The National Archives Pays Tribute to Irving Berlin on his 100th Birthday The National Archives celebrated the 100th birthday of composer Irving Berlin in May with a month-long series of special events. Events included a musical revue of Irving Berlin's career entitled, "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song," written and directed by music historian James R. Morris; a lecture by James R. Morris describing the use of archival resources in understanding and reconstructing performance styles; and a threeweek film series that featured movies with musical scores written by Irving Berlin. ACCESSIONS, OPENINGS, AND DECLASSIFICATIONS National Archives, Washington, D.C.: RECORDS DECLASSIFICATION DIVISION The Records Declassification Division systematically reviews security classified documents accessioned by the National Archives. Under the terms of Executive Order 12356 "National Security Information" effective August 1, 1982, and the implementing directive issued by the Information Security Oversight Office, classified information accessioned into the National Archives will be reviewed when it becomes 30 years old. File series concerning intelligence activities, intelligence sources and methods, and cryptology dating after 1945 are not to be systematically reviewed before they become 50 years old. Priority is given to records of research interest and records containing significant portions that are potentially declassifiable. Researchers should address any questions about the records to the unit holding them and should bear in mind that other restrictions may prevent the release of some records even though they have been declassified. General Records of the Department of State The Records Declassification Division has recently completed systematic review of 31 cubic feet of the General Records of the Department of State, 1954-59. Records declassified include portions of the "Central Decimal Files" for Hungary, Great Britain and Ireland, and Austria and records of the Office of Chinese Affairs, 1954-56, and records of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs, 1957. A list of specific files available for research can be obtained from the Diplomatic Branch. Call (202) 523-3174. (Record Group 59.) Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917 Cross index sheets to the Adjutant General's Office classified files, 1941-47 (2090 reels of 16mm microfilm) and cross index sheets to radios and staff directives, 1941-47 (110 reels of 16mm microfilm) have been declassified. These records are available from the Military Field Branch. Call (301) 7631710. (Record Group 407.) Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance The Records Declassification Division has declassified 218 cubic feet of the Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, Central Decimal File (Restricted), 1951-54. available from the Military Field Branch. (Record Group 156.) These records are Call (301) 763-1710. Records of the Panama Canal The Records Declassification Division has declassified 310 cubic feet of the records of the Panama Canal, 1935-60. These records are available from the General Branch. Call (301) 763 7410. (Record Group 185.) Records of U.S. Army Commands, 1942 Systematic review for declassification was recently completed on 28 cubic feet of the records of U.S. Army Commands, including Unit Histories, 1940-55, and China Theater Awards Files, 1942-47. These records are now available from the Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies 1948-61 The Records Declassification Division has declassified 143 cubic feet of records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, 194861. Among the records declassified are those of the Technical Cooperation Administration, 1951-55, and records of the U.S. Overseas Mission Vietnam, 1954-59. These records are available from the General Branch. Call (301) 763-7410. 469.) (Record Group MILITARY ARCHIVES DIVISION Records of the United States Army, Vietnam The Military Field Branch opened for research 4,000 cubic feet of material, comprising the first segment of records from the U.S. Army Vietnam (USARV). Divisional records opened at this time include those of the 1st, 4th, 9th, 23d, and 25th Infantry Divisions; the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division; the 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division; the 101st Airborne Division, and the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Brigade units opened include those of the 173 Airborne Brigade (Separate), the 196th, 198th, and 199th Infantry Brigades (Light), and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Records of combat units below the brigade level which are available for research include those performing nclude infantry, armor, aviation, artillery, and cavalry functions, and of support units including those performing engineering, signal, maintenance, and medical functions. The content of the records varies according to the unit, but may include daily journals, combat operations after action reports (COAAR's), quarterly operational reports - lessons learned (ORLL's), situation reports (SITREP's), periodic intelligence reports (PERINTREP's), intelligence and operational summaries (INTSUM's and OPSUM's), general orders, operations orders (OPORD's), and organizational history files. |