This collection consists of archival material relating to the military aviation career of H. H. Ashley during his World War I Army Expeditionary Forces (AEF) service, and as an observer during World War II.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the Provisions Manual of Operations for Air Service United, Third Army AEF autographed by William Mitchell, Brigadier General; notes on the manual; sortie report dated 19 August 1943, and one blank (RAF Form 441A); a 14.5 x 10.5 inch citation of merit dated 19 April 1919, signed by John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, General of the U.S. Armies; notes and sketch on bombings; mission reports describing personnel and formations; and three contiguous journals: 6 x 8.75 inch desk diary, dated 1 January 1944-1 October 1944; 8.25 x 11.5 inch daily journal, dated 1 October 1944-7 April 1945; and one 7.75 x 12 inch spiral-bound record book dated 8 April 1945-28 July 1945.
Arrangement:
Arrangment by type of archival content.
Biographical / Historical:
Lieutenant Colonel H. H. Ashley served in the Air Service, Army Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I, and was an observer during World War II.
Provenance:
Unknown, Gift, Unknown,NASM.XXXX.1022
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
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
Collection Citation:
H. H. Ashley Papers, NASM. XXXX.1022, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
2 Items (Ink on paper., approx. 4-1/34" x 2-3/4".)
Type:
Archival materials
Correspondence
Place:
Dijon (France)
Date:
April 30, 1919
Scope and Contents:
Letter to brother Abe on two sheets of Y.M.C.A. stationery, from Dijon, France.
Local Numbers:
AC1140-0000001a (AC Scan No.: p. 1)
AC1140-0000001b (AC Scan No.: p. 2)
Related Materials:
Meyer Later World War I Memorabilia
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, American Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence -- 1910-1920
Collection Citation:
Meyer Later World War I Collection, 1917-1919, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., approx. 2-3/4" x 1-3/4".)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Dijon (France)
Date:
[1919.]
Scope and Contents:
Full-length photograph of Meyer Later in uniform.
Local Numbers:
AC1140-0000002 (AC Scan No.)
Related Materials:
Meyer Later World War I Memorabilia
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., approx. 1-3/4" x 1-5/8".)
Type:
Archival materials
Toning (photography)
Photographs
Place:
Dijon (France)
Date:
[1919.]
Scope and Contents:
Bust portrait of Meyer Later in uniform, sepia-toned.
Local Numbers:
AC1140-0000003 (AC Scan No.)
Related Materials:
Meyer Later World War I Memorabilia
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Caption: "A picture and a letter from one of the doughboys in the Army of Occupation". Soldiers in barracks with bar of Ivory.
Local Numbers:
244630
Ivorydata4 487
0207910477 (Scan No.)
Restrictions:
Unrestricted research use on site by appointment. Reproduction restrictions due to copyright.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This collection consists of 442 copy photographs including color dye coupler photo transparencies and silver gelatin photo-negatives which document U.S. Navy aircraft and aviation activities during World War II. They include aerial combat, aircraft carrier landings and takeoffs, bombings, explosions, flights, and signal exchanges. Aircraft shown include a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, Douglas SBD Dauntless, and Grumman F6F Hellcat. There are photographs of aircraft carriers including details of bridges and flight decks, as well as images of ships in dry dock, a task force, and one image of Pearl Harbor in 1944.
Biographical / Historical:
Edward J. Steichen (1879-1973) was a prominent photographer during both World War I and World War II. During World War I he commanded the photographic division of the U.S. Army Expeditionary Forces, where he learned aerial photography. During World War II Steichen served as director of the U.S. Naval Photographic Institute, overseeing all combat photography, and organized the 'Road to Victory' and 'Power in the Pacific' exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). From 1947 to 1962 he directed MOMA's Department of Photography.
General:
The original negatives to this collection are housed at the National Archives.
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information, Unknown, unknown, XXXX-0553, unknown
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
This collection contains original material from the Photographic Section of the Army Air Service, American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in World War I. The material was originally assembled by Edward Steichen, Chief of Photographic Section, AEF. The collection includes an article by Steichen on aerial photography in the Army Air Service; histories of individual photographic sections; bound and unbound volumes on photographic interpretation, camera installation, and camouflage; and photographic volumes on the battles of Chateau Thierry and Cantigny.
