Inquiries & Resources
Do you have a question about one of the museum’s subject areas or artifacts? We are happy to answer straightforward inquiries or provide limited research assistance for more involved ones. Please direct your content or artifact-related inquiry to the museum’s curator by calling (360) 396-5517 or emailing NUM_Curator@us.navy.mil. The more specific you can be about the information you are looking for, the better we can help you! If you have a different type of inquiry, such as a media request or a question about an education program, please use our contact form to ensure your inquiry is directed to the right staff member.
Resources
Many of the inquiries we receive can be answered through the information at these links. If you don’t find what you’re looking for in these resources, please direct your question to the museum’s curator using the contact information above.
Ships Histories
The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) Online provides official histories of U.S. Navy ships. With over 10,000 entries, DANFS is the most comprehensive and reliable source of information on Navy vessels.
Navy Ships and Weapons
The U.S. Navy Fact Files on the Navy’s official website provide information about present day Navy ships and weapons systems.
Navy Submarines
Looking for some basic information about Navy submarines? This helpful Navy FAQ page to answers popular questions about U.S. submarines, explaining the classes of submarines, types of missions they perform, how they work, what living and working on a submarine is like, and much more.
Navy Publications and Technical Manuals
The Historical Naval Ships Association (HNSA) has digitized many Navy publications and technical manuals. Their Manuals and Documents page has many great original sources on undersea subjects like submarines, torpedoes, mines, depth charges, sonar, radar, and PT boats, among others.
Obtaining Military Records
The National Personnel Records Center has custody of the official individual personnel and medical records of Navy commissioned officers separated after 1902, and of Navy enlisted personnel separated after 1885. You can contact this agency directly at the following address:
National Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100
Official service records for Navy commissioned officers separated in or before 1902, and Navy enlisted personnel in or before 1885, are held by the National Archives and Records Administration at the following address:
National Archives and Records Administration
Old Military and Civil Records Branch (NWCTB)
700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20408
