Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency


(Record Group 374)
1943-73

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 374.1 Administrative History
  • 374.2 General Records of the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP) 1947-55
  • 374.3 Records of AFSWP Headquarters Organizations
    • 374.3.1 Records of the Office of the Deputy Chief
    • 374.3.2 Records of the Office of the Technical Director
    • 374.3.3 Records of the Office of the Historian
    • 374.3.4 Records of the Analysis Branch, Weapons Effects Division
    • 374.3.5 Records of the Radiation Branch
    • 374.3.6 Records of the Technical Library Branch
    • 374.3.7 Records of the Security Division
    • 374.3.8 Records of the Budget and Fiscal Division
    • 374.3.9 Records of the Manpower and Organization Branch, Plans Division
    • 374.3.10 Records of the Special Field Projects Division
    • 374.3.11 Records of the Test Division
    • 374.3.12 Records of the Weapons Development Division
    • 374.3.13 Records of the Kansas City (MO) Area Engineer
    • 374.3.14 Records of Sandia Base, Albuquerque, NM
  • 374.4 Records of AFSWP Special Detachments Assigned to Atomic Energy Commission Facilities 1943-52
    • 374.4.1 Records of the military detachment at Oak Ridge, TN
    • 374.4.2 Records of the 8453d Antiaircraft Unit, Special Weapons Detachment
  • 374.5 Records of AFSWP Joint Task Forces 1946-55
    • 374.5.1 Records of Joint Task Force 1 relating to Operation Crossroads
    • 374.5.2 Records of Joint Task Force 2 relating to the Low Altitude Program (LAP) for testing atomic weapons
    • 374.5.3 Records of Joint Task Force 3 relating to Operation Greenhouse
    • 374.5.4 Records of Joint Task Force 7
    • 374.5.5 Records of Joint Task Force 132
  • 374.6 Textual Records (General) 1943-47
  • 374.7 Motion Pictures (General) 1954-62
  • 374.8 Still Pictures (General)1946-62


374.1 Administrative History

Established: In the Department of Defense (DOD) as a combat support agency, effective October 1, 1998, by DOD Directive 5105.62, September 30, 1998, consolidating the Defense Special Weapons Agency, the On-Site Inspection Agency, the Defense Technology Security Administration, and elements of the Office of the Secretary of Defense concerned with arms control programs management.

Predecessor Agencies:
  • Manhattan Engineer District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1942-47)
  • Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP, interservice agency, January-July 1947)
  • AFSWP, National Military Establishment (July 1947-August 1949)
  • AFSWP, Department of Defense (DOD, 1949-59)
  • Defense Atomic Support Agency, DOD (1959-71)
  • Defense Nuclear Agency, DOD (1971-96)
  • Defense Special Weapons Agency, DOD (1996-98)
  • On-Site Inspection Agency, DOD (1988-98)
  • Defense Technology Security Administration, DOD (1985-98)

Functions: With the aim of reducing the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical ("NBC") weapons to the United States and its allies, administers technology security and cooperative threat reduction programs; monitors arms control treaties and conducts on-site inspections; and engages in force protection, NBC defense, and counter-proliferation activities.

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

Related Records: Records of the Atomic Energy Commission, RG 326.
Records of the Manhattan Engineer District in RG 77, Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers; and RG 326, Records of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Photographs of Oak Ridge, TN, in RG 434, Records of the Department of Energy.

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374.2 General Records of the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project
(AFSWP)
1947-55

History: For a history of the Manhattan Engineer District, See 77.11. AFSWP established as an interservice agency, effective December 31, 1946, by a joint letter of the Secretaries of War and the Navy, January 29, 1947, with responsibility for discharging all military functions relating to atomic energy in coordination with the Atomic Energy Commission (established by the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 [60 Stat. 755], August 1, 1946, as a civilian agency and the sole agency responsible for development and use of atomic energy). With all other armed forces organizations, AFSWP subsumed under National Military Establishment (NME) by the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 495), July 26, 1947; subsequently under Department of Defense (DOD, formerly NME) by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 578), August 10, 1949. AFSWP redesignated Defense Atomic Support Agency (DASA), May 6, 1959.

