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March 12, 1992

During a recent visit to the Center for Electronic Records, Lydia
requested that I prepare a brief item for subscribers to VWAR-L
describing the Vietnam casualty information in our holdings.  The
following describes these records.

[SOUTHEAST ASIA] COMBAT AREA CASUALTIES CURRENT FILE, 1957-1989

Computerized records on casualties from the Vietnam conflict have
been transferred to the National Archives from the Office of the
Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330).  One of the databases in
the collection of the Center for Electronic Records is known as
the [Southeast Asia] Combat Area Casualties Current File (CACCF),
1957-1989.  This file includes final records for persons who died
as a result of a hostile or non-hostile occurrence in the
Southeast Asia Combat Area, including those who died while
missing or captured.  There are records for 58,152 personnel.

Records in the current file (CACCF) are an extract from a larger
data base known as the Combat Area Casualties File (CACF, also
known as Combat Area Casualties Data Base (CACDB); CACDB is the
original designation for the project (see DoD Directive 7730.22,
March 20, 1973)).  The CACF contains final and non-final records
for those who died or were declared dead and records for those
returned alive to military control.  The Center received 10
transfers of the CACF between August 1980 and May 1986.
Beginning in June 1988, DoD began transferring separate Current
(final records), History (non-final records), and Returned Alive
files.  The most recent version of data from the CACF in our
custody is from October 1989.  We recently received an update
through October 1991, which should be available in the next few
months.

The Special Projects Division of the Directorate for Information,
Operations, and Research; Washington Headquarters Services;
Office of the Secretary of Defense inputs casualty records into
the CACCF on the basis of a formal Report of Casualty (DD Form
1300).  The DD Form 1300 originates with the casualty office of
the branch of service of the deceased serviceman or woman.  Each
branch of service forwards information from the Report of
Casualty to OSD for input into the CACCF database.  The DIOR now
provides the names of the U.S. military personnel who died as a
result of the conflict in Southeast Asia to the National Park
Service, National Capital Parks-Central (ATTN: Arnold Goldstein,
900 Ohio Drive, SW, Washington, DC  20242) who maintain the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, a
private organization, publishes the Directory of Names.  A copy
of the Directory may be obtained from Guest Services, Inc., ATTN:
Vietnam Veterans Affairs, 3055 Prosperity Avenue, Fairfax, VA
22031.

The Center for Electronic Records provides access to the CACCF
records in four ways; 1) state extract lists, 2) full printouts
of all records, 3) copies of the electronic data file on magnetic
tape, and 4) information about individual casualties.  We can
provide a formatted extract of data for casualties from any state
or territory of the United States.  The state lists can be
obtained sorted either alphabetically by last name of casualty or
by 'home of record.'   Lists are available for $4.50 per state
list, with a minimum mail order charge of $6.00.

Full printouts of the CACCF are available sorted by any of up to
three variables contained in the data file.  Therefore, for
example, one may obtain a printout sorted first by branch of
service, second by rank, and finally by date of casualty.  Full
printouts of the CACCF are available for $48.

Third, the CACCF may be ordered as an electronic data file
available on 9-track computer magnetic tape.  A copy of the file
may be provided at 1600 or 6250 bpi, EBCDIC-OS labelled or
EBCDIC-Unlabelled or ASCII-Unlabelled, and at any block size up
to 32,760 characters.  A tape copy is available for $90 with a
copy of the associated documentation available for $6.25 (25
pages @.25 per page).

Finally, for those interested in the records of specific
identifiable persons who may have died as a result of the
conflict in Southeast Asia, we will provide information from
those records to interested parties.  We provide this service
free of charge, but ask that researchers limit requests for
information to three casualties per individual request.

The following is a list of data elements, or variables, contained
in the CACCF:

    COMBAT AREA CASUALTIES CURRENT FILE, 1957-89 (CACCF)

Military Service, Country of Casualty, Type of Casualty,
Reference Number, Name, Date record processed, Social Security
or Service Number, Military Grade, Pay Grade, Date of Death
(MM/DD/YY), Home of Record - City/Town, Home of Record - State,
Service Occupational Code, Date of Birth, Reason, Aircraft or
Not Aircraft, Race, Religion, Length of Service in Years,
Marital Status, Sex, Citizen Code, Posthumous Promotion, Date
Tour in South East Asia Began (YY/MM/DD), Last Record Code (all
final records), Body Recovered or Not Recovered, Age at Time of
Casualty, Component, Province, and a Comments Field.

[U.S. ARMY] CASUALTY INFORMATION SYSTEM, 1961-1981

The Center for Electronic Records also has custody of a database
that was transferred to the National Archives from the [U.S.
Army] Adjutant General's Center (TAGCEN, Record Group 407).  The
database was intended to incorporate information on casualties
(deaths and wounds) suffered by U.S. Army personnel and their
dependents, worldwide, during the period 1961-81.  There are
293,858 records, including some duplicates.  The records of
wounded casualties are not considered complete.

The Center has generated printouts for reference use of TAGCEN
containing the records of deceased active-duty U.S. Army
personnel.  A copy of a public use extract of the electronic data
file is available,  for $90 with a copy of the associated
documentation available for $5.50 (22 pages @.25 per page).  In
it, the names and service/Social Security numbers of non-deceased
personnel have been masked.  We also provide information about
individual Army casualties from these records to interested
parties.  Information from records of the nondeceased is provided
only to the named individuals.  We do not produce full printouts
or formatted state lists from TAGCEN.  The following is a list of
data elements in the reference printouts of TAGCEN:

             Casualty Information System (TAGCEN), 1961-1981

Country of Casualty, Category of Casualty, Social Security or
Service Number, Name, Category of Personnel, Grade, Military
Classification, Current Casualty Status, Previous Casualty
Status, Major Attributing Cause,  Complimentary Cause, Vehicle
Type Involved, Vehicle Position, Vehicle Ownership, Date of
Casualty (YY/MM/DD), Date Report Processed (YY/MM/DD), Province,
Grid Coordinates, Component, Military Occupational Specialty,
Officer Branch, Source of Commission, Sex and Marital Status,
Race, Religion, Home Place of Record, Home State of Record, Date
of Birth, Major Organization, Date Tour Commenced, Previous
Casualty Country/Group

For more information on these records, information about a
specific casualty, or general information about our holdings,
please contact us directly at TIF@NIHCU.BITNET or the Center for
Electronic Records (NNX), Reference Services Staff, National
Archives, Washington, DC  20408.  Our reference room is located
in room 18E, National Archives main building and is open from
8:45 to 5:15, Monday through Friday.  Copies of these records are
available in the reference room for use by the general public.
The telephone number is (202) 501-5579.

Ted Hull
Archives Specialist, Archival Services Branch
Center for Electronic Records
National Archives
(202) 501-5579