Edward L. Herp papers

Collection — Container: Single Folder Collections - 1997 Box 3, Folder: 97.0067 - Folder 1

Identifier: 97.0067

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Edward L. Herp papers document Captain Edward Herp's time spent as a radio operator for the 321st Fighter Control Squadron of the 9th Air Force for the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. The collection contains an oral history, various photographs, the bulk of them taken at the Buchenwald concentration camp, a letter discussing the photographs, personal documents, postcards, and other items that illustrate his service in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. Also in the oral history, Herp discusses his time spent working at Florida State University for WFSU-TV and as a professor of television production.

Dates

Created: 1942-1998
Other: Majority of material found in 1942-1945
Other: Date acquired: 04/20/1998

Creator

Herp, Edward L. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Edward L. Herp was born on March 1, 1921, in Louisville, Kentucky. After high school, he traveled as a musician. Once the United States entered the war, he decided to return home to fight. In August 1942, he joined the Army Air Force 321st Fighter Control Squadron. He trained all across the United States, including basic training at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Cadet training at Yale University, School of Applied Tactics in Orlando, Florida, Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Once he completed his training, Herp joined the 321st Fighter Control Squad as a radio operator and Morse code decipher. Herp first traveled to the United Kingdom and spent time in Edinburgh, Ipswich, and Leeds. From there he was sent to France, including Reims and Dénat. Then Herp found himself in Belgium and arrived right after the Battle of the Bulge began. Herp spent some time in Verviers and Charleroi before going to Germany. In Germany Herp visited Buchenwald concentration camp and soon heard of the war ending in Europe. He was given a choice to stay in the Air Force and work in Darmstadt, Germany which Herp agreed to. He was then sent back to the United States in December 1945 but was not officially discharged until March 1946 with the rank of Captain.

He used the GI Bill to attend school at Northwestern University in Illinois and then at Minneapolis Television Lab where he studied radio production and management. Once he graduated Herp worked at numerous television companies across the United States including WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, WJW-TV in Cleveland, and WQED in Pittsburgh on “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood”. He was hired by Florida State University in 1961 as director for WFSU-TV and as a professor teaching Television productions until he retired in 1988. He helped found Goodwill Industries in Tallahassee, Florida and volunteered at various elementary schools in Tallahassee. Edward Herp passed away on March 10, 2004 at the age of 83 years old.