Search Results

Creator:

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio)  Search this

Names:

McCook Field, Ohio  Search this

United States. Air Force  Search this

United States. Air Force Materiel Division  Search this

United States. Air Materiel Command  Search this

Wright Field, Ohio  Search this

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio)  Search this

Extent:

733.77 Cubic feet (1508 document boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence

Publications

Reports

Photographs

Date:

1915-1955

Summary:

Throughout its history the Engineering Division/Materiel Division at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, maintained a catalogued library of technical documents, which was turned over to the Air Force Museum and later donated to the National Air and Space Museum. The collection consists of reports and other documents on a variety of aviation-related topics, including general science (aeronautics, physics, chemistry, etc); military air service personnel, organization, and equipment for both US and foreign air forces; as well as operations, and so on. Currently, the finding aid only covers documents from the D52.1 subject code (Airplanes, arranged alphabetically) and only those that are physically located in the Wright Field Technical Documents Library.

Scope and Contents:

The collection consists of reports and other documents on a variety of aviation-related topics, including general science (aeronautics, physics, chemistry, etc); military air service personnel, organization, and equipment for both US and foreign air forces; as well as operations, and so on. Information on foreign services and equipment is usually from military intelligence reports, although some foreign documents or translations are included. The material also includes a large section of test reports from the Material Division itself.

Arrangement:

Every document in the collection has been assigned a multi-part Wright Field Number. This number is adapted from the Air Force central decimal correspondence filing system. Wright Field Numbers are written in the format:

[Subject Code] [Category Suffix] / [Sequence Number] [Sequence Modifier]

Subject Code: This number begins with an alpha-numeric subject code. For example, D52.1 (Airplanes, arranged alphabetically).

Category Suffix: A more specific textual subject reference. For example, in the D52.1 subjects, the suffix is usually a manufacturer name, aircraft name, or a general type of aircraft. (Original Wright Field cataloguers could be inconsistent in how they classified an airplane. For example, a document on a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M could be filed alphabetically under A6M, Mitsubishi, Zeke, Zero, or Misc. Japanese.) It is possible to not have a category suffix.

Sequence Number: The individual number assigned to the document within its subject code and category. If a document was formerly classified as "Security Information," the sequence number starts with "S," for example "S-1." These are usually filed at the beginning of a range of documents. Sometimes technical manuals are filed using the technical order (TO) number. For example, 01-20EE-3 is the sequence number used for a Boeing B-17 Handbook of Overhaul Instructions, TO-01-20EE-3.

Sequence Modifier: If there is a revision or multiple parts of a document, this is reflected in a sequence modifier. Ex. Dates, revision numbers, etc.

The documents are arranged alpha-numerically by Wright Field Number in the order of:

Subject Code, Category Suffix, Sequence Number, Sequence Modifier

Example of arrangement by Wright Field Number:

D52.1 / 42

D52.1 Aeronca / 2

D52.1 Boeing / S-1

D52.1 Boeing / 422

D52.1 Boeing / 511 Dec 1, 1941

D52.1 Boeing / 511 vol. 2 March 1, 1943

D52.1 Misc. Japanese / 46

Each record contains the title and source from the index cards. Information from the subject field on the cards appears as a scope and content note.

Currently, the finding aid only covers documents from the D52.1 subject code and only those that are physically located in the Wright Field Technical Documents Library. Please contact the NASM Archives regarding additional documents. Some may be located in the Technical Reference Files, cataloguing information may be only on the index cards, or the document has been catalogued as missing from the collection.

Biographical / Historical:

In 1917, the United States Army Air Service established an aviation engineering section at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. In 1927, the Engineering Division, as it was then known, moved to nearby Wilbur Wright Field and remained there as the Air Force Materiel Division (AFMD) and Air Materiel Command (AMC) until Wright Field combined with Patterson Field to become Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1948. The Engineering Division was responsible for Army Air Services research and development and served as a clearinghouse for information on aviation development worldwide. Throughout its history the Engineering Division/Materiel Division maintained a catalogued library of documents, which was turned over to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson and was later donated to the National Air and Space Museum.

Provenance:

United States Air Force Museum, Transfer, 1962, NASM.XXXX.0428.

