Newsroom

Tip of the Week

December 7, 2022

An unparalleled disaster

The tragedy compounded the loss associated with war.

Shortly after midnight on July 12, 1973, a fire destroyed nearly 18 million military personnel files housed at the National Personnel Record Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. The fire raged out of control for 22 hours and 42 fire districts were called in to fight the blaze. The cause of the fire was never determined.

Many of the records lost were a great percentage of those of miliary personnel serving in the Army (discharged 1912 to 1960) and Air Force (discharged 1947-1960). Work continues today to reconstruct records lost in the fire, primarily using alternate resources, such as selective service registration records, veterans' claims, state records, and other sources.

According to the National Archives, the fire was an “unparalleled disaster” in terms of the loss to the cultural heritage of our nation.

Some of the military service records may be lost forever. But may we never lose our remembrance of those who served.

As we commemorate National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor and remember those who were killed or injured in the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.

Sources:

• National Archives National Personnel Record Center website: https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/fire-1973
• National World War II Museum website: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/st-louis-national-records-fire-july-12-1973

Subscribe to Tip of the Week.
To unsubscribe, click Opt Out.

Mapping Your Future^®, Inc.
P.O. Box 1017, Lake Dallas, TX 75065
(800) 374-4072