I'm bummed, just learned my grandfather's military records burned up in 1973 fire

[Equinox Moon]

I was doing some family research and wanted to look up my grandfather's military records from WWll.
They are gone forever - what a bummer!

Army ----- Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960----80% destroyed
Air Force ------Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964------75% destroyed



https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html

[mercuryblues]

1. That's sad

As much as the Army wants things in duplicates of triplicates you would think this could not happen. I hopeyour Grandfather told you stories of his service.

[Equinox Moon]

3. Thanks Mercury

Indeed, the military was big on copies, but if all the copies are in one place - poof.

I do have some stories, he told some gruesome tales.

[tonyt53]

2. You may be able to access his form DD-214.

[Equinox Moon]

4. Thanks, I will try.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Also try Ancestry.com

[Freelancer]

6. I thought the Pentagon had copies of copies of copies

It's probably in a filing cabinet in a warehouse next to the box with the Lost Ark in it.

[John1956PA]

7. Here is another link regarding "The National Personnel Records Center Fire of 1973."

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Personnel_Records_Center_fire :

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 Military Personnel Records Center (MPRC - part of the National Personnel Records Center) 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] MPRC, the custodian of military service records, lost approximately 16–18 million official military personnel records as a result of the fire.[2]