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Topic:

Military intelligence  Search this

Airplanes, Military -- Flight testing  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics, Military -- Research  Search this

Genre/Form:

Correspondence

Publications

Reports

Photographs

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0428

See more items in:

Wright Field Technical Documents Library

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2124245c3-eb7c-495a-a446-e87ba26d8251

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0428

Physical Description:

metal (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 3/4 in x 2 in; 1.905 cm x 5.08 cm

Object Name:

pin

button

Date made:

ca 1935

Subject:

Radio  Search this

Aviation  Search this

ID Number:

1975.314637.8013

Catalog number:

1975.314637.8013

Accession number:

1975.314637

See more items in:

Culture and the Arts: Entertainment

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49fe1c042-ee0c-14d0-e053-15f76fa01c21

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_1975304

Creator:

Smithsonian Affiliates  Search this

Type:

Blog posts

Smithsonian staff publications

Blog posts

Published Date:

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 12:48:23 +0000

Topic:

Exhibition  Search this

See more posts:

Smithsonian Affiliations

Data Source:

Smithsonian Affiliates

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:posts_474790fa8d0256361a334378740372a4

Extent:

17.6 Cubic feet (50 containers)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Technical reports

Photographic prints

Newspaper clippings

Correspondence

Date:

1961-2008

bulk 1980s-2000s

Summary:

This collection consists of 17 cubic feet of papers relating to the life and career of astronaut Pamela A. Melroy.

Scope and Contents:

The Pamela A. Melroy Papers (acc. no. 2018-0034) reflect Melroy's extensive experience as a pilot, space explorer, Space Shuttle Columbia accident investigator and leader within various governmental/military roles. Her great contributions as an air force officer, astronaut and Space Shuttle commander are quite evident in this collection.

This collection encompasses Melroy's years spent as an officer with the United States Air Force (USAF), test pilot, Gulf War veteran, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut and one of the first female Space Shuttle commanders. The material contained in the collection ranges from the 1970s into the 2010s. It is a mixture of the following materials: correspondence, memoranda, notes, reports and briefings, technical manuals (mainly NASA/Space Shuttle-related), notebooks, photographs, presentations and speeches, books, booklets and guidebooks, brochures, pamphlets, journals, magazines, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. Additionally, there are newspapers, photograph albums and scrapbooks.

The processing archivist did discern some original order to these materials. This collection was already in a rough chronological order. The processing archivist did rehouse these materials utilizing archival-friendly file folders and legal-size document cases.

This collection is arranged into three series. The first series is composed of personal materials that include correspondence, photographs, postcards, business cards and transcripts. Each type of archival material is organized chronologically and then alphabetically. The second series consists of professional materials and is by far and away the largest segment of the Pamela A. Melroy Papers. This series is arranged as follows: Melroy's correspondence, memoranda, notes, reports, manuals (mainly Space Shuttle program-related), notes and notebooks, presentations and speeches, books, guidebooks and booklets, brochures, pamphlets and catalogs, newsletters, magazines and journals, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. All the above material is also arranged chronologically and then alphabetically. The third series is composed of oversize materials. This material consists of newspapers (mainly focused on the Space Shuttle Columbia accident of 2003), as well as Melroy's three Space Shuttle flights, (STS-92, STS-112 and STS-120), photograph albums and scrapbooks.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into three series. The first series is composed of personal materials that include correspondence, photographs, postcards, business cards and transcripts. Each type of archival material is organized chronologically and then alphabetically. The second series consists of professional materials and is by far and away the largest segment of the Pamela A. Melroy Papers. This series is arranged as follows: Melroy's correspondence, memoranda, notes, reports, manuals (mainly Space Shuttle program-related), notes and notebooks, presentations and speeches, books, guidebooks and booklets, brochures, pamphlets and catalogs, newsletters, magazines and journals, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. All the above material is also arranged chronologically and then alphabetically. The third series is composed of oversize materials. This material consists of newspapers (mainly focused on the Space Shuttle Columbia accident of 2003), as well as Melroy's three Space Shuttle flights, (STS-92, STS-112 and STS-120), photograph albums and scrapbooks.

