Why Can't I Find That?
The 1973 NPRC Fire
One thing guaranteed when working on your family history is hitting a brick wall. Sometimes, that wall is due to being a new family history researcher, but other times, the information is not accessible.
While it is always important to remember that only around 30% of records have been digitized and are available online, it’s equally vital to understand that other records have been lost over time. This is why I am here, writing another post titled, Why Can’t I Find That?
In the past, I have discussed the 1800 War Department Fire, that destroyed the war records of early America, and the 1890 Census fire, which took place on January 10, 1921, and left a twenty-year gap in census information. Today, let’s dive into the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
To get started, here is my best impression of Sophia Petrillo from the Golden Girls. Picture it: St. Louis, Missouri, July 12, 1973. It’s a warm 67 degrees outside, with winds at around 6 mph, and the time is midnight. The sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), where official military personnel records spanning several decades are kept, is pretty much deserted, and the lights are dark.
Bam! A fire sparks.
No one is certain how the fire broke out. Initially, investigators suspected arson, then they interviewed a janitor who admitted to smoking on the 6th floor. The possibility of faulty electrical wiring was also considered, but ultimately, no one knows for sure how the devastating fire at the NPRC started.
Coming from the POV of a researcher, devastating isn’t the right word. Catastrophic feels more accurate.
This catastrophic event obliterated somewhere between 16 to 18 million official military personnel records from persons who served between 1912 and 1964. More specifically, it affected the records of U.S. Army veterans discharged between November 1, 1912, and January 1, 1960, and Air Force personnel with discharge dates between September 25, 1947, and January 1, 1964. To say the loss was monumental is fair, as these records held invaluable historical and genealogical data, creating profound challenges for researchers and family historians alike. But, we also need to remember that the fire destroyed much of the proof service members needed to receive the pension they earned during their service. A pension that was unobtainable without validation of military service.
It is important to note that the NPRC and other agencies have made efforts to support veterans by reconstructing records and advising on alternative documentation (as seen above).
Impact on Genealogical & Historical Research
Personally, I've found that the fire has created significant hurdles in my research. My interest in learning more about ancestors like my grand Uncle Frank, who landed at Normandy, or clients' relatives who served during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War has been hampered due to the absence of primary documents that often served as the backbone of my investigations.
So, if you find yourself pulling out your hair, thinking, "Why can't I find that?" This is why!
The lack of access to these records results in missing stories, unrecorded acts of courage, and a weakened understanding of military operations and the sacrifices made by the generations that came before us. These lost elements could help us flesh out our family trees, adding depth to our ancestors’ personalities and bringing their world to life in our family history stories.
For genealogists and family historians, the NPRC fire is akin to losing an entire chapter of family history. While our relatives were presented with copies of the documents surrounding their service in the military, most of those documents get passed along, tossed out, or hoarded by one relative who blatantly refuses to share with other family members. The NPRC records were a way around finicky relatives or accidental spring cleaning mistakes. We relied on those records to provide insights into an ancestors’ lives, revealing not only service details but also personal information such as family ties, places of residence, and career paths post-discharge.
If you are attempting to trace your lineage or confirm historical details, the missing documents from the 1973 NPRC fire leaves incredibly difficult to fill gaps, but please know that it’s not always impossible to find some information to shine a light on your relatives’ experiences.
Research Alternatives
Despite the challenges posed by the NPRC fire, alternative resources exist to circumvent the crispy, charred brick wall created in 1973. One valuable asset are state-run archives, which often maintain separate military and personal records collections. These archives can include state military rosters, enlistment records, and civilian documentation that may overlap with federal records.
Here are three of my favorite resources that are always worth trying:
Local public libraries
Genealogy societies
Historical societies
Each of these places are treasure troves of community-specific information that may offer insights into an individual's past. Moreover, unit histories and regimental records can offer context and details about an ancestor's service.
Finally, contacting veteran organizations or utilizing oral histories and personal narratives from family members or via the Library of Congress can sometimes fill in the missing details lost to the fire.
While you will be unable to fully replace the destroyed documents, these resources can help piece together fragments of history and genealogy that might otherwise remain lost.
Note: This does not mean you should not contact the NPRC about your ancestor. The people at the National Personnel Records Center have spent years finding alternative resources to help you learn more about your relatives who served between 1912 and 1964. If they have information about your relative, they will send you a copy for free.
Efforts to Bridge the Gaps
In the 51 years following the fire, various efforts have been implemented to reconstruct some of the lost data. NPRC initiated a "duty to document" by retrieving relevant information through auxiliary documents like pay vouchers or veteran's hospital records.
So remember! As you are working on your family history, and find yourself struggling to locate documentation of your ancestors service in the military, remember the 1973 NPRC fire. It is another tragic episode in archival history that will leaving you wondering, Why can’t I find that?