We occasionally have to deal with this issue at NVBDC when requesting an applicant’s military records. As this article from We Are The Mighty explains, “What Happens When a Tragedy Destroys Military Records?” even after 45 years, the loss of over 16 million records has far reaching effects.
A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 12, 1973, destroyed approximately 16–18 million Official Military Personnel Files. (National Archives photo)(National Archives photo)Preservation staff must restore and preserve documents nearly destroyed in a fire at the National Personnel Records Center staff in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 12, 1973 .