DASA mission and functions confirmed by DOD Directive 5105.31, July 22, 1964. DASA abolished, effective November 24, 1971, by DOD Directive 5105.31, November 3, 1971, with functions transferred to Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), established by same directive. DNA mission and functions updated by DOD Directive 5105.31, June 14, 1995. DNA redesignated Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) without further change of mission or functions by Change 1 to DOD Directive 5105.31 (June 14, 1995), May 31, 1996. DSWA abolished, effective October 1, 1998, with functions transferred to newly established Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). See 374.1.

On-Site Inspection Agency (OSIA) established as a DOD agency by DOD Directive TS 5134.2, January 28, 1988, with mission to implement the on-site inspection provisions of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Mission expanded to include implementation of on-site inspection and escort provisions of various nuclear testing, conventional weapons, and chemical weapons agreements. Abolished, effective October 1, 1998, with functions transferred to newly established DTRA. See 374.1.

Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) established as a DOD field activity by DOD Directive 5105.51, May 10, 1985, with mission to implement DOD policy on the international transfer of defense-related technology, goods, services, and munitions. Abolished, effective October 1, 1998, with functions transferred to newly established DTRA. See 374.1.

Textual Records: Decimal correspondence, 1947-55.

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374.3 Records of AFSWP Headquarters Organizations
1943-73

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374.3.1 Records of the Office of the Deputy Chief

Textual Records: Correspondence, 1945-54, including some of predecessor Manhattan Engineer District (MED).

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374.3.2 Records of the Office of the Technical Director

Textual Records: Records of the Armed Forces-Atomic Energy Commission Panel on Radiological Warfare and of the Ad Hoc Committee on Underwater Atomic Weapons Testing, 1947-54.

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374.3.3 Records of the Office of the Historian

Textual Records: Reports (including some of predecessor MED) concerning the evaluation and analysis of research and development projects, 1943-48.

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374.3.4 Records of the Analysis Branch, Weapons Effects Division

Textual Records: Special projects file, consisting of correspondence and other records relating to the collection of data on atomic weapons effects and the development of radiological defense procedures, 1950-53.

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374.3.5 Records of the Radiation Branch

Textual Records: Logs and journals, 1947-54.

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374.3.6 Records of the Technical Library Branch

Textual Records: Technical publications, 1946-50, 1955-73.

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374.3.7 Records of the Security Division

Textual Records: Counterintelligence investigative file, 1947-52. Records relating to security clearances and the international exchange of information, 1952-54.

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374.3.8 Records of the Budget and Fiscal Division

Textual Records: Correspondence relating to budget estimates and justifications, 1947-55.

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374.3.9 Records of the Manpower and Organization Branch, Plans
Division

Textual Records: Organizational planning records, 1952-55.

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374.3.10 Records of the Special Field Projects Division

Textual Records: Reports, budgetary records, correspondence, and records relating to Operation Wigwam, 1953-55.

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374.3.11 Records of the Test Division

Textual Records: Special operations file relating to special atomic weapons test operations, 1948-53.

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374.3.12 Records of the Weapons Development Division

Textual Records: Records relating to development, production, and administrative practices concerning nuclear and thermonuclear weapons, 1948-53.

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374.3.13 Records of the Kansas City (MO) Area Engineer

Textual Records: Correspondence (including some of predecessor MED) relating to classified construction contracts and to monitoring of construction at Los Alamos, NM; Oak Ridge, TN; and Sandia Base, Albuquerque, NM, 1946-51.

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374.3.14 Records of Sandia Base, Albuquerque, NM

Textual Records: Correspondence (including some of predecessor MED) relating to atomic testing, test security, selection of test sites, atomic weapons development, and delivery systems, 1946-51. Records of the Technical Training Group, 1954. AFSWP Field Command Headquarters administrative records, 1951-71 . Records of the Sandia AFSWP, 1948-50. Publication record sets, 1946-51, and 1953-71.

