Guide to Federal Records

Records of Joint Commands


(Record Group 349)
1945-66

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 349.1 Administrative History
  • 349.2 Records of the Joint Western Air Defense Force (JWADF), Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) 1954-55
  • 349.3 Records of the Far East Command (FEC) 1945-57
    • 349.3.1 General records of Headquarters
    • 349.3.2 Records of Headquarters staff offices
    • 349.3.3 Records of the 8242d Army Unit, Combined Command for Reconnaissance Activities, Korea (CCRAK)
    • 349.3.4 Records of the Strategic Operations Force, Far East
  • 349.4 Records of the Alaskan Command 1947-54
  • 349.5 Records of the Pacific Command 1953-61
    • 349.5.1 Records of the Hawaiian Defense Command
    • 349.5.2 Records of Headquarters United States Forces, Korea
  • 349.6 Records of the European Command (EUCOM) and the United States European Command (USEUCOM) 1950-64
    • 349.6.1 General records
    • 349.6.2 Records of Detachment A (Paris, France)
    • 349.6.3 Records of the Joint Construction Agency (JCA)
    • 349.6.4 Records of the Joint Military Transportation Board
    • 349.6.5 Records of Support Operations Task Force Europe
  • 349.7 Records of the Caribbean Command 1947-63
    • 349.7.1 Records of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief
    • 349.7.2 Records of staff offices
  • 349.8 Records of the United States Northeast Command 1950-56
  • 349.9 Records of the United States Strike Command 1961-66
  • 349.10 Sound Recordings (General)

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349.1 Administrative History

Finding Aids: Mary Joe Head and Jessie T. Midkiff, comps., "Preliminary Inventory of the Records of Joint Commands," NM 4 (1962); supplement in National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.

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

Related Records:

Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, RG 38.
Records of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, RG 218.
Records of Naval Operating Forces, RG 313.
Records of the Army Staff, RG 319.
Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, RG 330.
Records of U.S. Army Commands, 1942- , RG 338.
Records of Headquarters U.S. Air Force (Air Staff), RG 341.
Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, RG 342.

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349.2 Records of the Joint Western Air Defense Force (JWADF),
Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD)
1954-63

History: JWADF established, September 1, 1949. CONAD established as a joint command by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) pursuant to JCS 1899/135, July 26, 1954. JWADF assigned to CONAD by General Order 1, CONAD, September 1, 1954. Headquarters JWADF redesignated Headquarters CONAD Forces, Western CONAD Region, effective January 15, 1957, by General Order 25, CONAD, December 21, 1956. CONAD redesignated a unified command pursuant to JCS 1259/421, September 5, 1958. Headquarters CONAD Forces, Western CONAD Region redesignated Headquarters Western CONAD Region, effective September 1, 1958, by General Order 9, CONAD, December 16, 1958. CONAD abolished, June 30, 1975, with functions transferred to newly created Aerospace Defense Command, a specified command.

Textual Records: General orders, with accompanying documentation, of the 9th, 25th, 27th, and 28th Air Defense Divisions, 1954-55. General and special orders relating to specific organizational units and headquarters regulations, 1956-63.

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349.3 Records of the Far East Command (FEC)
1945-57

History: Established, effective January 1, 1947, by War Department classified message WARX 87793, December 16, 1946, implementing JCS Unified Command Plan, JCS 1259/27, approved by President Harry S. Truman, December 14, 1946. Abolished, with functions transferred to Pacific Command, effective July 1, 1957, pursuant to JCS 1259/378, December 28, 1956.

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349.3.1 General records of Headquarters

Textual Records: Security-classified and unclassified central decimal correspondence, 1953-54. Decimal correspondence of the Office of the Secretary of the Joint Staff, 1953-54. Reports of FEC activities ("Command Reports"), 1953-54. Records relating to Korean armistice negotiations, 1951-53. Issuances, 1953-54. Organizational and emergency planning records, 1953-54. Minutes relating to the U.S. visit of Republic of Korea President Syngman Rhee, 1954. Reports on Exercise Jigsaw, 1955.

Related Records: Records of United Nations Command in RG 333, Records of International Military Agencies.

