5 takeaways from AP’s reporting on a historic fire that destroyed millions of veterans’ records

By ALLEN G. BREED and RANDY HERSCHAFT
AP National Writer

Fifty years ago, millions of files were destroyed in a huge fire at the Military Personnel Records Center in suburban St. Louis.  The July 12, 1973, blaze consumed an estimated 16 to 18 million personnel files, the vast majority covering the period just before World War I through 1963. It is believed to be the largest loss of records in U.S. history related to a single catastrophic event. The loss of records has forced veterans and their families to fight for benefits, medals and recognition they’d earned. Some people believe it was an intentional attack meant to destroy specific records. Investigators zeroed in on a janitor’s carelessly discarded cigarette, but no official cause was ever determined.