Seeking reports from John J Muccio

Dear Choon YoungSong,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

If you have not already done so we suggest you consult the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS). This is a Department of State publication of selected documents from the Department’s files and other sources.  Besides providing the text of the most important documents on U.S. foreign policy, FRUS also provides a source citation printed either as a header with the document or as a footnote.  Those references to file numbers or other records identifications are the keys to locating not only the printed documents but other documents on the same subject not selected for publication. Cited "Lot Files" may be difficult to identify among the records in the National Archives using just the Lot number.  If you are interested in using any of those records, please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov. FRUS volumes are usually available at large universities or public libraries, and in the U.S. Government Depository Libraries.

In addition, we searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series Central Decimal Files, 1910 - 1963 in the General Records of the Department of State (Record Group 59) that  may include records concerning meetings between Ambassador Muccio, President Syngman Rhee, and/or President Chiang Kai-shek. For more information regarding these non-digitized records, including explanations of the Department of State decimal classification of subjects, please visit the National Archives web page Central Decimal Files, 1910-1963 and contact RDT2 at archives2reference@nara.gov.

Next, we located the series Records Pertaining to American Economic Aid to Korea, ca. 1948 - 1950, Classified Subject Files, 1949 - 1955, and Top Secret General Records, 1950 - 1956 from U.S. Embassy, Korea in the Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department of State (Record Group 84) that may include records concerning Ambassador Muccio. For more information about these non-digitized records, please contact RDT2 at archives2reference@nara.gov.

Furthermore, we located the series Korean War Files, 1946 - 1953 in the President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration) (Collection HST-PSF) that includes such digitized items as Message from Ambassador John M. Muccio to the State Department, Forwarded to President Harry S. Truman and Telegrams from William Sebald to Secretary of State Dean Acheson regarding messages and reports by Ambassador Muccio to the Department of State. The series titled State Department Briefs Files, 1945 - 1953 in the Records of the Naval Aide to the President (Truman Administration) (Collection HST-NAVAL) includes  22 items regarding reports by the Ambassador. These two series have been completely digitized and are available for viewing using the National Archives Catalog.

Lastly, we located the series Transcripts of Oral History Interviews, 1960 - 2005 in the Harry S. Truman Library Oral History Collection (Collection HST-HSTLOH) that includes the file unit Oral History Interviews with John H. Muccio with two interviews of the Ambassador. For more information about these non-digitized records, please contact the Harry S. Truman Library (LP-HST) via email at truman.reference@nara.gov.

You may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDT2 and LP-HST. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience as we balance mission-critical work and the safety of our staff during the pandemic.  Please check NARA’s web page about COVID-19 updates for the latest information.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

Dear Mr. Zacary Dabbs,

I have no idea how to express my gratitude toward your kind search results and

wonderful search guidance!

I will try to follow your instructions and see if I may find what I am looking for.

Again, please accept may deepest gratitude!

Sincerely,

Dr. Choon Young Song,

Seoul, South Korea

I read over and over the contents you showed to me in your mail above, and still I do not grab the procedure(s). You showed me five cases. The first through third cases say to me to email at archives2reference@nara.gov.  I do not understand what to do by emailing to the same address.  Please understand my situation that I am new to the data base you recommended. The fourth case recommends me to locate the series Korean War Files, 1946 - 1953. Sorry to say, I have no idea how to locate them. I could find the fifth case, that is, the  Oral History Interviews, but found none on Presidents Syngman Rhee and Chiang Kai-shek.

I am new to the data base you are mentioning, and I am at a loss what to do to find the data you recommended me to locate. Would you please walk me step by step on how to approach each case except the fifth case? Your help will be immensely appreciated!!!

Dear Dr. Choon Young Song, ,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

Since the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) also received your request and will respond to you via email, we will not duplicate their efforts.