Provenance:
Robert Paul Mann, Gift, 1985
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
This accession is a collection of military records, including orders, travel papers, memos, equipment lists, and other correspondence concerning Don Swann while he was stationed in Paris in 1918.
Scope and Contents:
This accession is a collection of military records, including orders, travel papers, memos, equipment lists, and other correspondence concerning Don Swann while he was stationed in Paris in 1918. Also included are: a souvenir program from the International Jacques Schneider Cup Races, dated October 24, 1925, and annotated by Swann with notes about the pilots of the day; an American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Tentative Equipment Manual for Supply Squadron; April 20, 1918 propaganda leaflets in German regarding President Wilson's speech; and miscellaneous notes by Swann written about early aviation in Baltimore, MD, his hometown.
Arrangement:
Arranged by archival type.
Biographical / Historical:
Samuel Donovan "Don" Swann (1899–1954) was a World War I aviator and an American artist. Fascinated by aviation from the time he was 17, Swann attended St. John's College in Annapolis as a cadet. In November 1917, Swann was sent to Kelly Field, Texas, to attend Ground Officer's Training School, where he graduated as a first lieutenant. During World War I Swann was an officer in the Signal Reserves Corps, Aviation Section, until January 1918, at which point he was assigned to the 62nd Squadron with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. During his service overseas, Swann was placed in charge of supplying Air Service material for all aviation training schools in France. As he was interested in flying, he petitioned to be switched over to piloting and by the beginning of October 1918, he was received dispensation to be allowed to make flights. After his discharge at the end of the war, Swann was employed as the superintendent of the American Propeller Manufacturing Company of Baltimore which was a primary source of aeronautical propeller supplies. He later also worked at the Monumental Aircraft Company at College Park, Maryland, which consisted entirely of aeronautical supplies. As an artist, Swan studied in Germany and Italy, and was known for historic Americana; his art was exhibited in many United States cities and is part of many permanent collections, including the Metropolitan Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.
Provenance:
Mr. S. Donovan Swann, Jr., Gift, 1987, NASM.1987.0062
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.
This scrapbook consists of photographs of Sergeant Johnston, his fellow servicemen and a few aircraft (including a Junkers and the USS Akron). Most of the scrapbook commemorates personal events in Myriam Lahaurine Johnston's life, such as her relations with family and friends, her wedding to H. W. Johnston, the birth and childhood of their daughter, Miriam, their home in Ohio and the family's travels to such places as Biarritz, Nice, Paris and Washington, DC. Also included are signed photos from Richard Evelyn Byrd and Lily Pons, as well as a signed letter from the latter.
Biographical / Historical:
Myriam Lahaurine met the American Sergeant Major H. W. Johnston during his service with the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I.
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
The Theodore E. Boyd World War I collection consists of material documenting Theodore E. Boyd's World War I career. The bulk of the collection covers the World War I era, 1917 to 1919, but materials before and after those dates are also present. Materials include: correspondence, written both during the war to family and friends; photographs; military orders, mostly in English, a few in French; flight logs; identity card; Honorable Discharge and Distinguished Service Cross certificates; memoirs of his war experiences, both written for publication and to his family; and post war veterans rosters.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of material documenting Theodore E. Boyd's World War I career: correspondence, written both during the war to family and friends; photographs; military orders, mostly in English, a few in French; flight logs; identity card; Honorable Discharge and Distinguished Service Cross certificates; memoirs of his war experiences, both written for publication and to his family; and post war veterans rosters.
Arrangement:
The collection has been arranged into three series: Series 1, World War I; Series 2, Memoirs; and Series 3, Post War Rosters.
The collection did not have any particular order when received by the NASM Archives. Archivists have organized the documents by topic then by date.
Biographical Note:
During World War I, Theodore E. Boyd served with the 88th Aero Squadron (Attached), 7th Field Artillery, Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.). Second Lieutenant Boyd was an observer and served in France until he was injured on September 14, 1918, when during a flight near Conflans, France, he was wounded in both legs, his left foot, and right elbow by explosive bullets. For his bravery during this flight, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Due to his injures, his service ended and he was honorably discharged. After the war, Boyd went to medical school and taught physiology for 24 years at Loyola University in Chicago. In 1947, Boyd joined the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis where for twenty years he served as Assistant Director, and then Director, of the Research Department.
