Guide to Federal Records

Records of International Military Agencies


(Record Group 333)
1941-81

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 333.1 Administrative History
  • 333.2 Records of the Munitions Assignments Boards 1941-46
    • 333.2.1 Records of MAB
    • 333.2.2 Records of the United States Staff, LMAB
  • 333.3 Records of the U.S. Army Element of the Joint Brazil-United States Military Commission (JBUSMC) 1943-62
  • 333.4 Records of the U.S. Navy Element of the Tripartite Naval Commission (TNC) 1944-48
  • 333.5 Records of the U.S. Section, Permanent Joint Board on Defense--United States and Canada (PJBD) 1941-56
  • 333.6 Records of the United Nations Command (UNC) 1950-81
    • 333.6.1 Records of General Headquarters UNC and Headquarters UNC
    • 333.6.2 Records of Headquarters UNC (Advance)
    • 333.6.3 Records of the UNC Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC)
    • 333.6.4 Records of the UNC Repatriation Group
  • 333.7 Records of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) 1955-77
  • 333.8 Records of the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) 1956-79
    • 333.8.1 Records of the Combined Military Planning Staff
    • 333.8.2 Records of the U.S. Element, CENTO
    • 333.8.3 CENTO records compiled by the Department of Defense Central Registry and Subregistries

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333.1 Administrative History

Finding Aids: Mabel P. Milstead, comp., "Preliminary Inventory of the Records of International Military Agencies," NM 9 (1962); supplement in National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.

Security-Classified Records: This record group may include material that is security-classified.

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333.2 Records of the Munitions Assignment Boards
1941-46
98 lin. ft.

History: Munitions Assignments Board (MAB), Washington, DC, and London Munitions Assignments Board (LMAB) established as coequal organizations by the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) by CCS 19/1, February 4, 1942, pursuant to an agreement between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, announced January 26, 1942. Abolished, effective November 8, 1945, for MAB and November 10, 1945, for LMAB, by CCS 19/3, November 8, 1945, pursuant to an agreement reached by President Harry S. Truman and Prime Minister Churchill, October 24, 1945.

Related Records: Additional records of MAB under decimal 334 in general correspondence of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1942-47, in RG 218, Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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333.2.1 Records of MAB

Textual Records: Records of the Executive Office, consisting of subject files, 1942-45; memorandums of the Executive Officer, 1942-43; and miscellaneous correspondence, 1942-45. Records of the Aviation Petroleum Products Allocations Committee, consisting of subject correspondence, case files, minutes, and numbered directives, 1942-45; correspondence and other records relating to the allocation, to domestic airlines, airports, and aviation industries, of petroleum products designated "critical," 1942-45; and monthly situation reports on grade 100/130 aviation fuel, 1944-45.

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333.2.2 Records of the United States Staff, LMAB

Textual Records: Decimal correspondence, 1941-45. Subject correspondence, 1942-46. Incoming and outgoing messages, 1942-45.

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333.3 Records of the U.S. Army Element of the Joint Brazil-United States Military Commission (JBUSMC)
1943-62
15 lin. ft.

History: JBUSMC established in Rio de Janeiro by Recommendation 10, Joint Brazil-United States Defense Commission (JBUSDC), Washington, DC, October 28, 1942, implementing Political-Military Agreement, effective May 23, 1942, providing for formation of two Brazilian-American technical military commissions to prepare mutual defense plans, each commission to consist of representatives of both countries' armed services. JBUSMC, consisting of an army and a navy element, reported through JBUSDC to the Operations Division, War Department General Staff. U.S. Army Section, JBUSMC, consisting of a Ground Division and an Air Division, organized December 1942. Transferred to administrative control of Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces, South Atlantic (USAFSA), effective March 1, 1945, by War Department classified message WARX 37844, February 12, 1945. Returned to prior status upon abolishment of USAFSA by General Order 37, HQUSAFSA, October 31, 1945, pursuant to War Department classified message WARX 78180, October 24, 1945. JBUSMC functions expanded to include training and equipping Brazilian armed forces; making recommendations to both countries' military departments; and examining all matters affecting defense of the Western Hemisphere, by Recommendation 16, JBUSMC, October 15, 1945, approved by Brazilian government, October 23, 1945, and by U.S. War and Navy Departments, October 27, 1945. U.S. Army Section abolished, and U.S. Army Section--Ground and U.S. Army Section-- Air established, with administration handled by Joint Air-Ground Secretariat, effective October 31, 1945, by General Order 3, HQ U.S. Army Section, JBUSMC, October 30, 1945. U.S. Army Section-- Ground redesignated U.S. Army Section by General Order 1, HQ U.S. Army Section, JBUSMC, December 2, 1947; and U.S. Army Section-- Air redesignated U.S. Air Force Section by General Order 1, HQ U.S. Air Force Section, JBUSMC, December 5, 1947, pursuant to establishment of U.S. Air Force by the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 503), July 26, 1947. U.S. Army Section redesignated U.S. Army Element, January 1957. JBUSMC terminated by announcement of Brazilian President Ernesto Geisal, September 17, 1977, confirmed in Jornado do Brasil, September 19, 1977.

