The National Archives and Records Administration, (NARA), has multiple searchable records online. Finding out which items are available, and what information they contain, can be tricky. The following series of files covers the searchable databases available through NARA's Access to Archival Databases (AAD) System. Other searchable genealogical resources are available elsewhere on the NARA website. These will be covered in a future article. Information on accessing these titles is presented below the listing.
Title: Repatriated Korean Conflict Prisoners of War File, ca. 1978 - ca. 1980. Creator: Veterans Administration. Department of Veterans Benefits. DVB Administrative Service. System and Security Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 15: Records of the Veterans Administration.
Title: Files from the Federal Assistance Award Data System, 10/1/1981 - 9/30/2002. Creator: Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. Office of the Associate Director for Economic Programs. Governments Division. Office of the Assistant Division Chief for Evaluation and Information Systems. Federal Programs Branch. (1994 - ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census.
Title: Naval Bombardment File, 10/25/1966 - 4/5/1970. Creator: Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Program Planning Office. Center for Naval Analyses. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 38: Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Title: Records of Duty Locations for Naval Intelligence Personnel, 1942 - 1945. Creator: Department of the Navy.~. U.S. Naval Group China (1942 - ca. 1947). Level of Description: Series from Record Group 38: Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Title: Private Foundations Study Files, 1974 - 1995. Creator: Department of Treasury. Internal Revenue Service. Office of Compliance. Statistics of Income Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 58: Records of the Internal Revenue Service.
Title: World War II Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 6/1/2002 - 9/30/2002. Creator: National Archives and Records Administration. Office of Records Services - Washington, D.C. Modern Records Programs. Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration.
Title: Files from the Natural Landmarks System, 1/12/1982 - ca. 5/30/2002. Creator: Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Office of the Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship & Science. Natural Resource Information Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 79: Records of the National Park Service.
Title: Index to the Gorgas Hospital Mortuary Death Records, 1979 - 1991. Creator: Department of Defense. Department of the Army. U.S. Army South. U.S. Army Garrison--Panama. Directorate of Logistics. Transportation Division. Mortuary Affairs Section (1979-1991). Level of Description: Series from Record Group 185: Records of the Panama Canal.
Title: Homeless Assistance Management Information System (HAMIS) Application History Files, 1987 - 1994. Creator: Department of Housing and Urban Development. Office of Community Planning and Development. (1965 - ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 207: Records of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Title: Japanese-American Internee File, 1942 - 1946. Creator: Department of the Interior. War Relocation Authority. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 210: Records of the War Relocation Authority.
Title: Combat Naval Gunfire Support File, 3/1966 - 1/1973. Creator: Department of Defense. Joint Chiefs of Staff. J-3(Operations)Directorate. Data Processing Division (ca. 1964 - ca. 1975). Level of Description: Series from Record Group 218: Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Title: Situation Report Army Files, 7/31/1966 - 3/12/1973. Creator: Department of Defense. Joint Chiefs of Staff. J-3 (Operations) Directorate. (08/15/1958 - ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 218: Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Title: Southeast Asia Database of Air Sorties, 1/1970 - 6/1975. Creator: Department of Defense. Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. J-3 (Operations) Directorate. Information Systems Division (ca. 1975 - ca. 1979). Level of Description: Series from Record Group 218: Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Title: Civil War Sites Database, 1990 - 1993. Creator: Civil War Sites Advisory Commission. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 220: Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards.
Title: Index to the Black-and-White Photograph File, ca. 1958 - ca. 1991. Creator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Public Affairs Office. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 255: Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Title: Index to the Color Photograph File, ca. 1965 - ca. 1983. Creator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Public Affairs Office. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 255: Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Title: Major Collective Bargaining Settlements Public Use Files, ca. 1974 - ca. 1995. Creator: Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Office of Wages and Industrial Relations. Division of Labor Management Relations. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 257: Records of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: Work Stoppages Historical File, ca. 1953 - ca. 1981. Creator: Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Office of Wages and Industrial Relations. Division of Labor Management Relations. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 257: Records of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: Files from the Ownership Reporting System, 7/11/1978 - 3/12/2001. Creator: Securities and Exchange Commission. Division of Enforcement. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 266: Records of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Title: Files from the Proposed Sale of Securities System, 1/4/1972 - 9/29/2000. Creator: Securities and Exchange Commission. Office of Registration and Reports. Branch of Ownership Reports. (ca. 1962 - ca. 2000) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 266: Records of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Title: Individual Contract Action Report Files, 10/1/1978 - 9/30/1997. Creator: General Services Administration. Office of Management Services. Information Management Division. Federal Procurement Data Center. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 269: General Records of the General Services Administration.
Title: Korean War File of American Prisoners of War, ca. 1950 - ca. 1953. Creator: Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence. Collections and Dissemination Division. Intelligence Document Branch. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 319: Records of the Army Staff.
