From: Nancy Smoyer
Date: August 30, 2015
Subject: Reconstructing Lost Military Records
When I was working with the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I heard that the records which were burned were not of our era, i,e, the 60s. It was said that this was the excuse used to slowly or never find records when requested. Does anyone know if this is true?
Nancy
From: Forest Brandt
Date: August 30, 2015
Subject: Reconstructing Lost Military Records
Almost all records were also held at the home state level. If St. Louis does't have it, write to the state adjutant's office. Good chance they do. I was able to restore my dad's records as well as those of four uncles.
Forrest
From: John Kafka
Date: August 30, 2015
Subject: Reconstructing Lost Military Records
The blaze that ripped through the National Personnel Records Center in a St. Louis suburb shortly after midnight on July 12, 1973, consumed 16 million to 18 million official military personnel files in the days before computers kept such records safe. Few could have predicted the harm it would visit on the veterans who were denied VA benefits?some to this day?because they could not reconstruct their military service files.
Veterans whose records have been lost can fill out a specific form at the National Archives website (http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/na-13055-info-2-reconstruct-medical-data.pdf) that authorizes the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) to search for other types of documents that would assist the veteran with their VA healthcare access or compensation claim, or for valuable research their family member’s service history.
For more information, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website for veterans whose records were destroyed: http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/NPRC1973Fire.asp.
From: Steve Sevits
Date: August 30, 2015
Subject: Reconstructing Lost Military Records
Some time ago I needed a copy of my DD-214 [in during 1961- out late 1964] and there was no problem. One congressman couldn't be bothered, another one responded in 2 weeks with two certified copies.
Steve Sevits
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From: Steve Wiltsie
Date: August 30, 2015
Subject: Reconstructing Lost Military Records
My cousin's husband died earlier this year but his DD214 was nowhere to be found. She was unable to get one from the government so she had to find about 30 documents to prove he was a Navy aviator in the Vietnam era so he could be buried in a national cemetery in Florida. Therefore , I would say some of the 60's time frame records were lost in the fire.
Steve Wiltsie
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August 2015