NARA archive research & copy help required.

Gentlemen & Ladies

Dont worry I am not normally this formal, but I am new to this site so a little bit of respect I hope will go a long way.
I also have a post in the intro section - http://www.ww2f.com/topic/59996-nara-help/#entry678854

I have for a while now (4 - 5 years) been searching for the names of the Allied soldiers who were repatriated via the port of Odessa in 1945. To date I have not been particularly successful having tried to search through the swamp known as The National Archives in Kew, London, been tempted and teased by the Russian Archives in Moscow, and spent hours searching the internet for stories that may or may not hold clues to the names of the - well thats one of the problems as to how many were actually repatriated - I am trying to answer this question.

To that end I eventually had a meaningful response from NARA, however they say that they do not copy parts of files only all (or nothing) and at $0.80 a sheet for a 1000 page document I thought - well you are right, but I dont think I should print that word here. They stated:

"This message is in reply to your recent inquiry to the National Archives concerning your interest in locating “lists of Allied ex-POWs who were swept up after imprisonment by the Russian, transported to Odessa and then shipped from there to their home countries in 1945.” Your inquiry was forwarded to me for a response.

We have searched our holdings and located a file, “POWs (Personnel Evacuated Through Odessa),” consisting of approximately 1000 pages which includes lists and some associated correspondence......."


To that end I registered on this site to see if there are any members who provide a photocopying service of files held in NARA. On the sister site we have several who provide this invaluable service for those who do not live close to or even in the same country.


If you have any suggestions please post them

Thanks
TD

 

http://www.ww2f.com/topic/13562-requesting-copies-of-military-personnel-records/page-2?hl=nara#entry676047

Post #32 might be useful from the above thread TD

(80% lost in a fire though in the 70's)

 

Hi Mutley

Thanks for that I will take a closer look later.

I have contacted a couple of the professional researchers that NARA have on their list but I am still guessing that they will be expensive, awaiting their replies and thought I would try here in the mean time

TD

 

Hi Opana

From the email I rec'd back from them its says at the bottom

Textual Reference Operations
National Archives at College Park, MD

and within the text of their reply:

"Should you choose to come to Washington to do research, our records and microfilm publications are available for consultation without charge in our research rooms. The National Archives at College Park (Archives II) is located at 8601 Adelphi Road, between Metzerott Road and University Boulevard/Greenbelt Road, just inside the Beltway between the New Hampshire Avenue and Route 1 Exits. "

I apologise in advance for my lack of US geography, I assume they are somewhere near Washington

TD