Title: Cambodian Incidents File, 6/30/1970 - 6/12/1974. Creator: Department of Defense. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Program Analysis and Evaluation. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Title: Combat Area Casualties Database, ca. 1967 - ca. 12/1998. Creator: Department of Defense. Washington Headquarters Services. Directorate for Information Operations and Reports. Statistical Information Analysis Division. (ca. 1997 - ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Title: Files from the Defense Contract Action Data System (DCADS), 7/1/1975 - 9/30/2002. Creator: Department of Defense. Washington Headquarters Services. Directorate for Information Operations and Reports. Statistical Information Analysis Division. (ca. 1997 - ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Title: International Balance of Payments Files, 3/5/1968 - 9/30/1985. Creator: Department of Defense. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Title: Korean Conflict Casualty File, 11/1976 - 11/1979. Creator: Office of the Secretary of Defense. Washington Headquarters Services. Directorate for Information Operations and Reports. (1977 - ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Title: Military Assistance Program Database, ca. 1950 - 2000. Creator: Department of Defense. Office of the Secretary of Defense. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Title: Military Prime Contract Files, 7/1/1965 - 6/30/1975. Creator: Department of Defense. Washington Headquarters Services. Directorate for Information Operations and Reports. Statistical Information Analysis Division. (ca. 1997- ) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Title: Files from the Combat Operations Losses and Expenditures Data - Vietnam, 7/1/1967 - 6/30/1970. Creator: Department of Defense. Department of the Army. U.S. Army Combat Developments Command. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 338: Records of the U.S. Army Commands, 1942- .
Title: Log of Intelligence Reports About Seized Grenadan Records, 11/22/1983 - 2/7/1985. Creator: Department of Defense. Defense Intelligence Agency. Office of the Assistant Deputy Director for Technical Services and Support. Central Reference Division. (ca. 1983 - ca. 1986) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 373: Records of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Title: Community Action Program Grant Master Files, 7/1/1964 - 9/30/1981. Creator: Office of Economic Opportunity. Office of the Controller. Finance and Grants Management Division. (ca. 1972 - 01/04/1975) Level of Description: Series from Record Group 381: Records of the Community Services Administration.
Title: Files from the Federal Assistance Award Data System, 10/1/1980 - 9/30/1981. Creator: Community Services Administration. Office of Management. Data Processing Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 381: Records of the Community Services Administration.
Title: World War II Prisoners of War File, ca. 1942 - ca. 1947. Creator: War Department. Adjutant General's Office. Machine Records Branch. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 389: Records of the Office of the Provost Marshal General.
Title: Data File from the Casualty Information System, 1/1961 - 12/1981. Creator: Department of Defense. Department of the Army. The Adjutant General Center. Casualty and Memorial Affairs Directorate. Casualty Services Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 407: Records of the Adjutant General's Office.
Title: Korean War Casualty File, ca. 1950 - ca. 1970. Creator: Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Adjutant General's Office. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 407: Records of the Adjutant General's Office.
Title: File of Funded Projects in Appalachia, 1965 - 2001. Creator: Appalachian Regional Commission. Finance and Information Service. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 414: Records of Regional Committees, Commissions, and Boards.
Title: Records About Wage Increases, 11/14/1971 - 4/30/1974. Creator: Cost of Living Council. Office of Wage Stabilization. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 432: Economic Stabilization Programs.
Title: Records of Awards and Decorations of Honor During the Vietnam Conflict, 10/1968 - 12/1972. Creator: Department of Defense. Pacific Command. U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam. Data Management Agency Level of Description: Series from Record Group 472: Records of the U. S. Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950-1975.
Title: Files from the Corporate Structure System, ca. 1991 - ca. 2000. Creator: Department of the Treasury. Office of Thrift Supervision. Supervisory Operations. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 483: Records of the Office of Thrift Supervision.
Title: Records with Corporate and Quarterly Financial Information on Thrift Institutions, 1984 - 1998. Creator: Department of the Treasury. Office of Thrift Supervision. Research and Analysis. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 483: Records of the Office of Thrift Supervision.
Title: Index to the Sites and Related Documentation in the Historic American Buildings Survey / Historic American Engineering Record Materials, ca. 1980 - 1997. Creator: Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Office of the Associate Director of Cultural Resource Stewardship and Partnerships. National Center for Cultural Resources, Stewardship, and Partnership Programs. Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record Division. Level of Description: Series from Record Group 515: Records of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)/Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) Division .
Title: Famine Irish Data Files, 1977 ? - 1989 ?. Creator: Temple University. The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. Center for Immigration Research. Level of Description: Series from Collection CIR: Center for Immigration Research Collection.
Title: Unit Information for Vietnam Casualties Database, ca. 1983 - 6/19/2002 Level of Description: Series from Collection COFF: Richard Coffelt, Richard Arnold, and David Argabright Collection.
Title: Index to the Microfilmed Records of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, 1981 - 1986. Creator: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Office of the High Commissioner. Office of Archives. Level of Description: Series from Collection TTP: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Collection
Accessing the Files
To start your research within any of these categories (series), go to the AAD main page:
Using AAD, first select a series of electronic records, then select a specific data file within a series, and search for pertinent records by entering unique values, such as personal names, dates, cities, and states. AAD displays the records that match the search criteria. You may then view the records, print the records, or copy the records to your own computer and save them as an electronic file.
For the databases that allow searches by surname, I recommend clicking on the link to the "People" series.
While you are at the website, be sure to click the link for the "What's New" at ADD. More databases are being added on a regular basis.