Timeline
Theodore E. Boyd Timeline
1893 December 14 -- Theodore Elliott Boyd born in Ashland City, Tennessee.
1910 -- Boyd forced to give up a West Point appointment because of varicose veins and a bad scar.
1917 May -- Reported to Reserve Officers' Training Camp, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
1917 August 15 -- Honorably discharged from Ft. Oglehthorpe to accept commission as Second Lieutenant Field Artillery Section Officers Reserve Corps.
1917 August 22 -- Ordered to report to General Superintendent, Army Transport Services, New York City, for assignment to first available transportation to France. Left Tennessee August 23.
1917 September 9 -- Left New York. Landed at Liverpool on September 23, Le Havre on September 25.
1917 October 1 -- Entered Artillery School at Saumur
1918 January 14 -- Report to Aviation School, Tours
1918 February 19 -- Transferred to First Corps School, Gondrecourt, for advanced instruction.
1918 April 6 -- Dispatched for duty with French 40th Observation Squadron in Champagne.
1918 May 20 -- Ordered from Chalons-sur-Marne to the AEF 88th Squadron in Amanty (Meuse).
1918 June 6 -- Ordered to Cazeux for course in machine gun instruction.
1918 July 1 -- Returned to the 88th Squadron at Ourches (Meuse).
1918 August 9 -- Protected a photographic miessio nbetween the Vesle and Aisne. Cited for gallantry in action and entitled to wear a silver star on the Victory medal.
1918 September 9-12 -- On leave in Paris.
1918 September 14 -- "[Lt. Theodore Boyd was charged with the] protection of an aerial photo mission over the city of Conflans, in which six machines were schedule to fly in combat formation. This officer, three of the escorting plans having failed to join the formation, proceeded on his mission notwithstanding. At a point, roughly 3 km NW fo Conflans, he engaged in combat with five enemy pursuit machines of the Pfalz type. He was wounded in both legs, the left foot, and right elbow by explosive bullets. In spite of his wounds, he succeeded, by a remarkable display of courage and tenacity, in keeping up the fire of his guns until the attacking planes were put to flight. During the return to the Allied lines, Lieut. Boyd, although faint with pain and loss of blood, assisted his pilot, whose machine was disabled and coming down under control, in choosing the shortest route to safety."-Captain Kenneth P. Littauer, recommendation for Distinguished Service Cross
1918 November 11 -- Ordered to proceed from Savenay to the port of Brest for transport to the United States (left Brest November 18).
1918 November 29 -- Landed at Newport News, Virginia.
1918 December 6 -- Arrived at Fort McPherson, Georgia, for convalescense.
1919 May 6 -- Lieutenant Theodore E. Boyd honorably discharged from the United States Army.
Provenance:
Donated by Pat Piper, gift, 2012.
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.
United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces Search this
Gorrell, Edgar S. (Edgar Staley), 1891-1945 Search this
Extent:
3.95 Cubic feet (9 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Correspondence
Publications
Date:
1893-1943
Summary:
This collection contains documents relating mainly to Gorrell's activities as president of the Air Transportation Association of America. The materials include copies of Gorrell's addresses and Congressional testimony, as well as press clippings concerning Gorrell's activities. The collection also includes albums of World War I vintage photographs collected by or presented to Gorrell.
Scope and Contents:
The Edgar S. Gorrell Collection is largely comprised of material relating to Gorrell's career as president of the Air Transport Association of America. The material includes his correspondence and speeches, the Congressional hearings and reports for the bills he advocated, and publications and newspaper articles about him and his career. Also in the collection are several photographs and photograph albums from World War I and other miscellaneous material.
Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
Arrangement:
Arranged into two series:
Series 1: GENERAL. This series contains correspondence, addresses delivered by E.S. Gorrell, and publications and newspaper articles, some written by Gorrell. There are also Congressional hearings and reports, and some miscellaneous material. The documents are arranged in chronological order.
Series 2: PHOTOGRAPHS/ALBUMS. This series contains photographs and photo albums. Many of these are aerial photographs of trenches taken c. 1916 --1918, but there are also many photographs of aerial and land transport equipment.