Biographical / Historical:

Pamela Ann Melroy was born on September 17, 1961, in Palo Alto, California. As a member of a military family, she spent her childhood living in many towns but considers Rochester, New York her hometown. Melroy graduated from Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester in 1979. Four years later, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics and Astronomy from Wellesley College and subsequently, a Master of Science degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1984.

Melroy was commissioned through the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program while still attending graduate school. Upon completion of her Master's degree program at MIT, she attended undergraduate pilot training at Reese Air Force Base in Texas. After graduating from this program in 1985, Melroy was sent to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. While stationed there from 1985 to 1991, she flew the Boeing KC-10 aircraft as a co-pilot, aircraft commander and instructor pilot. Also, she flew combat missions in Iraq during 1990-91 (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm). In time, she also graduated from the USAF's exclusive test-pilot school. All told during her 24-year career with the USAF, Melroy logged more than 6,000 hours of flight time in more than 50 different types of aircraft. She reached the rank of Colonel upon her retirement from the service in 2007.

Melroy started her career as an astronaut in late 1994 when she was selected as an astronaut candidate (ASCAN) by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She was initially assigned to various astronaut support roles such as tasks involving Space Shuttle launch and landings. She also performed Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) duties in Mission Control. In 2003, Melroy served on the ill-fated Space Shuttle Columbia accident reconstruction team as the lead for the crew compartment module and operated as deputy project manager for the Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Team.

Melroy was one of only two women to be in command of a Space Shuttle flight. She was the pilot of two Shuttle missions, STS-92 in 2000 and STS-112 in 2002. She served as mission commander on STS-120 in 2007. All three of her spaceflights involved assembling components on orbit for the International Space Station (ISS). Melroy logged a total of 924 hours in space.

Upon her more than 20 years of service to the USAF and NASA, Melroy assumed leadership roles with several public and private sector entities. This included organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Lockheed Martin and Australia's Nova Systems, Ltd. She also worked as an advisor to the Australian Space Agency and as an independent consultant to the National Space Council's Users Advisory Group. In 2021, Melroy was selected as NASA's deputy administrator. In her current role, she assists the administrator in making final agency policies and decisions. Also, she acts for the NASA administrator in his absence by performing all necessary functions to govern agency operations.

Provenance:

Pam Melroy, Gift, 2018, NASM.2018.0034

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Astronautics  Search this

United States Air Force  Search this

Astronauts  Search this

Space Shuttle Program (U.S.)  Search this

Technical manuals  Search this

McDonnell Douglas KC-10  Search this

International Space Station (ISS)  Search this

Genre/Form:

Technical reports

Photographic prints

Newspaper clippings

Correspondence -- 21st century

Citation:

Pamela A. Melroy Papers, NASM.2018.0034, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2018.0034

See more items in:

Pamela A. Melroy Papers

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a22e1f52-ea7e-48df-9823-34270840f9ea

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2018-0034

Creator:

Helman, Hyman Fred, 1920-1975  Search this

Extent:

0.03 Cubic feet (1 folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Place:

Tinian (Northern Mariana Islands)

Date:

Circa 1945

Summary:

Hyman Fred Helman (1920--1975) enlisted in the US Army in 1942. Helman served as a drummer in the 30th Infantry Division band. This collection consists of sixteen black and white photographs relating to Helman's service with the US Army during World War II.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of sixteen black and white photographs relating to Hyman Fred Helman's service with the US Army during World War II. The photographs are various sizes ranging from 4.5 by 3.5 inches up to 10 by 8 inches and many include handwritten captions by Helman. There is a group photograph of the 30th Infantry Division band and four views of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay taken on Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. There are several other photographs taken on Tinian which show North Field, a radio station, the 505th Bombardment Group's theater, and the beach. Additional photographs in the collection include a distant view of a ship in Tinian Harbor; a view of personnel taken on board a ship; a view of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands with an aircraft just visible in flight; a view of a US amphibious tank; view of a lookout post; and a view of what appears to be local residents in the vicinity of the Northern Mariana Islands on a small boat.

Arrangement:

Photographs are loosely organized by subject.

Biographical / Historical:

Hyman Fred Helman (1920--1975) enlisted in the US Army in 1942. Helman served as a drummer in the 30th Infantry Division band.

