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Finding Aids
Radioactive Fallout

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

HEADQUARTERS
Washington, D.C.

The National Archives and Records Administration headquarters in Washington, D.C., contains substantial material on fallout from U.S. atmospheric nuclear testing. The repository holds both classified and unclassified military and civilian records on fallout and cleanup for both Pacific and continental testing. Security clearances are required from originating agencies for access to classified material.

The largest amount of material on fallout in the civilian files is in Record Group 359, records of the Office of Science and Technology including the papers of the Presidents' science advisors, which contains both classified and unclassified papers. Some records of the Office of Science and Technology from the Nixon administration are included in the papers of Edward T. David in the Nixon Presidential papers. These are available to researchers at the Nixon Presidential Materials Project.

Approximately 50 cubic feet of documents in Record Group 128, records of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, deal with fallout, nuclear weapons testing, Pacific tests, and the Nevada Test Site. The finding aid for this collection has been declassified. This collection is undergoing classification review and materials are being added to the unclassified portion of the record group as they are declassified. All documents in Record Group 128 which are less than 20 years old are not be available for review.

In October 1984 the National Archives received 116 cubic feet of records of the Argonne National Laboratory. Considerable material in the Argonne papers deals with radiation hazards from nuclear energy, including atomic bombs. These papers, beginning in 1940, contain classified documents and are in Record Group 77.

By 1988, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory had sent 79 cubic feet of DOE records (Record Group 326), including 45 feet of New York Operations Office records, to the National Archives. This group of records has been researched for the CIC. Since that date, an additional 47 boxes have been sent to the National Archives from Oak Ridge.

In 1984 the National Archives acquired papers of the Environmental Protection Agency, Record Group 412. In 1986 9-1/2 feet were added to RG 412. These entirely unclassified papers include some fallout information used by the Federal Radiation Council in setting radiation standards. There are also unclassified and classified papers on nuclear testing in Record Group 273, records of the National Security Council. These papers cover the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations (1947-1960) and only 20 feet is available to persons without the proper clearance. Record Group 412 has been reviewed by HAI researchers.

Military records at the National Archives contain substantial information on fallout and Pacific and continental testing. Unclassified material is available in Record Group 52, records of the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery; Record Group 77, records of the Manhattan Engineer District; and Record Group 80 and Record Group 428, general records of the U.S. Navy. Classified files with information on fallout and nuclear weapons testing include the following: Record Group 77; Record Group 218, records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1942-1962; Record Group 319, records of the Department of Army staff; Record Group 330, records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense; Record Group 341, records of the headquarters of the United States Air Force; and Record Group 374, records of the Defense Nuclear Agency. Approximately 1,000 pages from RG 341 were selected and copied for the CIC. Most military files contain Joint Task Force papers, but the most substantial amount of JTF material is in RG 374.

DESCRIPTION

TOTAL SIZE (FEET)

POTENTIALLY RELEVANT (FEET)

HIGHEST CLASSIFICATION

VALUE

RG 52, Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 1,336 1 Unclassified Useful
RG 77, MED 150 150 Top Secret/RD Useful
RG 80, U.S. Navy 9,534 1 Unclassified Useful
RG 128, JCAE 180
226
30
20
Unclassified
Top Secret/RD
Essential
Essential
RG 218, JCS 1,449 18 Top Secret Unknown
RG 273, NSC 193 1 Top Secret/RD Useful
RG 319, DOA Staff 18,000 20 Top Secret Useful
RG 326, Department of Energy 126 126 Secret/RD Useful
RG 330, Office of the Secretary of Defense 3,319 19 Top Secret/RD Useful
RG 341, USAF Headquarters 7,028 6 Top Secret/RD Essential
RG 359, Office of Science and Technology 591 52 Secret/RD Essential
RG 374, DNA 479 390 Top Secret Essential
RG 412, EPA 22 6 Unclassified Useful
RG 428, Secretary of Navy after 1947 5,191 <5 Unclassified Useful

CONTACT

For Record Groups 52, 80, and 428
   Richard von Doenhoff (202) 523-3340
For Record Groups 77, 218, 319, 330, 341, 374
   Edward Reese (202) 523-3340
For Record Group 128
   Robert Coren (202) 523-4185
For Record Group 273 and 412
   Civil Reference Branch (202) 523-3238

For Record Group 326, 359
  Margorie Ciarlante (202) 523-3059

All of the above are at the following address:

  National Archives and Records Administration
  8th and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
  Washington, D.C. 20408

Edward T. David, Energy Policy Office, and Glen Schleede papers
   Nixon Presidential Materials Project
   845 S. Pickett
  Alexandria, VA 22304

   (703) 756-6498

The mailing address for the Nixon Presidential Materials Project is to the National Archives and Records Administration (above).

HAI COLLECTION EFFORT
(volume in cubic feet)

DESCRIPTION

SCREENED

SELECTED

IN PROCESS

SENT TO CIC

RG 128 52 2.6 1.8 0.8
RG 326 79 0.4 0 0.4
RG 412 6 0.6 0 0.6
RG 341 6 0.2 0 0.2

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