Ship Records and Deck Logs

Deck logs record a ship's movements, locations and notable events. They can show when a ship entered a shipyard, how long it stayed and when it returned to sea. Those details matter because shipyard periods often involved heavy insulation work. Deck logs usually do not list every crew member by name, but combined with muster rolls or personnel records, they help confirm the conditions you were living and working in. Some logs also note repairs or equipment problems that support a description of maintenance work.

Many historical deck logs and muster rolls are held by the National Archives. Requests should include the ship's name, its hull number if you know it, and the specific dates you need. Asking for narrower date ranges can make the request faster and the records much easier to review, since logs for long periods can run to hundreds of pages. Some deck logs have been digitized, while others must be copied from the original documents. Your service officer or attorney may already know how to request these records efficiently and may even have copies for commonly cited ships.

In a VA claim, ship records support your statement about service aboard a vessel and the conditions you lived and worked in. In trust and legal claims, they can help match your service to shipyards or ships listed by trusts or connected to specific products. Present them alongside your personnel file and personal statement, highlighting the relevant dates rather than submitting a stack of pages with no explanation. A short cover note explaining what each record shows can help reviewers understand why it matters. Keep copies, since the same records are often useful in several claims.

1. 1

   Write down each ship's name, hull number and the months you served aboard.

2. 2

   Request deck logs for your service dates from the National Archives.

3. 3

   Ask for muster rolls to confirm your assignment to each ship.

4. 4

   Highlight shipyard periods in the records and include a short explanatory note.