Skip to Main Content

Archives Branch: Personal Papers Collections

A guide to the papers of individual Marines held by the Archives Branch.

Marines on Operation Meade River, 1968Personal Papers Collections in the Archives Branch

In October 1998, upon recognizing the educational and research value of archival materials, the Commandant of the Marine Corps General Charles C. Krulak directed the USMC History and Museums Division to transfer its personal papers collections from the Washington, DC Navy Yard to the Archives Branch at Quantico, Virginia.  The Archives Branch continues to maintain this superb resource, and our collection of personal papers includes the papers of some of the most notable Marines in history.  With every passing year the number of collections in our holdings increases.  We currently have upwards of 5,700 collections, and we endeavor to make these invaluable materials available to both Marine and civilian researchers. Please note that these finding aids do not represent the entirety of our holdings. 

Contact us at history.division@usmcu.edu or (703) 784-4685 for information about other collections.

Personal papers are comprised of, but not limited to, the following media types: correspondence, memoirs, diaries, scrapbooks, maps, and photographs.  The collections in our holdings are organized alphabetically by creator's last name on this site.  For each individual we have included a finding aid to their papers, a photograph of the individual, the size of the collection, the dates covered, and a brief description of the collection's contents.  Whenever possible, additional links to official Marine Corps biographies are included, as well as links to digitized photographs and documents, that are available online via the Archives Branch Flickr page.

Note: When requesting materials from these collections, please provide the following information: collection name, collection number, and box number (i.e., Smedley Butler, COLL/3124, Boxes 23-24)

Contact Archives Branch

Service-related Info

Service Records

Awards

Casualties

Marine Corps Locator Service

Muster Rolls & Unit Diaries

Records for Veterans Claims, Family History Research & General Interest

Unit Information

For Marine Corps Units

Operational Records

Command Chronologies

Streamers, Lineage, Honors

Flag Manual

Unit & Command Records
(Korea & Vietnam)

History & Archives

Official Marine Corps Records, Film & Video

Publications

Maps & Drawings

Personal Papers of Marines

History & Research

 
 

 

 

History Division/Archives Services

 

For information/requests related to these topics, click on the link or visit the Marine Corps History Division Inquiries page.

 

For information/requests related to these topics, click on the link or visit the Official Marine Corps History Division Website. Please contact history.division at usmcu.edu with all related questions.


 

Telephone

703-784-4685

Email

Archives Branch reference requests and general inquiries: History.Division@usmcu.edu

Command Chronology requests and submissions: History.Division@usmcu.edu or DoD SAFE

Archives Hours

Please contact history.division at usmcu.edu for more information.

Mailing Address

Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division
2044 Broadway Street
Quantico, VA  22134

Before visiting the Archives Branch, please review the following information: Conducting In-Person Research

Physical Location:

2044 Broadway Street
Quantico, VA  22134

Visitors should the access the Archives via the Warner Center lobby (click here for driving directions) The Archives reference desk and reading room are on the first deck.

Base Access

Please visit the MCBQ DBIDS webpage for current information and FAQs.

All personnel requesting access to MCINCR-MCB Quantico must have an approved ID and be registered into the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS), prior to being allowed access to the base. DoD issued ID cards (CAC - common access card & TESLIN - retiree, dependent, reserve, individual ready reserve) do Not require any action and will be automatically enrolled into DBIDS. All other approved ID’s require registering that ID credential into DBIDS at the visitor control center, or other approved site aboard the installation. There is no cost to the individual or company to register with DBIDS.


Marine Corps Base Quantico is located off of Interstate 95 in Virginia, approximately 36 miles south of Washington, DC and 20 miles north of Fredericksburg, VA.

The two closest airports are Dulles International (IAD) in Dulles, Va., and Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) in Arlington, VA. Other transportation includes a bus terminal in nearby Triangle as well as Amtrak (1-800-872-7245) and Virginia Railway Express (1-800-RIDE-VRE) train services. The train station is located in the Town of Quantico and the Warner Center is a short walk from the station.

Visit our social media sites for daily updates and items from our collections on Marine Corps history, including trivia, people, archival documents, photographs, videos and more.