July 12, 1973 Fire destroys the 6th floor of the National Personnel Records Center

[Sherman A1]

On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF).

Shortly after midnight, on July 12, 1973, a fire was reported at the NPRC's military personnel records building at 9700 Page Boulevard in St. Louis, MO. Firefighters arrived on the scene only 4 minutes and 20 seconds after the first alarm sounded and entered the building. While they were able to reach the burning sixth floor, the heat and the smoke forced the firefighters to withdraw at 3:15am. In order to combat and contain the flames, firefighters were forced to pour great quantities of water onto the exterior of the building and inside through broken windows. The fire burned out of control for 22 hours; it took two days before firefighters were able to re-enter the building. The blaze was so intense that local Overland residents had to remain indoors, due to the heavy acrid smoke. It was not until July 16, nearly four and a half days after the first reports, that the local fire department called the fire officially out.

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

[kdmorris]

1. That is just so sad

From a genealogist's point of view, that is a tragedy. I don't think I personally lost any records on my ancestors, but to lose that great of a body of work just makes me want to cry for everyone else.

[Sherman A1]

2. Indeed it is.

In some cases they have been able to rebuild the records, but in far too many the records are all but lost.

When I was a teen. The NPRC was along the route to my then girlfriends home and the glow of the fire was visible from her place. At times it looked like a sunrise in the darkness.

[pipi_k]

3. It was terribly sad...

Five years after my dad passed away, I got into doing the family tree. I wanted information on my dad's military service during WWII.

Specifically to see if he had been involved in the Battle of the Bulge, since he spent some time in Belgium.

Wrote to the military records place and received a letter back saying there had been a fire...

It was something he didn't talk about much when he was alive. I was hoping to get some info after he passed.

[kestrel91316]

4. I think the records of my grandfather's WWII service were lost in that fire.

But I have the letters he and my grandmother exchanged when he was serving, which is probably more awesome.