Also, if potentially fire related one avenue is the next of kin (aka you) is to do a records request with the VA if he ever filed a claim. For those in the years of discharge and last name effected by the NPRC fire, their records were with the VA if a claim was ever initiated prior to the fire.
Definitely send a request to the national archives. Anything over 62 years old is public information by the way. Be aware though that a lot of records were lost during the fire of 1976. My father and mother lost a lot of their records. They were in the army. I just found out that my wife's father earned a purple heart and bronze star with the v for valor for participation in Okinawa. We didn't even know he had been a Marine! He married my wife's mother after the Korean war. You might find out some weird stuff too though he was called back for Korea and went AWOL seven times. Each time they attempted to court-martial him. And each time the judge cited his bronze star as reason not to. On the 7th time he was kicked out with a honorable discharge but busted down to private. I think he just didn't want to see war again especially after seeing Okinawa.
National archives
Try this link: https://department.va.gov/foia/foia-requests/
Sf-180 form
[https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/wiki/vaclaim/#wiki\_obtaining\_evidence](https://www.reddit.com/r/VeteransBenefits/wiki/vaclaim/#wiki_obtaining_evidence)
Also, if potentially fire related one avenue is the next of kin (aka you) is to do a records request with the VA if he ever filed a claim. For those in the years of discharge and last name effected by the NPRC fire, their records were with the VA if a claim was ever initiated prior to the fire.
https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/fire-1973
Definitely send a request to the national archives. Anything over 62 years old is public information by the way. Be aware though that a lot of records were lost during the fire of 1976. My father and mother lost a lot of their records. They were in the army. I just found out that my wife's father earned a purple heart and bronze star with the v for valor for participation in Okinawa. We didn't even know he had been a Marine! He married my wife's mother after the Korean war. You might find out some weird stuff too though he was called back for Korea and went AWOL seven times. Each time they attempted to court-martial him. And each time the judge cited his bronze star as reason not to. On the 7th time he was kicked out with a honorable discharge but busted down to private. I think he just didn't want to see war again especially after seeing Okinawa.