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Record Group 313 - Donated Materials

Guide to Archival Holdings at the National Archives at Philadelphia

Record Group 313
Records of Naval Operating Forces

Administrative History
Under Department of the Navy General Order 5, dated May 14, 1959, operating forces were defined as "the several fleets, seagoing forces, sea frontier forces, district forces, Fleet Marine Forces and other assigned Marine Corps forces, the Military Sea Transportation Service, and such shore activities of the Navy and other forces and activities as may be assigned to the Operating Forces of the Navy by the President or the Secretary of the Navy."

The Naval Operating Forces were organized chiefly on a geographical basis into fleets and squadrons until 1922, when the U.S. Fleet became the principal naval force. Another reorganization on February 1, 1941, provided for three main fleets: the Pacific, Atlantic, and Asiatic Fleets. This organization was modified during and after World War II. In 1967, the major commands afloat were the Pacific Fleet, the Atlantic Fleet, the Military Sea Transportation Service, and the Naval Forces, Europe. Since May 1915, the Chief of Naval Operations has been responsible to the Secretary of the Navy for the operation of the fleet and the preparation and readiness of plans for its use in war.

Records Description
Dates: 1959-1961
Volume: 2 cubic feet

Records of Airship Squadron One, 1961, and Airship Squadron Three, 1959-1960, Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey. The records describe the arrival and departure of airships, crash investigations, personnel, and routine administrative matters. They are primarily correspondence and logbooks.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

 

Record Group 336
Records of the Office of the Chief of Transportation

Administrative History
The Office of the Chief of Transportation was established in the Services of Supply (SOS), War Department on March 2, 1942, to head the Transportation Division. It was abolished by General Order 39 of December 1, 1964.

Within the United States, the Office administered a variety of field installations and functions, including ports of embarkation, port agencies, transportation depots, offices, and zones.

Records Description
Dates: 1942-1946
Volume: 21 cubic feet

Records of the following units:

  • Baltimore Port of Embarkation;
  • First Transportation Zone, Pittsburgh Office;
  • Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation;
  • Marietta Transportation Depot, Pennsylvania;
  • Philadelphia Port of Embarkation;
  • Philadelphia Railhead;
  • Philadelphia Transportation Offices;
  • Pittsburgh Railhead;
  • Third Transportation Zone, Baltimore Office.

The records document operations and the organization of military transportation, and include circulars, general orders, issuances, manuals, memorandums, port regulations, reports, and unit histories. Nontextual records include maps, organization charts, and photographs.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

 

Record Group 338
Records of U.S. Army Commands, 1942-

Administrative History
The present system of U.S. Army commands, which are organized both functionally and geographically, emerged from a War Department reorganization of February 28, 1942. The system has a complex administrative structure including massive domestic and overseas operations.

Records Description
Dates: 1917-1973
Volume: 218 cubic feet

Records of the following groups and facilities:

  • Advisory Groups in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, 1954-1964;
  • Curtis Bay Storage Activity, Maryland, 1917-1957;
  • Delaware Storage Activity, Raritan Arsenal, New Jersey, 1951-1955;
  • Electronics Support Command, Philadelphia, 1966-1968;
  • First Transportation Zone, Pittsburgh, 1952-1956;
  • Food Service School, Fort Meade, Maryland, 1954;
  • General Equipment Test Activity, Fort Lee, Virginia, 1957-1965;
  • International Logistics Directorate, Philadelphia, 1967-1970;
  • Material Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, 1972-1973.

The records document the organization and activities of each facility. They are primarily general orders, but correspondence, publications, research files, and unit histories are included for some facilities.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

Restrictions
Access to some files or portions of documents may be restricted due to national security classification.

 

Record Group 355
Records of the National Agricultural Statistics Service

Administrative History
The Bureau of Agricultural Economics was established within the Department of Agriculture on July 1, 1922. It continued the work of conducting studies and disseminating information relating to agricultural production, crop estimates, marketing, finance, labor, and other agricultural programs begun as early as 1903 by several other bureaus. In 1953, it was replaced by the Agricultural Marketing Service and Agricultural Research Service, which were merged in 1961 to form the Economic Research Service. The latter service then became the Statistical Reporting Service in 1981.

Records Description
Dates: 1895-1976
Volume: 7 cubic feet

Records of State statistical reporting offices, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1895-1976, and Richmond, Virginia, 1918-1966. The records document the agricultural labor market, crop and livestock production, and weather and planting conditions. They consist of correspondence, press releases, questionnaires, and reports.

Finding Aids
Box contents list.

 

Record Group 369
Records of the Employment and Training Administration

Administrative History
The Employment and Training Administration was established in the Department of Labor on November 12, 1975, as a successor to the Manpower Administration. The latter had been created in 1963 to consolidate all departmental organizations and activities that directed, coordinated, or supported manpower programs or operations. The Employment and Training Administration consists of the U.S. Employment Service, the Office of Comprehensive Employment Development Programs, the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, and the Unemployment Insurance Service. It conducts work experience and work training programs, funds and oversees programs conducted under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973, and administers the Federal-State Employment Security System.

Records Description
Dates: 1965-1974
Volume: 11 cubic feet

Records of the Manpower Administration's Region III office, Philadelphia. The records document the recruitment, training, and placement of trainees under Job Corps and other training programs in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. They are brochures, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and reports.