Textual Records: Decimal correspondence of U.S. Army Section, 1943-45 (bulk 1945). Decimal correspondence of U.S. Army Section- -Air, 1946. Consolidated decimal correspondence of U.S. Army Sections--Ground and Air (1946-47), U.S. Army Section (1947-57), and U.S. Army Element (1957-62), 1946-62. Records of U.S. Army Section--Air relating to the transfer of U.S. Army Air Force installations in Brazil to Brazilian Air Force, 1946. Issuances of various JBUSMC elements and of Headquarters U.S. Army Forces South Atlantic, 1943-60.

Related Records: Decimal 334.8 JBUSMC in general correspondence (1942-45) of the Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, War Department General Staff, in RG 165, Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Decimal 334 JBUSMC in general correspondence (1946-50) of the Plans and Operations Division, Office of the Chief of Staff, in RG 319, Records of the Army Staff.

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333.4 Records of the U.S. Navy Element of the Tripartite Naval Commission (TNC)
1944-48
4 lin. ft.

History: TNC established by Section IV(5), Protocol of the Proceedings of the Berlin Conference, promulgated by the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, August 1, 1945, to recommend the distribution among the three signatories of ships and other materials of the German Navy. Composed of representatives of the navies of the three signatories. Terminated upon submission to the three signatories of Third Supplement to Report (December 5, 1945) and Summary Report, both dated June 28, 1947, with outstanding matters to be referred to the senior naval officers representing the three signatories in Germany.

Textual Records: Subject files, including correspondence, messages, minutes, and allocation charts, 1945-48. Chronological correspondence, 1945. Copy of Headquarters U.S. Group Control Council, "Basic Preliminary Plan: Tripartite Control and Occupation of Germany," December 28, 1944; with annexes, 1945. Naval Expeditionary Force memorandums, 1944-45. Commission report, December 5, 1945.

Related Records: Records relating to the Tripartite Naval Commission, 1945-47 (Lot File M 45), in RG 59, General Records of the Department of State.

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333.5 Records of the U.S. Section, Permanent Joint Board on Defense--United States and Canada (PJBD)
1941-56
25 lin. ft.

History: PJBD established by a simultaneous announcement of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King, August 18, 1940. U.S. Section, considered a Presidential advisory body, consists of a chairman appointed by the President; representatives of each armed service; and a representative of the Department of State, who serves as secretary.

Textual Records: Security-classified subject-numeric files, consisting of correspondence, reports, briefing books, charts, and other records, 1941-56. Security-classified case files relating to the development and implementation of joint defense plans, 1941-56. Register of correspondence received, 1953-55.

Related Records: Records of the Secretary, PJBD, 1940-59 (Lot File 63 D 156), in RG 59, General Records of the Department of State. Decimal 334 PJBD (10-1-45) in general correspondence (1940-56) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in RG 218, Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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333.6 Records of the United Nations Command (UNC)
1950-81
179 lin. ft. and 25 rolls of microfilm

History: Established by General Order 1, General Headquarters (GHQ) UNC, July 25, 1950, implementing United Nations (UN) Document S/1511, authorizing UN military assistance to Republic of Korea, approved by UN Security Council, June 27, 1950. Reorganized into three major commands (U.S. Army Forces, Far East; Naval Forces, Far East; and Far East Air Force), effective January 1, 1953, by General Order 53, HQUNC, December 10, 1952.

Related Records: Commander-in-Chief Far East (CINCFE) Korean Situation Files, 1951-54, maintained by Deputy Under Secretary of State H. Freeman Matthews (Lot Files 53 D 413 and 55 D 107); records of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs relating to the Korean War, 1950-52 (Lot File 55 D 128); records of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs relating to Southeast Asia and the Geneva Conference, 1954 (Lot Files 55 D 480 and 55 D 481); and records of the Division of Historical Policy Research related to the Korea Project, 1950-53 (Lot File 78 D 174), in RG 59, General Records of the Department of State. Records of the Far East Command in RG 349, Records of Joint Commands.

