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07/09/2004:

"Bush Military Records Thought 'Destroyed'"

Star/Telegram

The New York Times
HOUSTON - Military records that could help establish President Bush's whereabouts during his disputed service in the Texas Air National Guard more than 30 years ago have been inadvertently destroyed, according to the Pentagon.

It said the payroll records of "numerous service members," including former 1st Lt. Bush, had been ruined in 1996 and 1997 by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service during a project to salvage deteriorating microfilm.

No backup paper copies could be found, it added in notices dated June 25.

The destroyed records cover three months of a period in 1972 and 1973 when Bush's claims of service in Alabama are in question.

The loss was announced by the Defense Department's Office of Freedom of Information and Security Review in letters to The New York Times and other news organizations that for nearly six months have sought Bush's complete service file under the open records law.

Bryan Hubbard, a spokesman for the defense finance agency in Denver, said the destruction occurred as the office was trying to unspool 2,000-foot rolls of fragile microfilm. He said he did not know how many records were lost or why no announcement had been made