6th U.S. Army Records Collections

The archives at Golden Gate National Recreation Area holds a large body of U.S. Army records that were identified as significant to the future management of former army facilities and the park's interpretive themes. During the 1994 transition of the Presidio of San Francisco from military site to national park unit, the Park Archives acquired approximately 3000 cubic feet of textual records and 60,000 maps and architectural plans. Over the following 20 years the records were reviewed, weeded, and arranged into individual collections that reflect the organization and management of the military areas found within the park. Topics include resources and operations of the Presidio of San Francisco, Forts Baker, Barry, Cronkhite, Funston, Mason, and Miley; Nike missile sites in the San Francisco Bay Area; medical facilities including the Letterman Army Medical Center, the Letterman Army Institute for Research, and the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital, and other related topics. Many records have ongoing value to the study of historic structures, management of cultural landscapes, and documentation of past conditions and military activities at these sites.

Please note that these collections do not frequently identify, or pertain to, the many service members stationed throughout these areas. The GGNRA does not hold individuals' service records nor medical records from the site's former hospitals. If interested in obtaining veteran service records please contact the National Archives.

 

6th U.S. Army Records Collections (PDF 9.8 MB) (RTF 36.7 MB) - This document lists the folder titles found in every administrative 6th U.S. Army records collection held at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, organized first by collection number and then by box. However, researchers can use this file to perform keyword searches across multiple collections without opening and reviewing separate finding aids.

The collections that make up this list may also be found below individually with their corresponding finding aid. Each finding aid provides the background information for the collection, an overview of how it is organized, as well as its own box and folder list.

 

Individual finding aids for Army Records Collections

Presidio of San Francisco Historical Real Estate Files GOGA 35159 (PDF 492KB) (RTF 14.3MB)
Historical real estate documents, maps, and plans for the military lands comprised of the Presidio of San Francisco and surrounding environs such as Fort Baker and Fort Mason. The files contain permits and licenses granted by the Army to individuals and companies for the use of military buildings and lands as well as agreements between the Army and various parties negotiating boundaries, water usage, rights of way, and utilities. A significant portion of the permits and agreements are with the Panama-Pacific International Exposition Company for use of Presidio lands during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition and with the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District giving them permission to run a state road through the Presidio and Fort Baker. There are also the titles and deeds for the acquisition of Lobos Creek and the Wherry Housing apartment complex.

Army Public Affairs Office Records GOGA 35330 (PDF 3MB) (RTF 11MB)
Public Affairs Office managed the community and public relations for the 6th Army and the Presidio. The staff, both civilian and military employees, answered requests for information, forwarded permit requests through the chain of command, and wrote tours and speeches. The material in this collection is an accumulation of their daily work activities. This collection is an excellent source of information about army-public relations both from the public and army perspectives, especially during the 1990’s. It includes internal documents through the chain of command concerning public opinion and the army reaction.

U.S. Public Health Service Hospital/Marine Hospital Collection GOGA 35336 (PDF 700KB) (RTF 4.6MB)
The U.S. Public Health Service Hospital Collection is comprised of historic files, administrative files, project files, photographs, graphics, negatives, and oversized materials. The oversized materials include the building plans. The historic files contain letters of correspondence, contracts, and building condition notes and legislation concerning the construction of the early U.S. Marine Hospital. The administrative files are documentation of the business activities and decisions made by the Public Health Service Hospital management. The GGNRA does not hold any patient records.

Fort Mason Collection, 1870-1994 GOGA 35337 (PDF 700KB) (RTF 2.5MB)
The Fort Mason Collection is comprised of real property and building utilization records, historic documents which traverse the spectrum of reservation boundary and easement titles to information on the founding of the State of California and San Francisco to the initial acquisition of railroad facilities, records which document the role of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation during World War II throughout the Bay Area as well as the Western Coast at large, records which document Fort Mason’s deactivation and transfer to the National Park Service (NPS) which encompassed the movement of operations to Oakland and then, eventually, to the Presidio of San Francisco, and, finally, records which document the beginning of NPS environmental conservation and architectural restoration and reuse efforts.