Finding Aids
Box contents list.

 

Record Group 392
Records of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Districts and Defenses, 1901-1942

Administrative History
In 1901, the Artillery Corps was divided into field artillery batteries and coast artillery companies under newly created artillery districts. Each district consisted of harbor defense forts, with accompanying minefields and land defenses. In 1913, the coast artillery districts were redesignated coast defense commands.

Records Description
Dates: 1901-1943
Volume: 29 cubic feet

Records of the following units:

  • Coast and Harbor Defenses of Baltimore, 1901-1927;
  • Coast and Harbor Defenses of the Delaware River, 1901-1943;
  • Coast Defenses of the Chesapeake Bay, 1906-1922;
  • Fourth Coast Artillery District, Fort McPherson, Georgia, 1926-1939;
  • Middle Atlantic Artillery District, Fort Totten, New York, 1917, 1919.
  • The records document activities at the Coast Artillery Barracks at Cape May, New Jersey, and Cape Henlopen, Delaware, and the following forts:
  • Fort Armistead, Maryland;
  • Fort Carroll, Maryland;
  • Fort DuPont, Delaware;
  • Fort Howard, Maryland;
  • Fort McHenry, Maryland;
  • Fort Monroe, Virginia;
  • Fort Mott, New Jersey;
  • Fort Smallwood, Maryland.

They are correspondence inventories, orders, memorandums, and reports. Nontextual records include blueprints, maps, and photographs.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

Entries 1, 31, 37 through 57, 83 through 89, and 102 through 122 in Sarah D. Powell, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Textual Records of the United States Army Coast Artillery Districts and Defenses 1901-42, NM 88 (1967).

 

Record Group 406
Records of the Federal Highway Administration

Administrative History
The Department of Transportation Act of 1966 established the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and transferred to it the Bureau of Public Roads (see RG 30). The FHA administers Federal financial assistance to the States for highway construction and conducts research and programs relating to highway safety.

Records Description
Dates: 1959-1978
Volume: 19 cubic feet

Records of Federal aid projects for Delaware, 1959-1978, and Pennsylvania, 1966-1969. The records document acquisition of rights-of-way and road construction. They are project case files. Nontextual records include right-of-way maps with references to survey lines and annotations about land ownership, physical features, and existing structures.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

 

Record Group 412
Records of the Environmental Protection Agency

Administrative History
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in the executive branch as an independent agency pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, effective December 2, 1970. The EPA was created to coordinate Federal action in cooperation with State and local governments to abate and control pollution in the areas of air, water, solid waste, pesticides, radiation, and toxic substances. It conducts research, monitoring, standard setting, and enforcement activities.

Records Description
Dates: 1972-1989
Volume: 99 cubic feet

Records of the Regional Administrator, Region III, 1981-1989. The records document the daily activities of the regional administrator, including conferences, presentations and travel, and oversight of each division. They are primarily memorandums, reports, speeches, and schedules.

Records of the Enforcement Division, Region III, 1972-1982. The records document hearings held to decide issues of fact concerning regulation enforcement. They contain judgment orders, notices, transcripts of hearings, and other administrative documents.

Records of the Environmental Impact Statement Division, Region III, 1976-1977. The records document data amassed to prepare environmental impact statements. Included are correspondence, memorandums, and reports.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

 

Record Group 423
Records of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration

Administrative History
The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) was established on June 19, 1968, by Public Law 90-351, the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The LEAA worked with State and local government to reduce crime by evaluating problems of State and local law enforcement and adopting comprehensive plans based on this information; granting funds to State and local government for improving law enforcement; and encouraging research and development into new methods of law enforcement. The Administrator of Law Enforcement Assistance directed the LEAA under authority of the Attorney General. The Justice Department discontinued the LEAA in 1982 and remaining functions were transferred to the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Records Description
Dates: 1975-1976
Volume: 5 cubic feet

Records of the regional office, Philadelphia. The records document the office's participation in criminal justice, corrections, and grant programs, and include correspondence, press releases, and reports.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

 

Record Group 452
Records of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration

Administrative History
The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) was established by an act of December 11, 1973, to stimulate, coordinate, schedule, and facilitate the planning and implementation of projects, events, and activities to celebrate 200 years of American life. It replaced the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, which was established by an act of July 4, 1966. The ARBA worked closely with State Bicentennial Commissions to plan and conduct a wide variety of programs and provided grants-in-aid for various activities. The ARBA was terminated on June 30, 1977, pursuant to the terms of the 1973 act.

Records Description
Dates: 1973-1976
Volume: 2 cubic feet

Records of the regional office, Philadelphia. The records document general program administration in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and especially commemorative activities of the Philadelphia area program. The programs involved the general public, Members of Congress, public and private institutions, State and local officials, and private individuals. Included are correspondence, memorandums, minutes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, press releases, schedules of activities, and speeches.

Finding Aids
Draft inventory.

 

Donated Materials Group

Papers of Alvah Carter Duke

Dates: 1962-1982
Volume: 6 cubic feet
Papers of Alvah Carter Duke, conservationist. The records document Duke's campaign to establish the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia and North Carolina. The papers document contacts with environmental organizations, Federal and State agencies, and political leaders. They are primarily correspondence, with some news clippings and other publications. Nontextual records include maps and photographs.

 

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