Archival Research Catalog (ARC)
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Historical Documents Online: Search Hints for Selected Topics

Military: Vietnam War

Selected Vietnam War Records in ARC

For information on other Vietnam War sources at the National Archives, please see:

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  • Special Reports, 1953 - 1982
    1,348 documents from the United States Information Agency on the Vietnam War and on the impact of race relations in the U.S. on American foreign policy. These materials are held by NARA's Civilian Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 1,348 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Special Reports AND Information Agency in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link for Special Reports, 1953 - 1982.
    8. Scroll down to the part of the description that says Includes 1,348 items. Click on that link to view the hit list for all items.

    From the Collection:

    Reaction to U.S. Peace Moves in Vietnam, 1968
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    ARC Identifier: 304302, Title: "Reaction to U.S. Peace Moves in Vietnam, 1968"

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  • Daily Journals, April 01, 1963 - August 11, 1972
    A 20 page Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Assistant Chief for Operations MACJ3 report from 21 February 1968. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 20 multi-page digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log, 21 February 1968, 02/21/1968 in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link Military Assistance Command--Vietnam, J3, Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log, 21 February 1968, 02/21/1968.

    From the Collection:

    Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log, 21 February 1968
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    ARC Identifier: 305364, Title: "Military Assistance Command--Vietnam, J3, Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log, 21 February 1968, 02/21/1968"

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  • Daily Journals, December 16, 1967 - February 26, 1972
    A 17 page Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, 2/501st Infantry, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (S-3), Daily Journal report. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records(College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 17 page digitized document:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log, 21 February 1968
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    ARC Identifier: 305328, Title: "Daily Staff Journal or Duty Officer's Log, 21 February 1968, 02/21/1968"

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  • Medal of Honor Awards Case Files, 1964 - ca. 1972
    9 documents from the Congressional Medal of Honor case file for Clifford Sims. 11 Documents have been digitized from the Congressional Medal of Honor case file for Joe Hooper. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 19 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Clifford Sims or Joe Hooper in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Draft of Citation for Congressional Medal of Honor to be Awarded to Clifford C. Sims
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    ARC Identifier: 305382, Title: "Draft of Citation for Congressional Medal of Honor to be Awarded to Clifford C. Sims, Staff Sergeant, Company D, Second Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, for actions at the Battle of Hue, 21 February 1968, ca. 03/12/1968"

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  • Photographic Evaluation Reports, January 1963 - January 1972
    A multi-page Central Intelligence Agency report, Mission 1106, and Report on Photo Interpretability of SO-121 (Color) Film Type from Mission 1106 have been digitized. These materials are held by NARA's Cartographic and Architectural Records (Washington, DC).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Mission 1106 in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Photographic Evaluation Report, Mission 1106, and Report on Photo Interpretability of SO-121, 1969
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    ARC Identifier: 305941, Title: "Photographic Evaluation Report, Mission 1106, and Report on Photo Interpretability of SO-121 (Color) Film Type from Mission 1106, 06/1969"

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  • KH-4A Camera System Manual, January 1963 - January 1972
    1 multi-page Central Intelligence Agency report, the KH-4 Camera System. These materials are held by NARA's Cartographic and Architectural Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 1 multi-page digitized document:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter KH-4A Camera System in curly braces in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    KH-4A Camera System Manual, March 1967
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    ARC Identifier: 305928, Title: "KH-4A Camera System Manual, 03/1967"

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  • Operational Reports-Lessons Learned (ORLLS), 1965 - 1971
    A 13 page After Action Report for the Battle of Hue, 2-26 February 1968. The report was kept by the Command Historian of the United States Army, Vietnam of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 13 page digitized document:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter After Action Report Battle of Hue in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    After Action Report
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    ARC Identifier: 305397, Title: After Action Report, "The Battle of Hue, 2-26 February 1968", 03/10/1968