Army Real Estate Records GOGA 35338 (PDF 4.5MB) (RTF 22.3MB)
The Army Real Estate records are an extensive collection of materials, dating from the 1920s to the 1990s. These records originated from the Army’s Master Planning Branch. The bulk of the materials were created during 1960 through 1989. The collection consists of published documents, correspondence, and master plans, building plans, Army records, photographs, newspapers, brochures, and maps. The major focus of these records relates to military real property - lands, buildings, structures, utilities, improvements, heating systems, and equipment – and its installations, transfers, and demolitions. This collection documents the changes, additions, and conditions of the lands and structures that are now in the domain of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Nike Ajax & Hercules Plans and Records GOGA 35344 (PDF 1.83MB) (RTF 212MB)
The Nike Ajax and Hercules Plans and Records Collection consists of architectural and infrastructural plans, mechanical and electrical diagrams, and real estate/property maps and records from Sixth Army Air Defense Artillery Division. While Nike was a national system, this collection mostly addresses sites now encompassed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area: SF-51 (Milagra/Sweeney Ridge), SF-59 (Fort Funston), SF-87 (Fort Cronkhite), SF-88 (Fort Barry), SF-89 (Fort Scott), and SF-91 (Angel Island).

Army Directorate of Logistics, 1943-1994 GOGA 35362 (PDF 330KB) (RTF 4.5MB)
Approximately 110 files of records from the Presidio Army Garrison Directorate of Logistics. It contains office files from the Chief of the Directorate pertaining to base closure, disaster recovery, environmental and other command interest topics and briefing materials. Also includes a large collection of Interservice Support Agreements between the Presidio Army Garrison and various building tenants on the post. Finally, there are historical records documenting military personnel usage of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Sixth U.S. Army Environmental Office Records GOGA 37024 (PDF 500KB) (RTF 13.6MB)
The Sixth U.S. Army Environmental Office Records document the progression of environmental awareness within the U.S. Army, specifically at the Presidio of San Francisco and its sub-installations, and the implementation of increasingly strict standards for environmental quality in tandem with national trends. Orchestrated by the Environmental Office, the Sixth U.S. Army undertook the containment and mitigation of various types of pollution stemming from toxic materials utilized and expended during post operations that effected occupational health, as well as air, soil and water quality. Integral to these efforts were surveys and consultations conducted by the U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency which identified problems on post in need of correction and ranked them by priority. Mitigation of environmental damage caused prior to the late 1960s and early 1970s translated into a focus on identifying environmental impacts prior to construction or demolition, and a large portion of this collection includes project statements and correlating environmental assessments; this process is further documented in materials which pertain to the Richmond Transport Project and Base Realignment and Closure of the Presidio of San Francisco in the early 1990s.

United States Army Project Records, 1910-1999 GOGA 37252 (PDF 14.8MB) (RTF 34.7MB)
The United States Army Project Records, dating from 1910-1999, is organized into five series: Contracts, Work Orders, Post Requests, Project Lists, and Additional Material. The bulk of the material dates from 1964-1995. The project records originated from the various directorates and offices of the U.S. Army stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco and its sub-installations.

Sixth U.S. Army, Directorate of Public Works, Maintenance Shops Records, GOGA 38131 (PDF 2.3MB) (RTF 15.6MB)
The Sixth U.S. Army, Directorate of Public Works, Maintenance Shops Records, dating from 1776 to 1999 with bulk dates from 1950-1995, documents the management of various operations and maintenance shops in their duties at the Presidio of San Francisco and its sub-installations. The records cover many topics including administrative functions; U.S. Army regulations and policy; shop management and operations; infrastructure and facility management; tests and reports; work plans and projects; equipment and supplies; safety and health; environmental issues; as well as base closure and NPS transition and transfer.

