Is a Burial Case File the Same as IDPF

Kim,

I was advised by a senior person at  Ft. Knox to send a FOIA request for “any and all records” regarding the person you are researching.  That way, any additional records at that Office may be found and sent to you.

i believe separate burial records or reinterment records may exist for some KIAs, but I’m not an expert in this area.

Their address is: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.foia@mail.mil

i would also FOIA St. Louis.  I did both.

Good luck.  Bob Ragolia

Kim,

Elliot’s post is helpful and accurate.  Thank you, Elliot.

Again, I’m certainly no expert, but I firmly believe that the Army that I know and served in, would have kept copious records on the over 170,000 WWII KIAs who were buried overseas, then reinterred in the US.

If you know your relative’s unit, research will reveal what collection and Graves Registration units were assigned to your relative’s outfit.  Those units traveled with almost every Division and sent daily reports to their HQ of who and where KIAs were buried.  Swift collection and burial was paramount for health and morale reasons.  Hopefully, their records (Graves Registration’s) will reveal where the deceased was collected from and where he was buried, at least initially.   From there other things can start falling into place.

I was advised by a very top CO to keep asking for “any and all” records and files when using FOIA.  The more information you can provide makes their job easier and produces faster results – dates, units, rank, serial numbers, etc.

Hope this helps.  Keep working the bread crumbs.  I’m doing the same.

Sincerely,

Bob Ragolia

Dear Ms. Clarke,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

Burial Case Files were later called the Individual Deceased Personnel File or IDPF. They usually contain documents to identify the remains such as dental records and correspondence to the next-of-kin as to where they would like their relative to be buried -- private cemetery, Veteran’s cemetery, etc.

If you already have his IDPF, then you have the complete file.

We hope this information is helpful.