Same with my father, he’s 87. My sister has been helping for years to try for his benefits. Records lost in the fire.
Sure seem to be a lot of fires at VA’s. I’ve heard stories like these before. Perhaps if they more clearly mark the fire extinguishers?
Something similar happened to my neighbor, a WWII and Korean War vet. His records were destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. It took his former platoon leader, then a Colonel, to pull strings with contacts at the Pentagon to get a certificate of military service (not a DD 214) and a replacement Purple Heart award issued to him so the VA would recognize his status as a veteran.
My army stuff was lost in the St. Louis fire but my Morning Reports were not. You might be able to use those that would show transfers to field hospital.