Provenance:

Lee Helman, Gift, 2023, NASM.2024.0003

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

World War, 1939-1945  Search this

Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Silverplate "Enola Gay"  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

World War II Photographs [Helman], NASM.2024.0003, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2024.0003

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e81afa4c-c1e3-4398-a1c8-944ec3d2bcb9

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2024-0003

Creator:

Jourdan, David W.  Search this

Long, Elgen Marion, 1927-  Search this

Names:

Nauticos Corporation  Search this

Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937  Search this

Noonan, Frederick  Search this

Extent:

4.5 Cubic feet (5 legal document cases and 13 cassette tape boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

1959-1998

Summary:

This donation consists of 156 separate interviews or sound sources collected by Elgen Long while he was researching and writing his book, Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved which promotes the theory that Amelia Earhart's aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the ocean near Howland Island.

This collection is in English.

Scope and Contents:

The donation consists of 156 separate interviews or sound sources, some comprising two or more tape sides. Most of them are interviews conducted by Long, including interviews with: crew members of the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca; Naval and Coast Guard officials; mechanics and engineers involved in the maintenance of Earhart's aircraft; New Guinea and Australia residents and radio operators; friends, family and associates of Earhart and Noonan; and advocates of alternative disappearance theories. There are also radio interviews and a few movie soundtracks and miscellaneous items. The total running time of the collection is 13,209 minutes (220sca hours). This donation also includes a hard drive which holds 387 audio files in .mp3 or .mp4 format (each file is an interview with the possibility of multiple interviews per tape).

Arrangement:

Arrangement by donor.

Biographical / Historical:

Elgen Long collected oral recordings, both interviews and sound sources, while he was researching and writing his book, Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved which promotes the theory that Amelia Earhart's aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the ocean near Howland Island. These tapes were also used throughout Long's partnership with David W. Jourdan, founder of the deep-sea exploration company Nauticos, during their three attempts to locate Earhart's aircraft on the ocean floor (2002, 2006, and 2017).

Provenance:

David Jourdan, Gift, 2020, NASM.2020.0025

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Underwater exploration  Search this

Flights around the world  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews -- 1950-2000

Sound recordings -- Audiotapes -- Audio cassettes -- Music

Citation:

Amelia Earhart Project Recordings, NASM.2020.0025, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2020.0025

See more items in:

Amelia Earhart Project Recordings

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e9335b2f-1f78-465d-9314-4c94c3885e5e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2020-0025

Creator:

Boedecker, Kenneth J.  Search this

Extent:

8.96 Cubic feet (15 flat boxes, 25 shoeboxes, 1 slim document box)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photograph albums

Black-and-white negatives

Photographic prints

Date:

1936-1962

Summary:

Kenneth Judson "Boedy" Boedecker (1892--1981) was an aircraft engine expert and avid amateur photographer who created a series of photo albums containing images of a wide variety of personnel employed in the aviation field. This collection consists of those albums, the negatives for the photographs in the albums, and one box of enlarged prints of some of the photographs.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of sixteen volumes of photo albums containing photographs of a wide variety of personnel employed in the aviation field, including aircraft and engine manufacturing, the military, and airline and airport employees. The photographs are mostly taken by Kenneth Judson "Boedy" Boedecker, although some photos that show Boedecker himself were taken by others with his camera. Some are taken at the subject's workplace and others are taken at events such as air races or organization meetings, and it appears to have been Boedecker's practice to try to take photographs of the entire flight crew when he traveled by air. Most of the photographs are autographed by the subject and all are captioned with the subject's name, company, date, and location where the photo was taken. In the case of the photographs of flight crews, the airline route is also noted. Boedecker documented both large and small companies, and a large portion of the employees shown in the albums are women. The photographs appear in the albums in the order they were taken, and some include indexes of the people shown in the album. The collection also includes the negatives for the photographs in the albums, which are arranged alphabetically by last name of the subject, and one box of enlarged prints of some of the photographs.

Arrangement:

Collection has three series defined by type of material. The first series consists of volumes of photo albums that are arranged by date. The second series consists of negatives arranged alphabetically by last name of subject. The third series contains copy prints.

