See Also:
- Links to other Vietnam War Resources on the NARA web site
Records of U.S. Military Casualties, Missing in Action, and Prisoners of War from the Era of the Vietnam War
Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division Reference Report
IntroductionRecord Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam War
- Records of Deceased, Wounded, Ill, or Injured Army Personnel, Including Dependents and Civilian Employees
- Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam War
Contact Us
Introduction
This reference report provides an overview of the electronic data records in the custody of the Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division that relate to U.S. military casualties, missing in action, and prisoners of war from the Vietnam War era. Those series and file units accessible online through the
Access to Archival Databases (AAD) resource
(www.archives.gov/aad) have an AAD logo
next to them. As computerized data files, the records are also available on removable media for a cost-recovery fee.
For more information see:
Ordering Information for Electronic Records.
Full descriptions of the series are in NARA's Archival Research Catalog (ARC), which can be searched by title, ARC identification number (ARC ID), type of archival material, or keyword.
Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Records on Military Personnel Who Died, Were Missing in Action or Prisoners of War as a Result of the Vietnam War
ARC ID: 306742
This series contains records of U.S. military officers and soldiers who died as a result of either hostile or non-hostile occurrence or who were missing in action or prisoners of war in the Southeast Asian combat area during the Vietnam War, including casualties that occurred in Cambodia, China, Laos, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Thailand. The dates of death range from 1956 to 1998 (the most recent release of the records). This series consists of:
- Combat Area Casualties Current Files (CACCF)
Technical Documentation: 58 pages, also available through
The files contain final records of deceased casualties. Unless otherwise requested or noted, NARA uses the most recent CACCF transferred to NARA for reference purposes. Currently this is the December 1998 release of the file. In addition to the general modes of access mentioned above, the Division has prepared state extract lists from the November 1997 release of the CACCF and makes the state lists available online for printing. The state lists are sorted either alphabetically by last name of casualty or by 'home of record.' Also, the Division has prepared a Reference Report on Statistical Information About Casualties of the Vietnam War, which contains statistics based on selected data fields in CACCF. - Combat Area Casualties History Files (CACHF)
Technical Documentation: 57 pages
The files contain non-final records for some of the casualties for whom there is a final record in either the Combat Area Casualties Current File or the Combat Area Casualties Returned Alive File. - Combat Area Casualties Returned Alive File (CACRAF)
Technical Documentation: 53 pages, also available through
This file contains final records for U.S. military personnel who returned alive after having been held prisoner or missing in action. Since these records concern individuals who presumably are still alive, NARA masks some data elements before releasing the records to the public.
- Combat Area Casualties Current Files (CACCF)
Record Group 407: Records of the Adjutant General's Office
- Records of Deceased, Wounded, Ill, or Injured Army Personnel, Including Dependents and Civilian Employees
ARC ID: 641697
Technical Documentation: 22 pages
This series contains information about U.S. Army personnel and their dependents who died or were injured worldwide, including missing in action and prisoners of war, between 1961 and 1981. NARA makes a public use version of the file available. In addition, individual records of Army personnel who were wounded will be provided in full to the named individual upon receipt of a written request and appropriate identification. NARA provides this service free of charge.
Collection COFF: Richard Coffelt, Richard Arnold, and David Argabright Collection
- Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam War
ARC ID: 571687
Technical Documentation: 12 pagesThis series contains military unit information on U.S. military officers and soldiers who died as a result of either a hostile or non-hostile occurrence, including while missing in action or while prisoner of war, in the Southeast Asian combat area during the Vietnam War.
Related Information
NARA Reference Information Paper 90, Records Relating to American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from the Vietnam War Era, 1960-1994
Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division Reference Report, Records Relating to the [Vietnam War] Operations Analysis (OPSANAL) System
Theodore J. Hull, "Electronic Records of Korean and Vietnam War Casualties," Prologue (Spring 2000).
Contact Us
Reference Services
Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division (NWME)
National Archives at College Park
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001
(301) 837-0470
e-mail: cer@nara.gov
November 2005
Electronic and Special Media Records Main Page
