Fifty years ago, millions of official veteran records were destroyed in a massive fire at the Military Personnel Records Center in suburban St. Louis.
The fire of July 12, 1973 consumed an estimated 16-18 million personal records, the vast majority covering the period just before World War I through 1963. It is thought to be the greatest loss of records of United States history tied to a single catastrophic event. .
The loss of records forced veterans and their families to fight for the benefits, medals and recognition they had earned.
Here are the key takeaways from the AP reporting, including interviews with several guards who were there the day of the fire:
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE DAY OF THE FIRE?
Shortly after midnight, a passing motorcyclist noticed smoke coming from an upper floor and alerted guards. The fire quickly spread to the sixth floor, with water and smoke damaging recordings on the floors below. It took firefighters from more than 40 departments approximately four days to extinguish the blaze.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT ON VETERANS AFFAIRS?
The Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) documents housed at the center chronicle nearly every facet of a person’s service, including dates, rank, positions, medals, and injuries. Veterans can use this information to obtain medical care, insurance, loans, job training, and other valuable government benefits.
WHAT WERE THE THEORIES CONSIDERED IN TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE?
There have been about a dozen fires at the center over the previous two and a half years, including several suspected arson attacks. FBI agents analyzed numerous clues, including that an employee of Asian or radical “left” origin had set the fire. Officers also questioned workers about their feelings about the ongoing Vietnam War.
WHAT WAS THE FINAL DETERMINATION ON THE CAUSE? DOES EVERYBODY BELIEVE IT?
A janitor admitted to officers that he had smoked a cigarette on the sixth floor about an hour before the fire was discovered and may have accidentally caused the fire. A federal grand jury declined to commit an indictment, and the government concluded that an exact cause could not be determined. But there are those, including former sixth-floor janitor Bill Elmore, who suspect the fire was started intentionally.
WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO HELP VETERANS AND FAMILIES WHO TRY TO FIND RECORDS?
Approximately 6.5 million heavily damaged files have been recovered and indexed; they are stored under controlled climatic conditions to prevent further deterioration. If a veteran, family member, or researcher requests one of these “B” or “burnt” records, center staff have a variety of tools to extract information. If someone asks for a lost case, staff look to other sources, such as unit lists. and payroll records – to partially reconstruct the veteran’s file. Center director Scott Levins says about 5.5 million lost files have been reconstructed to date.