Note: Most of the records under 333.6 are security-classified.

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333.6.1 Records of General Headquarters UNC and Headquarters UNC

History: GHQUNC, Tokyo, established by General Order 1, GHQUNC, July 25, 1950. Redesignated Headquarters (HQ) UNC, effective April 28, 1952, by General Order 19, GHQUNC, April 23, 1952. Reorganized, effective January 1, 1953, by General Order 53, HQUNC, December 10, 1952. Transferred from Tokyo to Seoul, July 1, 1957.

Textual Records: Decimal correspondence, 1951-55. Daily statistical summaries of unit strengths, battle casualties, and prisoners of war, 1951. Issuances, 1951-55. Information copies from Far East Command of records relating to a UNC-Japan agreement on UN forces stationed in Japan, 1952-53. Records of the UNC Liaison Section, J-2 (Intelligence) Division, consisting of subject correspondence, 1950-55; and a country file, 1950-55. Records of the Information and Education Section, consisting of subject correspondence, 1952; and issuances, 1952.

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333.6.2 Records of Headquarters UNC (Advance)

History: Established, July 1951, to assist with Korean armistice negotiations. Terminated following the signing of the Armistice Agreement, July 27, 1953.

Textual Records: Subject correspondence, consisting mainly of incoming and outgoing messages, 1951-53. Correspondence, minutes, and other records relating to Korean armistice negotiations, 1951-53. Signed originals of the English- , Korean- , and Chinese-language versions of the Armistice Agreement, with accompanying Supplementary Temporary Agreement and maps, July 27, 1953.

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333.6.3 Records of the UNC Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC)

History: Established, effective June 20, 1953, by General Order 26, HQUNC, June 19, 1953, to supervise implementation of Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953.

Textual Records: General records, including correspondence, issuances, and daily journals, 1951-57. Decimal correspondence of the Personnel and Administration Division, 1953-57. Subject correspondence of the Logistics and Liaison Division, 1953-57. Minutes, transcripts and summaries of proceedings, weekly summaries, and messages, 1951-53. Records of armistice observer and inspection teams, 1953-57. Daily reports on arriving and departing personnel of UNC, and of Korean People's Army and Chinese People's Volunteers (KPA/CPV), 1953-57. Daily reports on authorized incoming and outgoing UNC and KPA/CPV combat aircraft and materiel, 1953-57. Copies, and partial duplicates on microfilm (25 rolls), of original records retained in Korea, consisting of minutes of the following organizations: UNCMAC, 1953-81; UNCMAC secretaries, 1953-81; UNCMAC security officers, 1954-78; Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, 1953-81; and Joint Observer Teams, 1953-67.

Related Records: Records relating to preliminary arrangements for a Korean political conference, October-December 1953, in RG 43, Records of International Conferences, Commissions, and Expositions.

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333.6.4 Records of the UNC Repatriation Group

History: Established by General Order 36, HQUNC, September 1, 1953, to assist UNCMAC in implementing that portion of the Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953, dealing with the repatriation of prisoners of war. Abolished, effective February 25, 1954, by General Order 14, HQUNC, March 5, 1954.

Textual Records: Decimal correspondence, 1953-54. Daily journals of staff sections, 1953-54. Issuances, 1953-54, with accompanying documentation, 1953.

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333.7 Records of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)
1955-77
31 lin. ft. and 90 rolls of microfilm

History: Established by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty ("Manila Pact"), effective February 19, 1955, signed by Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States; and Protocol to the Main Treaty, signed by Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), Laos, and Cambodia, September 8, 1954. Protocol abrogated by Laos, July 9, 1962, and Cambodia, April 11, 1964. Pakistan gave one-year notice of withdrawal, November 8, 1972. SEATO Military Planning Office disbanded, January 31, 1974. France terminated financial contribution, June 30, 1974. Fall of Republic of Vietnam, April 30, 1975, resulted in de facto abrogation of Manila Pact. Philippines and Thailand announced intention to phase out SEATO, July 24, 1975. SEATO terminated, June 30, 1977.

Note: The records described under 333.7 were compiled from the Department of Defense Central Registry and Subregistries. Most of them are security-classified.

