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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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Location of Archival Materials

Post-1974 Command File

Date: 1974-1989

Scope and Content Note

The materials held for each originating command are filed under five subgroups: Command Histories; Serial materials; Chronological materials (miscellaneous documents filed in chronological order); Action and Operational Reports; and Plans, Orders and Related Documents.

Command Histories: The bulk of the Post-1974 Command File consists of command history submissions received annually from U.S. Navy commands and shore establishments. These histories are indexed by originating command. Biographies of commanding officers included with command histories are filed separately in the Biography Collection and photos were transferred to the Photographic Section.

Series Material: Other documentation contained in the file includes series materials. These materials are filed by originator. Examples of series materials include: NAVNEWS and NAVOP messages; catalogs of Naval Shore Activities; Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet Indian Ocean Fact Book; Chief of Naval Operations Annual Reports; Department of the Navy Reports to Congress; Defense Intelligence Agency Weekly Intelligence Summaries and Publications; Flag Officer Newsletters and Newsgrams; Joint Chiefs of Staff National Military Command Center Operational Summaries; Mine Warfare Summaries; MOVREP Unit Locator Reports; Naval Intelligence Command Publications; Naval Sea Systems Monthly Progress Reports; Naval Warfare Publications; OPNAV Instructions and Notices; Organization Charts and Manuals; Rosters of Officers; Standard Navy Distribution Lists; State Department Background Notes.

Chronological Materials: Individual documents of historical value are held in this subgroup. These documents are filed by the originator and cross-indexed in the card index. Studies make up a large part of this material. Although most of the Command File is U.S. Navy-originated, some documentation was prepared by other services, by foreign navies, by research organizations under government contract, or by private individuals.

Action and Operational Reports: Many of the documents included in this collection are letter or narrative reports. Most are cruise, deployment, or exercise reports removed from Command History appendices or forwarded in lieu of Command Histories. There is a segment of missile report quarterlies for the 1974-1978 period indexed and interfiled under the name of the appropriate guided missile ship.

Plans, Orders and Related Documents: The material in this collection documents Navy planning for programs, training, and operations to maintain readiness for crisis or war situations. The bulk of the file was received as appendices to Command Histories. A few Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, foreign-originated, and unified command documents are included in the collection.


Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as Post-1974 Command File, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.


Extent

600 cubic feet

 

 

Published: Thu Feb 04 12:09:46 EST 2021