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  • Electronic Records of the Combat Area Casualties File (CACF), 1967 - 1997
    2 documents have been digitized from the Combat Area Casualties Current File (CACCF) and the Documentation for the Combat Area Casualties Returned Alive File CACRAF have been digitized. The combined Combat Area Casualties File (CACF) database contains records on U.S. military personnel who were casualties in Cambodia, China, Laos, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, or Thailand during the conflict in Southeast Asia, also known as the Vietnam War or Vietnam War. For purposes of the (CACF), casualties were U.S. military personnel who died from any cause or who were missing in action (MIA) or prisoners of war (POW). Final records for each MIA or POW document whether he returned alive to military control or was declared dead. The Office of the Secretary of Defense began transferring separate files, known as "Current File" CACCF, final records - deceased personnel, "History File" CACHF, non-final records and "Returned Alive File" CACRAF, final records - personnel who returned alive, beginning in 1988. The (CACF) is a dynamic data base; OSD transfers an annual update of the CACF to NARA. Please note that the data files are not available online. These materials are held by NARA's Center for Electronic Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 2 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Combat Area Casualties in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Documentation for the Combat Area Casualties Current File (CACCF)
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    ARC Identifier: 306743, Title: "Documentation for the Combat Area Casualties Current File (CACCF), as of November 1995 and as of November 1996, 1957 - 1995"

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  • Selected Documents Relating to the Vietnam War
    Select documents relating to the conflict in Vietnam have been digitized. The digitized documents include a letter from Ho Chi Minh to President Harry S. Truman; selections from after action and command reports; search and rescue log entries describing rescue of downed Air Force pilot; the MACV SEER report on the "System for Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces"; the Combined Military Interrogation Center interrogation of Viet Cong who infiltrated the United States Embassy during Tet 1968; selections from daily journals and general records; herbicide operations plans; and the Presidential Unit Citation for Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Cavalry. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Vietnam in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Select the Location filter marked Modern Military Records.
    8. Press the Go button.
    9. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Search and rescue log entries describing rescue of downed Air Force pilot
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    ARC Identifier: 305274, Title: "Search and rescue log entries describing rescue of downed Air Force pilot., 03/23/1966 - 03/24/1966"

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  • Selected Photographs of the Vietnam War
    89 photographs relating to the conflict in Vietnam have been digitized from the Still Picture Records collection. Included are some Signal Corps photographs of army activity; images from the "General Photographic File" of the U. S. Marine Corps: photographs of U. S. Air Force activities, facilities, and personnel: and images from the general Photographic file of the Department of the Navy. These photographs are held by NARA's Still Picture Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 89 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Vietnam in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Select the Location filter marked Still Pictures Records.
    8. Press the Go button.
    9. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Medical evacuation patients on the deck of the Amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli
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    ARC Identifier: 558511, Title: "South Vietnam - Medical evacuation patients on the deck of the Amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LPH-10) await transfer to the 22nd Casualty Station in Danang from which they will be sent to the States. Wounded Marines who cannot be returned to duty, or who require more than six days of hospital care are removed from the Tripoli and returned to the USA., 07/1967", Local Identifier: NWDNS-428-K-39785

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  • Selected Documents Relating to the Vietnam War, August 9, 1974 - January 20, 1977
    38 multi-page documents relating to the fall of Vietnam and subsequent events have been digitized. Included among the digitized documents are memorandums, letters, cables and minutes or meetings relating to foreign aid for South Vietnam; American prisoners of war and individuals missing in action; resettlement of refugees from Indochina; and diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Also included are documents relating to the evacuation of American nationals, television network employees, third country nationals, and South Vietnamese. These documents are held by the Gerald R. Ford Library (Ann Arbor, MI)

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 38 multi-page digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter President (1974-1977 : Ford) in curly braces AND Vietnam in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the box marked Descriptions of Archival Materials linked to digital copies
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

    Memorandum from General Fred C. Weyand
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    ARC Identifier: 186736, Title: "Memorandum from General Fred C. Weyand, Chief of Staff of the United States Army, to President Gerald R. Ford including textual and statistical reports and maps describing the situation in Vietnam., 04/04/1975"

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