The Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF): what it is and how to request one

What an IDPF is

The Individual Deceased Personnel File, or IDPF, is the case file the military created to account for a service member who died in service. It documents the circumstances of death, the recovery and identification of remains, burial and any later reburial, the handling of personal effects, and the correspondence with the next of kin. Where the Official Military Personnel File describes a person's service, the IDPF describes what happened at the end of it and afterward.

What an IDPF contains

The contents vary by case, but a fuller file can include:

• Reports of death and the circumstances, sometimes with statements from witnesses or the unit.
• Burial and disinterment records, tracking a temporary battlefield grave through to a permanent cemetery or return home.
• Identification records, including dental charts, physical descriptions, and the reasoning used to identify remains.
• An inventory of personal effects and the record of their return to the family.
• Correspondence with the next of kin, which can be the most personal material in the file.

For many families, this is the record that finally explains a loss that was only ever summarized in a telegram.

Whose records have an IDPF

IDPFs exist for service members who died in service, most heavily documented for World War II and the Korean War. If your relative was killed in action, died of wounds, died in an accident or of illness while serving, or was missing and later declared dead, there is a strong chance a file was created.

Where IDPFs are kept and how to request one

Army IDPFs are held at the National Archives at St. Louis. They are requested from the National Archives, often through a written or emailed records request rather than the standard personnel-file forms. Cases that were never resolved, such as service members still listed as missing, may also involve the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Why the 1973 fire did not destroy them

This is the part that surprises families. The IDPF is a separate series from the personnel files that burned in 1973, and it largely survived. So even when a veteran's Official Military Personnel File was lost in the fire, the IDPF may still exist and may carry a great deal of what the family is looking for. Our guide to the 1973 St. Louis fire explains what was lost and how the rest of a record gets rebuilt.

Frequently asked questions

What is an Individual Deceased Personnel File?

The IDPF is the military case file for a service member who died in service. It documents the circumstances of death, the recovery and identification of remains, burial, personal effects, and correspondence with the family.

What does an IDPF contain?

A fuller file can include reports of death, burial and disinterment records, identification records such as dental charts and physical descriptions, an inventory of personal effects, and letters exchanged with the next of kin.

Whose records have an IDPF?

Files exist for service members who died in service, most heavily for World War II and the Korean War, including those killed in action, those who died of wounds, illness, or accident, or those who were missing and later declared dead.

Where are IDPFs kept and how do I request one?

Army IDPFs are held at the National Archives at St. Louis and are requested directly from the National Archives. Unresolved missing-in-action cases may also involve the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Was the IDPF affected by the 1973 fire?

No. The IDPF is a separate series from the personnel files that burned in 1973, and it largely survived, so it can still exist even when the Official Military Personnel File was lost.

How we help

For families researching a relative who died in service, the IDPF is one of the first records we pursue. We prepare and track the request, read the file in context, and fold it into a sourced account of the service and the loss. Everything we confirm carries a citation. We tell you plainly what the record does and does not prove, and your family's information stays private. You can see how a project is scoped and priced on our pricing page, or start with a research project.