I" U.a CITI"ZCH he a ellt NO l RB J ED. BO.lJT£. 1. CQX2 11 C VI T I KY . 11 O'TC O• ~lilY INTO ACTIVC a&:ftVICC II NCT 81:-ICa ( ... "' P"T f"Uin'OaCS) h'•• woa DAYa 5_ -.29- 44 0 1- - Zl .... IJ.ffi l LLE,. KY . >I s, ESCR IP TI O BOOKLE TS SEE R Tl G "" 0 c 0:: o. ILL. bl E, I '). E 0:: .w::;: =:.:·.:o-;~:-:c :"c.__., o-ocaa ~-Y•ar.C "" IMPORTANT TO 1 ".;~:-:=!:;.~;:. ;: !:: ~ ... KIND CN" lHaviiiANCC .. o• -tMJUM 0.C t1 • .... HUT ... IU-. ... llln'CHTIOH .... "'CTCIII- TO COH1'1NYJI: ...... U. Cnr.::T>VC MONTH Of' C .. U •• _,.., .......,.,. f.Q'v OCOHT>"....,." .... ----..ll£ G. J!S. J _____ oA&.LOWANCII: I ...... .6. 50 Y.E.S • ••au aa.. INITIAl. MVIITW;"'.,.. l R. HAMil: o,. 01aau"s-"'o OJ'~C"'- • :J -. TOT.r.L ....... .,.,......,, UI"'N o.ecHA..- n. TIIIII&VP. 011 M~Gc ::=,!i IHCI..UOED lt.l TOTA6. PATMO.T OUT,..,.,, 5025 .: s Is n n 10 I<L E E r UtiDRY F. A. G T O, , KY. C VI O LDE R ,., ac•aua I ........ .uoc.-... •• ~·-c cau u. ,....,..,. cou~tec OR rtaAJ ......,._., eo ... .._IITCOt _, -= ------- a ~ .. .1 COLL- - - ,.._,._,.- ,_ ,_, _ ,_ _ ,_. _"'_ ,__ _, __ .... _,. DVrf" CDUCATIOH.II.L CDUtta•a COM~&D .... RtONT INOC• Pl_.,. _ _,. TO: BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL Session 3 10 of 38
Army Air Corps Separation Document - 1944 Session 3 11 of 38
Some OMPFs Contain Photographs Session 3 12 of 38
Persons of Exceptional Prominence (PEP) • Records of prominent individuals which served in the military (or as a civil servant): • Presidents, members of Congress and the Supreme Court; famous military leaders; decorated heroes; celebrities; infamous characters & other cultural figures who served in the military • Complete list of available records can be found at: • http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military- personnel/public/persons-of-prominence.html Session 3 13 of 38
The 1973 Fire Shortly after midnight, on July 12, 1973, a fire was reported at NPRC’s military personnel records building Session 3 14 of 38
Irreplaceable loss… Session 3 15 of 38
The 1973 Fire: A Burned Record (B-File) 6.5 million records were recovered from the fire. Some are severely damaged Session 3 16 of 38
The 1973 Fire Records damaged or lost include an estimated 16-18 million military records. Records damage occurred from both fire and water Records Discharge Dates Estimated Loss Affected Army WWI 11/1/1912 - 9/7/1939 80% Army WWII 9/8/1939 - 12/31/1946 Army Post-WWII 1/1/1947 - 12/31/1959 Air Force 9/25/1947 - 12/31/1963 75% surnames Hubbard - Z Session 3 17 of 38
Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) [Federal Civilian Personnel Files] • Archival records date from the mid-nineteenth century through 1951: • In the complete custody of NARA • Information is available to the public • Certain information is restricted under terms of the Freedom of Information Act [5 U.S.C. 552 (b) (6)] • Non-archival records date 1952 to the present • In the custody of the agency that created the record • The National Personnel Records Center has physical custody of the records • Information is available to the public under FOIA • Information is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 Session 3 18 of 38
Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) OPFs may contain the following documents: • Applications • Oaths of Office • Correspondence • Appraisals • Leave and Pay Information • Letters of Recommendation/Protest • Changes in Work Status • Photographs • Rarely: Vital Records Session 3 19 of 38
Also available are the records of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Session 3 20 of 38
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