B-17 bomber

Scope and Contents This collection relates to the 97th Bombardment Group which was based in England, Africa and Italy during World War II and the first operational bomb group in England in 1942. The collection contains documents (mostly photocopies) on missions, statements and statistics, three diaries, and newspaper articles. Their daily operations reports, narrative reports, and casualty reports detail their accomplishments and their losses. Included are a collection of videos, audio tapes, and microfilm. Included are copies of three personal diaries by Alex Blair, Jr., LeRoy Teschendorf, and Herman F. Lykins. Also included is an extensive photograph collection of flight crews, air fields, and...

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This collection consists of photographs, personal papers and personal memorabilia belonging to Carl Fessel, a member of the United States Army Air Force who served in the 570th Squadron of the 390th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force in Europe from February of 1944 to April of 1945. Papers include a certificate of honorable discharge issued by the U.S. Army, while photographs include a picture of Fessel in uniform for a bombing mission and a contemporary map of Europe highlighting the prison camp at which Fessel was held as a prisoner of war. Personal memorabilia include membership cards titled "Life Membership: American Ex-Prisoners of War."

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The collection of Clarke M. Brandt contains an oral history transcript and various publications about army life during World War II. In it are examples such as George (Bob) Caron who was a tail gunner on the "Enola Gay" B-29 Bomber. The oral history includes Caron's eyewitness account of the bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Also included are pamphlets and newsletters including "War Buddies," which covers the relationship between a soldier and his canine companion through his years as a member of the US Marine Corps. "War Buddies" is written by Earle Welch and Dick Roberts.

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This collection consists of an oral history transcript of an interview with 2nd Lt. James J. Crooke, who served in World War II. Crooke served in the Army Air Corps with the 303rd Bomb Group in the European Theater (ETO).

Scope and Contents Deborah Gierach's collection of photographs were taken by her late father-in-law (no name given), a B-17 pilot in Europe during the Second World War. The collection consists of scanning from three photograph albums (in German) compiled and produced for the Nazi government as a means to show what the Third Reich was doing during the war. Subjects include Nazi rallies, Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Goering, soldiers, military vehicles, as well as Hitler playing with children and socializing with others. Captions are in German. Organized month to month for separate calendar years of 1939, 1940, 1942. Note: the majority of the photographs do not contain the...

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This collection relates to Second Lieutenant Charles Emil Gutmann who served with the 333rd Bomb Group, 468th Bomber Squadron, during World War II. He was one of seven airmen killed during training when B-17F Flying Fortress #42-5981 crashed, six miles northwest of the Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas. The collection includes military personnel documents, Western Union Telegram notifying of death, and photographs.

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George D. Harris (Army Air Corps, 1942-1945) trained as a radioman and gunner on a B-17 and was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group in England in 1943. His collection contains a photocopy of three articles from the American Ex-Prisoners of War Bulletin from January 1996 and a copy of his oral history interview conducted on February 26, 2003.

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This collection includes photographs and documents pertaining to aerial operations over Europe during World War II. Lt. Herman Simler flew over 30 bombing missions over Europe during his service. The squadrons specified in this collection are the 8th Army Air Force, the 15th Army Air Force, and the 716th-719th bomber squadrons.

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Oral history of U.S. Army Air Corps B-17 Co-Pilot Colonel Jack H. Heinzel, an American prisoner of war who survived the Bataan death march and subsequent "Hell Ships" starting in April of 1942. The collection contains one folder with fifteen pages detailing this airman's experience of these atrocities.

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The collection of First Lieutenant James Feerick contains an oral history transcript of an interview provided by the Reichelt Program for Oral History. Feerick served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as part of the 8th Bomber Command, 1st Bombardment Wing, 91st Bombardment Group in the European theater. He was based in London at Bassingbourne.

The collection also includes a copy of a magazine article from 2000 about a U.S. government agency that smuggled out contraband (radio parts, etc.), into German POW camps and letters along with other information. The agency also helped Allied POWs escape.

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The Loren E. Jackson manuscript "Epilogue to a War Story" documents Lieutenant Colonel Loren E. Jackson's experience as a prisoner of war when he was shot down during D-Day from his B-17 that he piloted with the 385th Bomb Group during World War II. His manuscript details his encounter with the German Gerhard Graf von Schwerin who he met in the 1960s after not seeing him since he was interrogated by him. Jackson recounts the conversation he had with General and touches on multiple subjects, such as German memory of war, behaviors of the Germans, morale, and the surrendering of Germany.

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The Wyman Daniel Martin collection contains personal artifacts and ephemera from Martin's time as a middle school student before the outbreak of war and as a dorsal gunner on a B-17 bomber before being killed in action above Holland. These objects include photographs of Martin and the crew of his bomber the "Sky Queen", his various medals which include an engraved Purple Heart, a narrative written by a surviving crewman regarding his final mission, and official documents regarding his internment in Arlington National Cemetary.

Content Description

This collection relates to John Peacock who served with the the 8th Air Force, 45th Combat Wing, 388th Bomb Group, 560th Squadron also known as “The Peacock Crew” who served in England and Ireland during World War II. This collection contains a brief manuscript written by John F. Peacock entitled, “The Peacock Crew” that details information regarding their service and includes short biographies for the individuals. The collection also contains an addendum to the manuscript, including a list of crew members in chronological order by date of death. There is a digitally reproduced 8 by 11 photograph of the “Peacock Crew” at Avon Park, Florida, in 1944.

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This collection relates to Francis W. Purdy who served as a Navigator on B-17 bombers with the 347th Bomb Squadron, 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy), during World War II.  He was stationed in Italy and flew during missions over both Italy and Austria. This collection contains a manuscript memoir written by Purdy which includes pages from training manuals and photographs from Purdy's life.

Scope and Contents The bulk of this collection consists of letters written by John Rawls during his time in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II in Brazil. He achieved the rank of Major. These letters, primarily to his mother, give details on his time in training and daily life while stationed in Brazil. He tells stories of friends, the tedium of his work, and mentions the various girls he sees throughout the war. Also included is a photograph album consisting of photographs taken by Rawls while in the service. John Rawls' brother David Rawls also served with the U.S. Army Air Corps as a B-17 pilot, stationed in the Pacific Theater. David Rawls was present during the attack on Pearl...

Scope and Contents Roland Cadoret served as a B-17 pilot in the 351st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, in the European Theater.  His collection contains a manuscript, "The Battle of Grounded Eagles," in which he details his entire POW experience from mission briefing to liberation, an excerpt from his diary, and his photocopied version of General Dwight D. Eisenhower's letter to Invasion Forces. The Polebrook Post 351st Bomb Group Association 8th Airforce Vol. XXVII-No. 2, and the English version of the Moorsburger Beitung, a newspaper, which had special stories all about the POWs which were kept at...

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This collection relates to First Lieutenant Julian Davis Sewell who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as a Navigator.  The collection includes an address book containing the names of men who served with Sewell, a basic U.S. Army Air Corps aeronautics class notebook, Civil Aeronautics Bulletin, and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment Ceremony program and roster.