Textual Records: Memorandums, reports, and other issuances of the Secretary-General, 1967-74; Council, 1968-72; Council Representatives, 1969, 1972-77; Military Planning Office, 1963, 1965-73; and Intelligence Committee, 1972-73. Microfilm copy of SEATO registered documents, 1955-77 (90 rolls), with accompanying index, 1961-77. Transcripts of council meetings, 1965-75. Reports of the military advisers, 1962-72; Intelligence Committee, 1964, 1967-75; Intelligence Assessment Committee, 1969-75; Logistics Committee, 1967, 1971-73; Cartographic Committee, 1967-74; Communications Electronics Committee, 1967-72; Military Medical Committee, 1966, 1968-71; and Permanent Work Group, 1975. Reports of various expert study groups, 1969-73. Planning reports on training exercises, 1962-76. Numbered standard agreements (SEASTAGs), 1964-75. Studies of various South and Southeast Asian countries, 1961-73. Military medical bulletins, 1968-72. Publications of the Military Planning Office, 1961-73. Miscellaneous publications and issuances, 1955-70.

Related Records: Records of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs relating to Southeast Asia and the Geneva Conference, 1954 (Lot Files 55 D 480 and 55 D 48l); subject files of the Officer in Charge of Pakistan-Afghanistan Affairs, Division of Pakistan- Afghanistan Affairs, 1950-56 (Lot File 57 D 421); records of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs relating to various international conferences, 1956-58 (Lot File 60 D 514); and subject files relating to Pakistan, Division of Pakistan and Afghanistan, 1953- 59 (Lot File 60 D 545), in RG 59, General Records of the Department of State. Some of these related records may be security-classified.

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333.8 Records of the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO)
1956-79
334 lin. ft. and 22 rolls of microfilm

History: Middle East Treaty Organization (METO) established by Pact of Mutual Cooperation ("Baghdad Pact"), signed by Iraq and Turkey, February 24, 1955; United Kingdom, April 5, 1955; Pakistan, September 23, 1955; and Iran, November 3, 1955. United States became de facto member, with title of Observer, by signing Bilateral Agreements of Cooperation with Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran, March 5, 1959, implementing Joint Resolution to Promote Peace and Stability in the Middle East (71 Stat. 5), March 9, 1957. Iraq withdrew, March 24, 1959. METO renamed CENTO, August 19, 1959. CENTO became inactive, following withdrawal of Iran and Pakistan, by decision of United Kingdom and Turkey, with U.S. concurrence, May 1979.

Related Records: Subject files of the Officer in Charge of Pakistan-Afghanistan Affairs, Division of Pakistan-Afghanistan Affairs, 1950-56 (Lot File 57 D 421); subject files relating to Pakistan, Division of Pakistan-Afghanistan Affairs, 1953-59 (Lot File 60 D 545); and subject files, Director of the Office of South Asian Affairs (J. Jefferson Jones III), 1954-58 (Lot File 59 D 575), in RG 59, General Records of the Department of State. Some of these related records may be security-classified.

Note: Most of the records under 333.8 are security-classified.

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333.8.1 Records of the Combined Military Planning Staff

Textual Records: Copies of originals of numbered papers retained in Turkey, 1956-79. Background materials for numbered papers, consisting of studies, reports, memorandums from the various CENTO nations, and drafts, 1959-79. Numbered standard agreements (STANAGs) issued by CENTO, 1960-78; and by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 1968-78. Reports on training and operational exercises, 1963-79. CENTO publications file, 1960-79. Document control records, including incoming and outgoing mail logs and registration cards, 1957-79; security-classified document receipts, 1969-79; security classification review records, 1970- 74; and security-classified document destruction certificates, 1958-77.

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333.8.2 Records of the U.S. Element, CENTO

Textual Records: Reports, issuances, messages, and other records relating to administration, 1959-79.

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333.8.3 CENTO records compiled by the Department of Defense
Central Registry and Subregistries

Textual Records: Chronological document file, 1959-79. Subject document file, 1959-79. Minutes and other records of the Council of Ministers, 1974-77; and the Permanent Military Deputies Group, 1973-77. Reports of the Economic Committee and other records relating to economic activities, 1973-79. Minutes of the Cartographic Committee, with accompanying maps, 1963-79. Reports of the Counter Subversion Office, 1972-79. Microfilm copy of records of economic and budgetary activities (22 rolls), with accompanying indexes, 1969-79.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

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This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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