United States, Casualties of the Vietnam War, 1956-1998
This index consists of two files, the Combat Area Casualities Current File, 6/8/1956-1/21/1998 and the Combat Area Casualties Returned Alive File, 5/1/1962-3/22/1979 to Vietnam War dead, missing and prisoners of war occurring in Cambodia, China, Laos, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Thailand. The files were acquired from the National Archives "Access to Archival Databases" (AAD). The records are from Record Group 330 Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The event date is either date of death or declared dead from the current file or date released or returned from the returned alive file. Additional information about this collection may be found on the National Archives website. In August of 2013, the National Archives replaced the ARC – Archival Research Catalog - with the OPA – Online Public Access. ARC identifiers will still work to access the collections in OPA.
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United States, Casualties of the Vietnam War
What is in This Collection?
This index consists of two files:
The files were created by the Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Service, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, Statistical Information Analysis Division. They served as the official repository for records on US military casualties in the Southeast Asian combat areas (Cambodia, China, Laos, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Thailand) occurring during the Vietnam War. Included within casualties were the following:
- Vietnam War dead
- Missing in action
- Prisoners of war
The files were acquired from the National Archives "Access to Archival Databases" the records are from Record Group 330 Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. [AAD Series Description] See also ARC Identifier 306742.
To locate the "Access to Archival Databases" go the National Archives website at www.archives.gov, from the home page under "Resources” click “ A-Z Index" on the “Subject Index” page, under the letter alphabet, click on “AAD (Access to Archival Databases)” The military indexes should be found under “Wars/International Relations.”
The event date is either date of death or declared dead from the current file or date released or returned alive from the returned alive file. Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
Related National Archives Collections
- State-Level Lists of Fatal Casualties of the Korean War (6/28/1950 - 3/10/1954) and the Vietnam War (6/8/1956 - 5/28/2006)
- A Finding Aid to Records Relating to American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from the Vietnam War Era, 1960-1994. Reference Information Paper 90
- Theodore J. Hull. Electronic Records of Korean and Vietnam Conflict Casualties Prologue 32 #1 (Spring 2000)
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Date of death or repatriation (return or restoration to one’s own country)
- Home state and city of record (if known)
- Social Security or Service number
- Religious affiliation
- Marital status
Collection Content
Sample of indexed information.
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Collection Details
Location of Original Records
National Archives and Records Administration
"United States, Casualties of the Vietnam War, 1956-1998." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 23 April 2025. Citing NARA NAID 306742. National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