Biographical/Historical note:
Colonel Edgar S. Gorrell (1891-1945) was a pilot and an advocate for aviation safety. He graduated from West Point in 1912 and then spent two years as an infantryman in Alaska before transferring to the Signal Corps, where he joined the 1st Aero Squadron, serving under Gen. John J. Pershing in Mexico. On one of his flying missions in Mexico, Gorrell ran out of gas and was stranded in the desert for several days before being rescued. Upon returning to his unit, he began to criticize the poor equipment US pilots were forced to use, both in terms of actual aircraft components and the signals and communication equipment used on land. In 1917 he was promoted to Captain, and in World War I he became the Chief Engineering Officer for the Air Service, and eventually the Chief of Staff for the Air Service, with the rank of Colonel. After the war, Gorrell remained in Europe representing the US at conferences and peace talks.
In March 1920, he resigned his commission in the Army and joined the automobile business. He served as the vice president of Marmon Motor Car Company until 1925. Then he became vice president, director, and general manager, and later president, of the Stutz Motor Car company of America. In January 1936, Gorrell again switched fields when he was elected the first president of the Air Transport Association of America, shortly after its conception. It was with this organization that he was known for his role in promoting safety in civil aeronautics. He was a strong advocate for the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 which provided government control and regulation of civil aeronautics, and he provided testimony before congressional committees several times. Gorrell continued to support civil aeronautics, especially through his role as president of the Air Transport Association of America, until his death, in 1945.
Provenance:
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0057
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.
This collection consists mostly of photographs of AEF aircraft and crews on the field, with photos both loose and in a scrapbook. Documents and unit patches are also to be found in these materials. Folder 1: Includes Benson's AEF identity card, a clipping and photo of Benson, seemingly taken from a scrapbook, and various photographs of World War I aircraft such as the DH-4 and Salmson 2, along with crews. Each image in this folder is accompanied by a 4x5" negative. Folder 2: Approximately 50 loose photographs of various sizes of World War I units and their air crews on the field. Folder 3: Documentary materials (approximately 40 pages) including letters of recommendation, an officer's record book, sugar permit, and discharge certificate. Folder 4: Photo album commemorating AEF members (approximately 50 photos). Endpapers have various uniform insignia affixed, both that of the Allied forces and of the Central Powers. Note: Folder 4 includes small 1 3/4x2 3/4" photo of Ruth Law beside wing strut, in uniform.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists mostly of photographs of AEF aircraft and crews on the field, with photos both loose and in a scrapbook. Documents and unit patches are also to be found in these materials. Folder 1: Includes Benson's AEF identity card, a clipping and photo of Benson, seemingly taken from a scrapbook, and various photographs of World War I aircraft such as the DH-4 and Salmson 2, along with crews. Each image in this folder is accompanied by a 4x5" negative. Folder 2: Approximately 50 loose photographs of various sizes of World War I units and their air crews on the field. Folder 3: Documentary materials (approximately 40 pages) including letters of recommendation, an officer's record book, sugar permit, and discharge certificate. Folder 4: Photo album commemorating AEF members (approximately 50 photos). Endpapers have various uniform insignia affixed, both that of the Allied forces and of the Central Powers. Note: Folder 4 includes small 1 3/4x2 3/4" photo of Ruth Law beside wing strut, in uniform.
Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
Arrangement:
The Leslie A. A. Benson Collection-- is arranged by content type.
Biographical / Historical:
Lieutenant Leslie A. Benson was a member of the American Expeditionary Forces and was stationed in England and France during 1917-1919.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Michael Benson, gift, 1997, 1997-0047, Unknown
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
The scrapbook documents Tynan's career in aviation, through training and active duty with photographs of personnel, activities and equipment. This includes aerial photographs of of France, and also numberous photographs of German, French, British, Italian and American aircraft, the cannon "Big Bertha" and numerous photographs documenting battlefields and trenches. Also included are many photographs of wrecked aircraft, bomb-damaged cathedrals, and towns such as Rheims, Belleau Wood, and Momarte. Also included are copies of 'PLANE NEWS': The air service letter of the A.E.F.', newspaper articles reprinting Tyran's letters recounting his training and service in France, and newspaper clippings from the time of his retirement, recounting his experiences as Chancellor at the American Embassy in Tokyo and his travel agency business.
