Lost medical records

[Mtro]

I was discharged in 1975 from CampPendleton 1stMarDiv. I have recently sought disability due to a knee replacement that is service connected. Although was unable to complete the claim because my military medical records cannot be found. Tried contacting the unit I was discharged from and also the hospital that I was treated at. No one can find anything. Could someone provide any direction or ideas? The only thing that can be found is my entrance physical. 

Thank you

[Berta]

" I have recently sought disability due to a knee replacement that is service connected. "

When VA service connected the knee , they had those records-

SMRs and military Personnel records can be requested here with the on line SF 180

https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/medical-records.html

Also the records might have been retired to St Louis- the  above site has more info on how to obtain them from St. Louis-

 

[Dha]

1 hour ago, Berta said:

" I have recently sought disability due to a knee replacement that is service connected. "

When VA service connected the knee , they had those records-

SMRs and military Personnel records can be requested here with the on line SF 180

https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/medical-records.html

Also the records might have been retired to St Louis- the  above site has more info on how to obtain them from St. Louis-

 

Berta- this post is from my stepfather. He filed a claim years ago in an attempt to service connect the knee since the knee problem was documented in his medical records. However, was told that the only records the VA could locate were his entrance physical. They have checked with St. Louis and the unit he was discharged from and no one has the records. We aren’t sure what other avenues there are for finding lost records other than the archives.

[DLLBoatwright]

when anyone finds out please post it here, because I've been trying to locate my records since 2014.

 

 

[Berta]

In this case, the veteran's SMRs were lost BUT his military Personnel file revealed evidence of an accident he had while in service:

https://www.va.gov/vetapp17/files1/1702951.txt

Have you requested his Personnel file from NARA? and St Louis?

Does he have his DD 214?

Many vets ,whose SMRs have been lost, have supported their claims with Buddy Statements.

A Buddy statement is an eye witness account from someone in the same Unit ,same time and place, who witnessed any event, accident, or symptoms of what could become the basis for a valid claim.

The buddy should give as many details as possible, as to date, and place  and make sure the VA has their unit and service info as well as their contact info.

They should get their signature notarized on the statement.

Just about every single military unit has at least one web site- often with reunion lists and contacts and some have 'looking for' areas..

I just re -read the post from Dha:

"However, was told that the only records the VA could locate were his entrance physical. They have checked with St. Louis and the unit he was discharged from and no one has the records."

I changed my suggestion- I know how "They" are- he needs to contact NARA himself as well as  St Louis-

and ask for both his SMRs and his inservice personnel file on the on line SF 180.

I had a vet who VA told his military records were burned in the St Louis fire.He was not even in the Military yet when the fire occurred.He got them himself with a SF 180.

I had another vet whose rep wanted me to help - The rep handed me a few SMRs VA had sent him and VA said the rest were in the St Louis fire. The few SMRs had no water marks or charred areas on them. I was with the local fire dept for many years- Firemen do not go into a blazing fire ( the St Louis Fire was massive), and be able to recover only a few paper documents-here and there.

I gave the vet a SF 180 and he got his entire military records himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Berta]

To add- he needs to google his unit- the entire designation such as this:

My husband was Ist MARDIV, 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion, (Vietnam 65-66.)

This is one of their sites:

https://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=PublicUnitProfile&type=Unit&ID=12814

However it was 3rd MARDIV when he joined until Adm. Zumwalt changed it to 1stMARDIV.

Mil.com has a unit finder buddy page as well.

https://www.military.com/unitpages

 

Edited December 4, 2018 by Berta

[Buck52]

Does your step father remember the unit he was in?

some units in Vietnam no longer exist after the fall of saigon 1975

 From  Around or about close to 1971 -75  At that time I believe early 1971  President Nixon ordered a Phase Down II Troop with drawl  and started letting the troops leave, some certain units through out Vietnam were leaving  and during all this mess his records could have got lost, the unit I was with no longer exist but the records should have been sent to the military records division(not St Louis)  where that is is anyone guess?my unit was one of those.1969-71 when i was there.

  Then they send the records to NRPC in St Louis Mo .

 I had a St Louis Records Mananger tell me some records were sent to Ft Knox Ky, he mention for me to call the post  & ask for Records Dept and give them my S.S.#..I Did but nothing showed up.

Now getting back to that place Vietnam sends the records to that PLACE  no one knows the locations...I believe some of them  they are sent to that Veterans home state and recorded/copy and put in the state capitol archives records Dept..I got some from my State Capitol , The VA is suppose to check this and all places where the records could have ended up.

However this is not only for Vietnam

My unit in Germany moved out and its not there anymore...they may be some where else now but last time I check  my unit left  it was 517th Heavy Equipment Tompkins Barracks  in Schwertzigen Germany I was there 71-72

I was luckly I got home with some records and in-country travel orders through out  Vietnam, my name and SS # MY UNIT AND COMMANDING OFFICER was on those travel orders, and in some issues with my claim I had to give dates and locations to the best of my memory of the some things they wanted to know when I was working my claim...I did  & they checked them out and found it all to be true

If your step father can remember the place he was at  and the dates that will help them  they can check it out  and if they find it all to be true  then they will accept his lay statements.

Edited December 4, 2018 by Buck52