War Relocation Authority (WRA) Case Files
The National Archives Building in Washington, DC (Archives 1), holds case files of Japanese and Japanese Americans whom the federal government forcibly removed to War Relocation Authority (WRA) "relocation centers" beginning in May 1942. These camps were specific to persons of Japanese ancestry, both citizens and noncitizens, from parts of California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona that were designated as military areas.
The case files are found in Entry PI-77 22 in Record Group 210, Records of the War Relocation Authority (National Archives Identifier 891305). The files are arranged alphabetically.
Contents of WRA Case Files
The content of individual case files varies. In addition to including basic identifying information about the individual (such as their name, age, and physical description), case files may also contain:
- Medical records
- Property records
- School records
- Military service information
- WRA camp employment records
- Leave or discharge documentation
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Related correspondence
Not all case files contain each of these documents.
Case files may provide information about an individual's family members as well.
Accessing WRA Case Files
Researchers may request to view WRA case files on site at Archives 1 or order copies of case files using the WRA case file request form.
In your request, please provide the following information so that our staff can locate the case file:
- Individual’s full name
- If the individual used a Japanese name and an Anglicized name, please provide both names.
- Individual's date of birth
-
WRA camp
If the individual of interest is not the head of family, please also provide the following information:
- Head of family's name
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Head of family's date of birth
To identify this information, please search the Access to Archival Databases (AAD). For search tips, please see Search the Database of Japanese American Internees.