Biographical / Historical:
John E. Tynan enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a private in 1916. He served in France with the 26th Aero Squadron of the A.E.F. during 1917 and 1918, leaving the service as a lieutenant.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
John E. Tynan, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0015, NASM
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
This collection consists of two scrapbooks. In the first scrapbook, Scanlon's career is traced through news clippings and photographs. The clippings describe his career and the photographs show him standing beside military aircraft and in group photographs with colleagues. The second scrapbook traces Scanlon career promotions from Lieutenant to General with news clippings, photographs and article clippings. Highlighted in this scrapbook is his time spent in England, where he was aide-de-camp at The American Embassy in London, circa 1939-1940.
Biographical / Historical:
Brigadier General Martin F. Scanlon (1889-1980) an United States Army Air Force officer of Scranton, Pennsylvania, began his military career in 1912 with four years of infantry service. In 1916 he obtained a transfer to the Air Service branch of the the Signal Corps where he graduated as a junior military aviator at San Diego, California, in October 1916. He next served in the Philippine Islands as a pilot and commanding officer of the 2nd Aero Squadron. He returned to the United States in 1917 for additional aviation studies and then went overseas for duty with the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918. Scanlon took an advanced flying course with the British Royal Flying Corps and then was on duty as a pilot with the 91st Aero Squadron in Toul Sector. Scanlon then became commanding officer of the Colombey-Les-Belles Aerodrome followed by a promotion to the air service commander of V Army Corps until March 1919. Scanlon returned to the United States where he served as commanding officer of Bolling Field near Washington, DC from 1919 to 1922 and again in the 1930s. He began diplomatic assignments in Italy in 1924 and was later transferred to England (1929-1933, 1936-1941). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Scanlon became Commanding General of Allied Air Force in New Guinea and in 1942 he became the commanding officer of the 38th Flying Training Wing, Roswell, New Mexico and subsequently he became the commander of the 36th Flying Training Wing in Santa Ana California. In August 1944 he became president of the Army Air Forces Evaluation Board in Hawaii, and in 1945 Scanlon was reassigned as Chairman of the AAF Evaluation Board of the Pacific Ocean Areas. Scanlon retired in 1948.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information, unknown, unknown, XXXX-0037, Not NASM
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
The William J. Powell Collection consists of materials concerning the career and personal life of African-American entrepreneur and pilot William J. Powell, including his service in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I, his automobile business in Chicago, and his advocacy for African-American aviation as the founder of Craftsmen of Black Wings, Inc., author of Black Wings, and a primary organizer of the Bessie Coleman Aero Club and the "Five Blackbirds" demonstration team. Materials include identification and membership cards, flight logs and officer records, newspaper clippings, advertisements, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains materials concerning the career and personal life of African-American entrepreneur and pilot William J. Powell, including his service in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I, his automobile business in Chicago, and his advocacy for African-American aviation as the founder of Craftsmen of Black Wings, Inc., author of Black Wings, and a primary organizer of the Bessie Coleman Aero Club and the "Five Blackbirds" demonstration team.
The following types of materials are included: AEF identification card and records book, advertisements for his automobile business, his 1938-1939 flight logs, legal documents, marriage license, diploma, membership cards, burial and funeral records, and newspaper clippings. The collection also includes photographs from his time with the AEF and Bessie Coleman Aero Club, as well as portraits of Powell and his family. Materials found in the collection seem to indicate that some photographs have come from individuals other than Powell.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into three categories: Aviation Career (American Expeditionary Forces and African-Americans in Aviation), Personal Materials (marriage and death records, automobile business, and memberships), and Photographs (AEF, aviation, portraits and family, and albums). Within these categories, materials are arranged chronologically.
Biographical Note:
William J. Powell (1899-1942) was a prominent African-American entrepreneur and pilot who urged African-Americans to become part of the future aviation industry.
Powell was born in Henderson, Kentucky, on July 29, 1899. He moved to Chicago at the age of eight. He entered the University of Illinois in 1916. He went to Officers' Training Camp in Fort Des Moines, Iowa, in June 1917, and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the American Expeditionary Forces at the completion of training camp. He served with the 317th Engineers and 365th Infantry during World War I. After his honorable discharge in 1919, he returned to the University of Illinois, graduating with honors and a degree of Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering in 1922.
