Sources for Records of Atomic Veterans


The VA was recently fined $115,000 for the destruction of records which they were ordered to produce as evidence in a Federal Court case filed by Atomic Veterans.

Some records have been destroyed in a" 1973 fire at St. Louis, MO", but some additional records have been found at other locations so try again.

TO REQUEST MILITARY RECORDS:    includes info to get Form 180.

Your initial request for records should begin with the Form 180 request.
Most of the following addresses are provided to search for additional records beyond those provided by a "standard" Form 180 request.

When requesting records always state that this is a "Freedom of Information Act" request. Give no more information than Name, Rank, Serial number or Social Security Number, Home Address at enlistment, Years in Service (to & from), Branch of Service, & Location of exposure. Ask for "any and all records, to include, but not limited to...(your list)."

(All military and medical records, unit rosters, Navy muster rosters, unit and flight orders ,ship movements, travel orders, morning reports, 201 master query files, medals and commendations, radiation exposure records and anything you can think of.)

The first two record sources, Bechtel NV and the DTRA/NTPR, are the most current sources used today to obtain statements of participation and radiation exposure. If these do not provide the information you are seeking, contact your Senator for assistance. If this attempt is not productive, then follow-up with requests to the additional addresses listed.

Bechtel Nevada:

Some records previously believed to have been destroyed in the '73 fire are now available from Las Vegas. Bechtel NV is the repository for the majority of nuclear test dosimetry records and is under contract with the DOE (Dept. Of Energy). Records for the Nevada and Pacific test participants are included. If you have trouble getting records from this source contact your Senator.

There are 3 forms involved:

1. Form NV-192 (Request Form for radiation exposure history and the Privacy Act.)

(The 2 following forms are their forms on which the information is recorded.)

     2. Form for Radiation Film Badge Issue & Processing Results--Personnel

     3. Form for Radiation Film Badge Issue & Processing Results--Equipment

Request, fill out and return Form NV-192 with a request for your personnel and equipment information which is found on the forms 1 and 2 (as listed) which are on file at Las Vegas.

Write a separate letter (& include with form) requesting the personnel and equipment information from the forms 1 & 2. They do not honor a notation on Form NV-192.

Request Form NV-192 and information from:
Coordination and Information Center (CIC)
Bechtel Nevada
Mail Stop 548 Bldg. B1
PO Box 98521
North Las Vegas, NV 89193-8521
Phone (702) 295-1628
Fax: (702) 295-1624 E-mail: cic@nv.doe.gov

(Repeat the same request to the Department of Energy)

Request Form NV-192 and information from:

Department of Energy (DOE)
Nevada Operations Office
PO Box 98518
Las Vegas, NV 89183
Attn: Janet L. Fogg, M/S 505
Phone: (702) 295-1821

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Nuclear Test Personnel Review office provides information concerning the tests that veterans participated in and the levels of radiation received, provided from Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Alamos, NM

Don't be surprised or convinced by the misinformation included with the report regarding the safety of radiation and the measures taken to protect participants, or the minor levels of participant's radiation exposure. Additional information regarding the accuracy and methods used to reconstruct radiation dose levels can be found in Mr. Brady's address to the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee.

DTRA/NTPR
Headquarters, Defense Nuclear Agency
6801 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22310-3398
Att: Commander M.J. Ely
1-800-226-7893 or 1-800-462-3683

Toll free number set-up by the DOD to gather and dispense radiation exposure info. You be the judge, some veterans call this the "no help line".

Veteran's Helpline
1-800-827-0365
Records of radiation exposure from 1945 to 1962

This is the source generally related to Standard Form 180, available from and used by Veteran Service Officers.
(This center claims to provide morning reports and unit rosters.)
( Don't limit your request to just these records.)

National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
(314) 538-7177

Los Alamos National Laboratories Historical Archives
Mail Stop C-322
Los Alamos, NM 87545
Phone: (505) 667-3809

Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co. Inc.
Radiological Evaluation Section
P.O. Box 98521
Las Vegas, NV 89193

National Archives and Records Administration
Modern Military Records
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001

US Army Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry Center
Repository Section
Lexington-Blue Grass Army Depot
Lexington, KY 40511-5102
(606) 293-3249

US Army Center (Information concerning battles & engagements)
103 3rd Avenue
Fort Lesley J. Mc Nair
Washington, DC 20319-5058

US Army Military History Institute
Carlisle Barracks, PA 17013-5008

(USAAF & USAF unit histories and accompanying issues and reports)

US Air Force Historical Research Agency
600 Chenault Circle
Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6424

Department of the Air Force
Armstrong Laboratory (AFMC)
2402 E Drive
Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5114

Department of the Air Force
USAF Occupational Health Laboratory (AFSC)
Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5501

Air Personnel Center (history and action)
Randolph Field, TX

Office of the Air Force History
Bolling AFB, Washington DC

The Marine Corps Historical Center
Archives Section, Bldg 58
Washington Navy Yard
Washington, D.C. 20374
Phone: (202) 433-3483

Navy Dosimetry Center
NEHC Detachment
Bethesda, MD 20889-5614
(301) 295-5422


If all else fails check this site. Don't bypass it because it is basically Vietnam Vet and Navy oriented (a vet is a vet & info is info). It lists additional resources and instructions for requesting records.

It also directs you to "Military Locator Sites". Since your request may pass through Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) hands be careful in your correspondence regarding your "reasons" for wanting to locate another individual. http://grunt.space.swri.edu/records.htm

For anyone dealing with a claim and especially anyone contemplating the filing of a claim , "Advice for Dealing with the VA Claim System" may be found at: http://www.orbiter.com/ramrod/advice.html   (Also included are a list of attorneys.)

If anyone has additional addresses or can comment on their success or failures with these,
please contact webmaster

HOME