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349.3.2 Records of Headquarters staff offices

Textual Records: Narrative histories and reports of the Public Information Office, 1952-54. Records of the Personnel Division (J-1), consisting of narrative histories and reports, 1953-54; and minutes and other records relating to the administration of the Joint Welfare Fund, 1945-55. Records of the Intelligence Division (J-2), consisting of decimal correspondence, 1953-54; administrative records, 1953; and records relating to organizational planning, 1954. Records of the Operations Division (J-3), consisting of decimal correspondence, 1954; correspondence relating to operations in Korea, 1946-53; and records relating to operational and emergency planning, 1953-54. Narrative histories of the Logistics Division (J-4), 1954. Records of the Plans and Policy Division (J-5), consisting of narrative histories and records relating to operational planning, 1953-54.

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349.3.3 Records of the 8242d Army Unit, Combined Command for
Reconnaissance Activities, Korea (CCRAK)

History: 8242d Army Unit, attached to CCRAK, active September 27, 1952-July 27, 1953.

Textual Records: Security-classified general correspondence, issuances, intelligence reports, and combat reports, 1952-53. Miscellaneous security-classified administrative records, 1953.

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349.3.4 Records of the Strategic Operations Force, Far East

History: Established as a separate headquarters by General Order 82, HQFEC, June 8, 1954, with mission to develop and maintain unconventional warfare plans.

Textual Records: Portions of decimal correspondence relating to unconventional warfare planning, emergency planning, and intelligence gathering, 1954-57. Staff studies of unconventional warfare, clandestine activities, employment of atomic weapons, and recovery of downed airmen, 1956-57.

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349.4 Records of the Alaskan Command
1947-54

History: Established, effective January 1, 1947, by War Department classified message WARX 87793, December 16, 1946, implementing JCS Unified Command Plan, JCS 1259/27, approved by President Harry S. Truman, December 14, 1946. Abolished, June 30, 1975.

Textual Records: Issuances, with accompanying documentation, 1947-54.

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349.5 Records of the PACIFIC Command
1953-61

History: Established, effective January 1, 1947, by War Department classified message WARX 87793, December 16, 1946, implementing JCS Unified Command Plan, JCS 1259/27, approved by President Harry S. Truman, December 14, 1946.

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349.5.1 Records of the Hawaiian Defense Command

History: Established as a subordinate unified command, January 1, 1947. Abolished, July 1, 1957, with functions transferred to the three service component units.

Textual Records: Portions of decimal correspondence relating to organizational and operational planning, 1953-56. General orders, 1953-56. Staff memorandums, 1953-57. Records relating to emergency planning, 1953-54.

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349.5.2 Records of Headquarters United States Forces, Korea

History: Established as a subordinate unified command, July 1, 1957.

Textual Records: Decimal and subject correspondence relating mainly to administrative procedures, 1959-60. Issuances, with accompanying documentation, 1958-61.

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349.6 Records of the European Command (EUCOM) and the United States European Command (USEUCOM)
1950-64

History: EUCOM established, effective March 15, 1947, pursuant to JCS Unified Command Plan, JCS 1259/27, approved by President Harry S. Truman, December 14, 1946. New command, USEUCOM, established, effective August 1, 1952, by Department of Defense classified message JCS 912973, July 7, 1952, implementing JCS 1259/241, approved June 27, 1952.

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349.6.1 General records

Textual Records: Security-classified and unclassified central decimal correspondence, 1952-54. Incoming and outgoing messages of the U.S. Military Representative at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), 1951-53. Security-classified and unclassified incoming and outgoing messages, 1952-54. Correspondence, minutes, studies, and other records relating to the development and implementation of unified command policies, 1952-54. Issuances, 1952-53. Tables of distribution, with accompanying documentation, 1952.

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349.6.2 Records of Detachment A (Paris, France)

Textual Records: Security-classified and unclassified correspondence relating to U.S. military defense assistance in western Europe, 1953-54. Records relating to the European Defense Community and Interim Committee (EDC/IC), 1952-54.

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349.6.3 Records of the Joint Construction Agency (JCA)

Textual Records: Memorandums, messages, charts, and other records relating to the establishment and functioning of the JCA, 1952- 57. Issuances, 1953-57. Reports on military construction in France, 1952-54. History of the JCA (1953-57), with accompanying source material, 1951-57. Security-classified records relating to JCA mobilization and evacuation planning, 1957. Security- classified records relating to the investigation of contract award irregularities, 1954-57. General management records, 1953- 57. Reports of investigations of alleged personnel misconduct, 1953-54. Correspondence, issuances, and other records of the following field offices: Eastern District, 1950-54; North District, 1953-54; Northeast District, 1953-54; Port District, 1953-54; and Southern District, 1954.