Biographical / Historical:

Kenneth Judson "Boedy" Boedecker (1892--1981) was an aircraft engine expert and avid amateur photographer. Boedecker began his technical training at the Mechanics Institute in New York in 1910 and studied there until 1914, later studying at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn from 1914 to 1918. Boedecker also served in the US Naval Reserve (USNR) and was on active duty during World War I as a chief machinist's mate with the Northern Bombing Group in France and England. Boedecker worked as a machinist, draftsman, tool designer, and inspector for various companies before joining Lawrence Aero Engine Corporation as Chief Inspector in 1919, later becoming the Assistant Works Manager. When Lawrence merged with Wright Aeronautical, Boedecker became a Service Engineer for Wright before rising to Service Manager in 1927, General Service Manager in 1929, and Sales and Service Engineer in 1931. At the time of Boedecker's retirement in 1958, he was assistant to the vice president for sales at Curtiss-Wright. Boedecker learned to fly making test flights of Wright aircraft and made his first solo flight in 1930, going on to earn his pilot's license. During his time with Wright Aeronautical, Boedecker was assigned to test and inspect the Wright engines that powered numerous record-setting aircraft including Charles Lindbergh's Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis that made the first solo transatlantic flight, the Fokker C-2 Bird of Paradise in which Lester Maitland and Albert Hegenberger made the first transpacific flight from the US mainland to Hawaii, and the Fokker F.VIIB-3m Southern Cross which Charles Kingsford-Smith and his crew flew to make the first transpacific flight from California to Australia. Boedecker also checked the engines of various aircraft that flew in the 1927 Dole Air Race. Boedecker was a member of numerous professional and aviation organizations including the Society of Automotive Engineers, Ancient and Secret Order of Quiet Birdmen, Wings Club, and Conquistadores del Cielo.

In the 1930s, Boedecker purchased a new camera and began to take portrait photographs of colleagues and other members of the aviation community as a way to familiarize himself with the equipment. Encouraged by the editor of Wright Aeronautical's internal employee newsletter who reproduced some of the photographs in that publication, the project grew to include sixteen volumes of photographs taken during the course of Boedecker's work as well as during his extensive travels to aviation-related events. Boedecker would print two copies of each photograph and send them to the subject, asking that person to sign one and return it to him for inclusion in his album. At least one volume of the album was reproduced and published in the late 1930s by Aero Digest Publishing Company. The first fifteen albums were officially presented to the Smithsonian at a ceremony in the Regents Room on May 16, 1962. The sixteenth volume was sent later as it was still being completed at the time of the presentation. In that volume there is a photograph taken at the presentation ceremony by a Smithsonian photographer which, according to Boedecker, is the only photograph in the collection not taken with his camera.

Provenance:

Kenneth J. Boedecker, Gift, 1962, NASM.XXXX.0323.

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Air pilots  Search this

Aircraft industry  Search this

Women in aeronautics  Search this

Airlines  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photograph albums

Black-and-white negatives

Photographic prints

Citation:

Cross Section of Aviation Personnel Collection [Boedecker], NASM.XXXX.0323, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0323

See more items in:

Cross Section of Aviation Personnel Collection [Boedecker]

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2d2ad4ab8-4b66-4c41-a7a4-6b500315c57a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0323

Manufacturer:

NASA Ames Research Center  Search this

Materials:

Invar

Super-Invar

Brass

Steel

Adhesive

Plastic

Wiring

Duct Tape

CCD Photometer

Dimensions:

3-D: 73 × 73 × 183.5cm, 391.5kg (2 ft. 4 3/4 in. × 2 ft. 4 3/4 in. × 6 ft. 1/4 in., 863lb.)

3-D (assembled): 73.7 × 73.7 × 231.1cm, 391.5kg (2 ft. 5 in. × 2 ft. 5 in. × 7 ft. 7 in., 863lb.)

Type:

EQUIPMENT-Scientific Devices

Country of Origin:

United States

Credit Line:

Transfer from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Inventory Number:

A20210416000

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location:

National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

Exhibition:

Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9a2d1c01c-4322-4ab3-a319-b3cb06c49f2f

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A20210416000

Materials:

Overall: Cotton

Dimensions:

Clothing: 152.4 x 88.9 x 6.4cm (60 x 35 x 2 1/2 in.)