Sixth U.S. Army, Directorate of Public Works, Master Planning Branch Records, GOGA 38738 (PDF 3.4MB) (RTF 24MB)
The Sixth U.S. Army, Directorate of Public Works, Master Planning Branch Records, dating from 1849 to 1994 with bulk dates from 1955 to 1994, document the management and operations of the Master Planning Branch and Space Management Office at the Presidio of San Francisco and its sub-installations. The records are organized into three Series: Master Planning Branch Records, Space Management Office Records, and Audio-Visual Material from the Master Planning Branch Operations. The records cover many topics including general U.S. Army and Presidio of San Francisco (PSF) administrative functions and guidance; U.S. Army regulations and policy; Master Planning Branch and Space Management Office management and operations; Military Construction Program and projects; facility, site, infrastructure, land, and space management; Army mobilization and disaster and emergency preparedness; briefings and meetings; environmental, historic preservation, and Federal Regulation compliance; transportation, traffic, and recreation; planning and coordination with non-Army groups; Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and the National Park Service (NPS) transition and transfer.

United States Army Administrative Records, GOGA 39004 (PDF 2.3MB) (RTF 3.6MB)
The United States Army Administrative Records date from 1850 to 2000 with bulk dates from 1975 to 1994. The records document the general management, administrative functions, and operations of various Army Directorates, Divisions, and Offices based at the Presidio of San Francisco that oversaw Army The records are organized into nine series: Directorate of Information Management, Directorate of Personnel and Community Activities, Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Administrative Office, DPW Engineer Resources Management Division (ERMD), DPW ERMD Budget Office, DPW Housing Division, Department of Defense Housing Office, Provost Marshall Office, and Headquarters Command Battalion. The records relate to many topics including general U.S. Army and Presidio of San Francisco (PSF) administrative functions, regulations, and policy; individual directorate and division management and operations; facility, land, infrastructure, utilities, resource, space, and subinstallation management; housing administration, mobilization and emergency preparedness; health, safety, and security; recreation and community functions; events, briefings, and meetings; general reference and suspense records; budget and funding; audits and inspections; support agreements; Base Realignment and Closure; National Park Service transition and transfer; and the establishment of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Letterman Army Hospital Records, 1866-1998, GOGA 39013 (PDF 1.2MB) (RTF 14.6MB)
The Letterman Army Hospital Records date from 1866 to 1998 with bulk dates from 1979 to 1993. The records document the general management, administrative functions, and operations of the Presidio’s Letterman U.S. Army Hospital, Letterman Army Medical Center, Letterman Army Institute of Research, and the hospital’s satellite locations located in the Presidio of San Francisco and its subinstallations. The records are organized into four series: Letterman Army Medical Center Records (ALAMC), Letterman Army Medical Center Hospital Commander’s Office Records (ALAM-006), Letterman Army Medical Center Industrial Hygiene Records (ALAMIH), and Letterman Army Institute of Research Records (ALAIR).

The records relate to many topics including Presidio of San Francisco and Letterman Hospital history; management and operations of the Letterman Army Medical Center and Letterman Army Institute of Research; medical-related Army regulations and procedures; briefing and presentations; events and holidays; industrial hygiene; occupational health; LAMC and LAIR decommission and deactivation; base closure; water and utility management; facility and resource management; and hazardous material management.

United States Army, Directorate of Public Works, Engineering Plans and Services Division Visual Materials, c1820 - 1985, GOGA 39014 (PDF 1.5MB) (RTF 9.7MB)
The United States Army Directorate of Public Works Engineering Plans and Services Division Visual Materials date from circa 1820 to 1985 with bulk dates from 1954 to 1978. The records document maps, plans, photographs, and other documentary materials that were in the Army’s possession circa 1985, at which time the material was replicated into the form of microfiche aperture cards. In addition to aperture cards, the records also include microfiche, photographs, and photographic slides. The records relate to real property utilization and land and resource management at these sites.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Records, 1940-1994, GOGA 39653 (PDF .2MB) (RTF 4.1MB)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Records date from 1940 to 1994 with bulk dates from 1975 to 1994. The records document easements to use land and property on the Presidio of San Francisco , easements for Pacific Gas and Electric [PG&E] to replace fiber optic cables at the Presidio of San Francisco and East Fort Baker [EFB], and the transfer of gas distribution systems from the Presidio of San Francisco to Pacific Gas and Electric. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Records provide insight into easements on the Presidio of San Francisco. The records also contain significant information regarding work conducted by Pacific Gas and Electric [PG&E] on the Presidio of San Francisco and East Fort Baker.