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349.6.4 Records of the Joint Military Transportation Board

Textual Records: Correspondence, reports, and other records relating to air transport of passengers, cargo, and mail, 1952- 54. Correspondence, minutes, and other records of committees of the Air Transportation Board, 1952-54. Historical reference file, 1953.

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349.6.5 Records of Support Operations Task Force Europe

History: Established by General Order 8, HQUSEUCOM, May 4, 1955, with mission to prepare and maintain unconventional warfare plans and orders.

Textual Records: Historical reference file of security-classified records relating to operational requirements for unconventional warfare in Europe, 1957-64. Records of operational and field training exercises, 1958-62.

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349.7 Records of the Caribbean Command
1947-63

History: Established, effective November 1, 1947, by Department of the Army classified message WARX 89419, October 31, 1947, pursuant to JCS implementation, by JCS 1259/48, October 30, 1947, of relevant portions of JCS Unified Command Plan, JCS 1259/27, approved by President Harry S. Truman, December 14, 1946. Redesignated United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) by General Order 1, HQUSSOUTHCOM, June 6, 1963, confirmed by JCS 1259/645, November 20, 1963.

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349.7.1 Records of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief

Textual Records: Security-classified and unclassified central decimal correspondence, including some correspondence of the predecessor Caribbean Defense Command, 1947-61. Security- classified and unclassified central correspondence arranged according to the Army Functional Files System (TAFFS), 1962-63. Security-classified annual reports, 1950-53. Issuances, 1953-63. Miscellaneous security-classified records, including situation and analysis reports, 1955-57; a draft emergency proclamation for the defense of the Panama Canal, 1950; reports on Armed Forces Day activities in Panama and the Panama Canal Zone, 1954-57; and copies of Organization of American States decisions concerning incidents involving Nicaragua-based Costa Rican rebels, 1955.

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349.7.2 Records of staff offices

Textual Records: Security-classified records of the Intelligence Division (J-2), consisting of weekly intelligence reports, 1955- 56; and annual intelligence reports on Latin American countries and leaders, 1956-59. Security-classified records of the Plans and Operations Division (J-3), consisting of correspondence relating to the defense of Panama Harbor ("Diagonal Plans"), 1953-59; correspondence relating to defense planning for the entire command, 1950-60; and operational orders, 1951-58. Security-classified issuances of the Logistics Division (J-4), 1952-53. Security-classified records of the Communications Division (J-5), consisting of the basic communications plan for the command, 1952; and a checklist of communications facilities in Latin American countries, 1959.

Sound Recordings (8 items): Security-classified investigation of the improper release of a message concerning Cuba (Message 1326E), with accompanying documentation, 1960.

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349.8 Records of the United States Northeast Command
1950-56

History: Established, October 19, 1950, pursuant to JCS Unified Command Plan, JCS 1259/27, approved by President Harry S. Truman, December 14, 1946. Abolished, September 1, 1956, pursuant to JCS 1259/362, July 19, 1956.

Textual Records: Central decimal and subject correspondence, 1950-56. Issuances, 1951-56. Records relating to army participation in Project Rising Star and other command activities, 1955-56. Records relating to navy participation in command activities, 1951-52. Correspondence of the 64th Air Division relating to organizational planning, 1951-56.

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349.9 Records of the United States Strike Command
1961-66

History: Established as a unified command, combining forces of Strategic Army Corps and Tactical Air Command, pursuant to JCS 1259/552, September 19, 1961. Abolished, effective December 31, 1971, with functions transferred to newly established United States Readiness Command, by JCS 1259/715-46, June 30, 1971.

Textual Records: Security-classified general correspondence, 1962-64. General orders, with accompanying documentation, 1961- 66. Headquarters regulations, 1961-66. Other directives, 1962-66. Budget estimate documents, 1962-63. Manuals, 1962-66. Pamphlets, 1964-66.

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349.10 Sound Recordings (General)

See Under 349.7.2.


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.

Ordering information

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


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