Are you here because Laurie Waters told you to check out this blog?

There are so many times, as a reporter, we have too much to fit into our story. Today was one of those days.

You're probably familiar with the National Archives & Records Administration facility in Overland. I've driven past it since I was a kid. My memories of it are images burned into my mind of the fire at the facility in 1973. Video of firetrucks going past the guardhouse off Page avenue.

I was at the records center today to cover a story about the records being moved to a new facility that will be built in north St. Louis county near Hazelwood East High School. This is great for St. Louis because it means about 600 jobs are staying in St. Louis.

But what a lot of people don't realize is the very cool (sorry, I have an undergrad degree in history so I love this stuff) files the government has stored in this facility. The stacks of boxes are in rooms nearly as long as three football fields (think last scene of "Raiders of the Los Ark").

Bryan McGraw, the Assistant Director for Archival Programs, took us on a quick tour of the facility. We were allowed to go into a secured, vault-like room where they keep the files of the "Persons of Exceptional Prominence". We were able to check out the military files for John Kennedy, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and (the most popular file) Elvis Presley. I noticed Elvis earned a good conduct medal. I was impressed (although a few other veterans told me not to be too impressed). His file contains letters from fans saying Elvis should not have to serve in the army. He should be discharged so he could entertain the country. It also had letters from parents asking why should Elvis be discharged when their sons (remember, no daughters at the time) were having to serve.

While it may not seem earth-shattering to some I still got a kick out of picking up Kennedy's military file and seeing documents with his address on them, his father listed under "parent's name". I held the papers that Eisenhower and Truman had signed. I had a blast (sorry, the history student part of me is coming through again).

I asked Wilson Sullivan, the archivist, what other files they had there. He rattled off several names--Jerry Garcia, Jeffrey Dahmer, Jimi Hendrix (one of the criticisms against Hendrix in the file--he only wanted to play his guitar), Oliver North, John McCain's father and grandfather, General Patton, John Dillinger....the list goes on and on.

After my story aired at 5pm one of my colleagues here at News 4, Brad Brown, came up and told me he was inspired enough by what he saw to get his grandfather's military records. I hope Brad is able to uncover something that will give him some insight into his grandfather when he was a young man serving in World War II. There are treasures to be found in those files. I hope Brad finds one.

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