He worked as an electrical engineer and electric welding instructor for Rock Island Railroad for two years. In 1924, he opened his first filling station and in two years' time, he had built a successful automobile business in South Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in 1928.
During the late 1920s and 1930s, Powell worked tirelessly to promote airmindedness in the black community. Under his umbrella organization, Craftsmen of Black Wings, Inc., Powell wrote a thinly disguised autobiography, Black Wings, in 1934; wrote and directed a 1935 documentary film, Unemployment, the Negro and Aviation; and published a trade journal entitled Craftsmen Aero News (1937-1938). Powell was also instrumental in organizing the Bessie Coleman Aero Club and the "Five Blackbirds" demonstration team. William J. Powell died in July 1942.
Provenance:
Donated by William H. Powell, III, gift, in 1999. Materials found in the collection seem to indicate that some photographs have come from individuals other than Powell.
8th Aviation Instruction Center (Foggia, Italy) Photo Album
Names:
United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces Search this
Extent:
0.21 Cubic feet ((1 box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Place:
Italy
Date:
bulk 1917-1918
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a 10 by 12 inch black photo album containing snapshots of the 8th Aviation Instruction Center in Foggia, Italy during 1917-1918. The snapshots track an unknown cadet's journey from New York City to Italy, and contains images of cadets in training, base life, and the training aircraft including Caudron bombers. The album contains a small newspaper articles of George Beach, one of the first American casualities in Italy. There are captions below some of the images, but they are very hard to read as they are in pencil. At the end of the scrapbook are photos that appear to be taken when the cadet toured Italy, especially Naples, after the war and images of the family of Jay White, who was then the United States Consul at Foggier.
Biographical / Historical:
The 8th Aviation Instruction Center, located in Foggia, Italy, provided flight training to American cadets during 1917-1918. Most of the Center's graduates transferred to the Western Front to fly with the American Expeditionary Force. However about 75 remained in Italy under the command of Captain Forego LaGuardia, and were attached to Italian bomber squadrons, marking the first combat bomber operations by members of the US Army Air Service.
Provenance:
Unknown, Gift?, Transferred to Archives from the Aeronautics Department in 2009
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
This collection consists of three scrapbooks which document the activities of 1st Lt. Richard T. Pilling and the personnel of the 1st Aero Squadron during 1917-1919. Aircraft seen in this collection include products of Albatros, Breuget, Bristol, Fokker, Nieuport, Sopwith, and SPAD. The scrapbooks also contain images of the British Rigid Airship R 34.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Mrs. Richard T. Pilling, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0239, unknown
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
This collection consists of nine copy prints of Fred Morgan and the 69th Balloon Company, American Expeditionary Forces, circa fall 1918.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of nine copy prints of Fred Morgan and the 69th Balloon Company, American Expeditionary Forces, circa fall 1918. The images include shots of balloons as well as members of the 69th Balloon Company, including Lieutenant Everett M. Dirksen.
Arrangement:
No arrangment.
Biographical / Historical:
Lieutenant Fred Morgan was a captive balloon observer with the 69th Balloon Company, 4th Army Corps, American Expeditionary Forces, on the Western Front during World War I. On October 30, 1918 Morgan was observing artillery fire on a German trench mortar when his balloon was shot down by a Fokker aircraft. Morgan jumped to safety in a parachute, landing in the Nonsard Woods, France. While jumping from the basket, Morgan sustained injuries for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
Provenance:
Fred M. Morgan, Gift, 1974, NASM.XXXX.1208
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.
This photo album consists of about 60 photographs documenting the activities and training at Fort Omaha, Nebraska, in 1918. Included are photographs of observation balloons from the 79th Balloon Company and Major Henry Rogers, Wing Commander. There are also views from the air and on the field of balloons and men, from Brook Field, San Antonio, Texas, Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin, and Fort Omaha, Nebraska.
Biographical / Historical:
Fort Omaha became the site of America's first military balloon school when the Fort was reactivated in 1916 as the Balloon Section of the American Expeditionary Force, known as the Fort Omaha Balloon School. Captain Chandler, pilot of the first 1909 flight, was named the Commanding Officer.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information., Gift, unknown, XXXX-0276, not NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
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