Type:

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Flight Clothing

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Credit Line:

Transferred from the United States Department of War

Inventory Number:

A19310035004

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv982b7fafa-5a5b-4d14-b1f1-9639877d83d9

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19310035004

Names:

Thaw, William, 1893 – 1934  Search this

Extent:

.53 Cubic feet (One 20 by 24 inch flat box)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Certificates

Date:

1918-1919

Summary:

This collection consists of three oversized certificates presented to William Thaw, 1918 – 1919.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of the following three oversized certificates: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur, presented to Lieutenant Colonel William Thaw on April 9, 1919; Distinguished Service Cross, presented to Colonel William Thaw on October 16, 1918; and United States Citation to Colonel William Thaw, on April 19, 1919.

Arrangement:

No order, only three certificates.

Biographical / Historical:

William Thaw II (1893 – 1934) was a World War I ace and is believed to be the first American to engage in aerial combat in the war as one of the original nine members of the Lafayette Escadrille. Born into a prominent Pittsburgh family, Thaw attended Yale University but left to learn to fly at the Curtiss School of Aviation at Hammondsport, New York, in 1913.  Soon after he was the first to pilot an aircraft up New York City's East River and fly underneath all four bridges. By the summer of 1914, Thaw was in Paris, along with his personal Curtiss Motel E Hydro, and had received the Aero Club of France F.A.I. Hydro License 2. When war started, Thaw joined the French Foreign Legion and by December he was transferred to the French aviation unit, first as an observer, then as an active pilot. In May of 1916 Thaw was commissioned as first lieutenant and shortly after he was shot in the arm during combat. After his recovery, he resumed active duty and in November he was transferred to the American Air Service and commissioned a major. In January 1918 Thaw was given command of the American Lafayette Escadrille, 103rd Pursuit Squadron and in August he was given command of the 3rd Pursuit Group and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. After the war, he returned stateside and from January to June 1919 he was the commanding officer at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California. He was honorably discharged in July of 1919. During his service he received many honors and decorations. 

Provenance:

Found in Collecton, Transferred from the NASM Aeronautics Department, 2022, NASM.2023.0009

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations  Search this

Genre/Form:

Certificates -- 20th century

Citation:

William Thaw II World War I Certificates, NASM.2023.0009, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian

Identifier:

NASM.2023.0009

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg27012ec93-d5db-4c75-bef4-083ae469545f

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2023-0009

Creator:

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2023-05-10T18:30:57.000Z

YouTube Category:

Science & Technology  Search this

Topic:

Astronomy  Search this

See more by:

cxcpub

Data Source:

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

YouTube Channel:

cxcpub

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_bGIrW_hbgiI

Creator:

Smithsonian American Art Museum  Search this

Type:

Conversations and talks

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2022-01-13T22:03:34.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

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americanartmuseum

Data Source:

Smithsonian American Art Museum

YouTube Channel:

americanartmuseum

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_F7-DqrSm5lY

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2013-10-07T16:40:00.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_T6CDOf27hjM

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2020-02-12T16:30:02.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt__UFcy-3FPQM

Creator:

Smithsonian Channel  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2013-08-21T18:33:09.000Z

YouTube Category:

Entertainment  Search this

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smithsonianchannel

Data Source:

Smithsonian Channel

YouTube Channel:

smithsonianchannel

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_kpk-VNb2jIQ

Creator:

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2011-03-17T20:02:55.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

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sitesExhibitions

Data Source:

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

YouTube Channel:

sitesExhibitions

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edanmdm:yt__Epl5yEo4KQ

Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2023-09-08T17:25:07.000Z

YouTube Category:

Science & Technology  Search this

Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

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airandspace

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

YouTube Channel:

airandspace

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_-09rPjFZyfo

Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2020-08-10T15:15:01.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

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airandspace

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

YouTube Channel:

airandspace

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_-4jxZfOZToA

Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2020-03-13T04:00:01.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

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airandspace

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

YouTube Channel:

airandspace

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_-8cp-1nVUHU

Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2021-01-12T16:00:11.000Z

YouTube Category:

Science & Technology  Search this

Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

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airandspace

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

YouTube Channel:

airandspace

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_-CJ1VOSIiSk