Sub-series consists of records that were created and maintained by Directorate of Movements (DMove) between 1939 and 1948 and were later incorporated into the larger Army Central Registry System by adding the prefix "63" to the file number. The original filing number was broken down into two parts. The first part of the number indicated the direction and nature of the sailing, and the following describe the assignment of these numbers: 300 (Ships Generally); 301 (Eastbound Cargo); 302 (Eastbound Personnel); 303 (Westbound Personnel); 304 (Passage Rates); 305 (Regular Sailings); 306 (Hospital Ships General); 307 (Passages for Ministry of War Transport); 308 (Ships Conducting Staff); 309 (Sailing of Force K Greenland); 310 (Westbound Cargo); 350 (Pacific Cargo). In most cases the second part of the file number is a consecutive number assigned to the sailing of an individual ship, eg. 302-135 for the SS NERISSA, sailing on the 21 April 1941. The researcher should note that if a ship was carrying both passengers and cargo there are usually two different files for a single passage. The files themselves contain information on the movement of personnel and cargo to port, passenger lists, cargo manifests, bills of lading, reports on the passage by shipboard officers, including information on the conduct of personnel, messing arrangements, menus, discipline and medical matters, as well as other related correspondence between DMove NDHQ and elements of the field organization and other services. On some files, if a vessel was lost or sunk, one will find a copy of the report on the loss or sinking.
The researcher should note that while the files were roughly filmed in file order, there are some anomalies and the next file in sequence is not necessarily found on the next microfilm reel, but will be located on a subsequent reel. (See reels C-5589 to C-5741).