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374.4 Records of AFSWP Special Detachments Assigned to Atomic
Energy Commission Facilities
1943-52

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374.4.1 Records of the military detachment at Oak Ridge, TN

Textual Records: General and special orders, 1943-52.

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374.4.2 Records of the 8453d Antiaircraft Unit, Special Weapons
Detachment

Textual Records: Decimal correspondence, 1946-52.

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374.5 Records of AFSWP Joint Task Forces
1946-70

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374.5.1 Records of Joint Task Force 1 relating to Operation
Crossroads

Textual Records: Numeric-subject correspondence, 1946-47. Numeric file of the Bikini Scientific Resurvey Group, 1947-48. Records of the Office of the Director of Ship Material relating to the planning, preparation, and execution of all nonscientific matters in the operation, 1946. Incoming and outgoing messages, civilian and military orders, and personal history data, 1946. Commendation file, 1945-46. Letters, formal petitions, and other records relating to protests against the testing, 1946. Records of the Army Ground Group at Bikini, 1946, consisting of Operation Plan 1-46, with attachments; reading file relating to quartermaster activities during the operation; and test crew reports on the effects of radioactivity, heat, pressure, and blast on certain equipment.

374.5.2 Records of Joint Task Force 2 relating to the Low
Altitude program (LAP) for testing atomic weapons

Textual Records: LAP records, 1965-70.

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374.5.3 Records of Joint Task Force 3 relating to Operation
Greenhouse

Textual Records: General correspondence, 1949-51. Personal name file of orders and other records relating to the assignment, travel, and relief of personnel, 1950-51. Cost control reports relating to expenditures, 1949-51. General topic file and a supply administrative file, 1950-52. Incoming messages of Task Group 3.2 (Army), 1950-51. Correspondence logs and copies of outgoing messages of Task Group 3.3 (Navy), 1950-51. Numeric file of correspondence relating to the navy's role in Operation Greenhouse, 1950-52. Decimal correspondence of Task Group 3.4 (Air Force), 1950-51. General file, 1950-51.

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374.5.4 Records of Joint Task Force 7

Textual Records: General records of Operation Sandstone, 1947-48, with index. Decimal correspondence of the Intelligence and Security Section, Intelligence Division, 1947-48. Correspondence and other records relating to joint task force participation in Operation Castle, 1952-54. Decimal administrative correspondence of Task Group 7.2 (Army), 1953-55; and memorandums, letters, and court-martial orders, 1953-55. Messages of Task Group 7.3 (Navy), 1952; numeric-subject file relating to Operation Ivy, 1952-53; and histories, 1948-53. Subject file of Task Group 7.6 (Joint Radiological Safety Group), relating to conduct of radiological safety operations performed as part of Operation Sandstone, 1947- 48.

Photographs: Highlights of Operation Sandstone, and the preparation, explosions, and effects at Eniwetok Atoll, including some in color, 1947-48 (OS, 102 images).

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374.5.5 Records of Joint Task Force 132

Textual Records: Correspondence relating to Operation Windstorm, 1950-52. Histories and other papers of previous operations of Task Group 132.2 (Army), 1949-52. Decimal file of Task Group 132.4 (Air Force), 1952; and general file, 1951-52, relating to its participation in Operation Ivy.

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374.6 Textual Records (General)
1943-47

Records of AFSWP, Los Alamos, NM 1943-47.

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374.7 Motion Pictures (General)
1954-62

Air Force training films, 1954-62, used by the Nuclear Weapons School (1969-71), pertaining to various phases of atomic weaponry, including inspection, safety precautions, radiological detection, shipping, prefiring preparation, firing, and radiological anticontamination procedures (20 reels).

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374.8 Still Pictures (General)
1946-62

Photographs of atmospheric nuclear testing at Pacific island and Nevada test sites, 1946-1962 (DNA, ca. 1050 images).

See Photographs under 374.5.4.


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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