Personal Papers

Entries are listed in alphabetical order under the principal's name. The entry includes the full name of the principal and immediately thereafter is the collection's chronological range. The entry contains information concerning the volume (in cubic feet) of material, as well as the file number and the finding number of our automated retrieval system; IRIS. Those collections which the Agency possesses only in microfilm copy are also indicated; the term "negative microfilm" means that this medium is the one which a visiting researcher would use at the Agency. 

Personal Papers in the AFHRA.

Oral History Catalogue

MicrophoneOral history interview entries in the AFHRA collection are listed in numerical sequence and alphabetical (see links below). The entry includes the full name of the principal along with rank and service if given and immediately thereafter is the oral history's call number. The entry contains information concerning the accessibility, pages and time of the interview and its classification. Following this is the date and place of the interview, the name of the person(s) conducting the interview and the source for the material. The topic entry is last, giving the details of the interview itself. Some of the interviews are accessible only under certain conditions and are so noted. 

Oral History Catalogue at the AFHRA - Numerical
Oral History Catalogue at the AFHRA - Alphabetical

509th Composite Group

Enola GayThis original history chronicles the 509th Composite Group's move from Wendover Field, Utah to Tinian Island, along with its facilities, operations, and personnel. It was from Tinian Island that the 509th carried out the atomic bombing missions to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 


Narrative History [PDF file]
PHOTO ALBUM
Departure From Wendover Field, Utah
Facilities on Tinian Island
Personalities
Planning and Debriefing the First Two Atomic Missions
Rewards

3rd Antisubmarine Squadron

3rd Antisubmarine Squadron EmblemThis History and Scrapbook of the 3rd Antisubmarine Squadron only covers the first three years of the squadron's existence. It began as the 39th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 15 Jan 1941 at Langley Field, Virginia. Following its assignments as the 3rd Antisubmarine Squadron, it was redesignated 819th Bombarment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 September 1943 and served tours at March Field, California, 22 Sep-4 Oct 1943; Barking Sands, Territory of Hawaii, 22 Oct 1943; Wheeler Field, Territory of Hawaii, 12 Nov 1943-9 Jul 1944; Saipan, 25 July 1944; again at Wheeler Field, 17 Mar 1945; and finally at Kahuku, Territory of Hawaii, 26 Sep-30 Nov 1945. The 819th Bombardment Squadron supplied replacement crews and planes to the 30th Bombardment Group from Nov 1943-May 1944, performed sea search from Hawaii, Nov 1943-May 1944, and saw combat in the Western Pacific, 10 Aug 1944-19 Feb 1945. 

Narrative History 
PHOTO ALBUM
Orlando Air Base, Florida
Westover Field, Massachusetts
Dover Air Base, Delaware
Fort Dix, New Jersey
Newspaper Clippings

XIX Tactical Air Command

XIX TACAlbum cover for XIX Tactical Air Command, 1944/45. This album chronicles XIX TAC's support of Third Army. It covers the unit's moves from its birthplace at Aldermaston Court, Berkshire, England to the mainland through France and into Germany until V-E Day. 
Photos

Early Wright Brothers

Early Wright Brothers AircraftUS Army Air Service, Aerial Photo Section No. 3, Bolling Field, DC prepared these original photos. They compose a small part of the U. S. Army Air Service collection at the AF Historical Research Agency. Photos

Woodi Ishmael: Artwork

Woodi Ishmael Self Portrait Woodi Ishmael (1914-) was born in Lewis County, Kentucky, and entered his profession through the Cleveland (Ohio) Institute of Arts and the Art Students League in New York City. He maintains a studio at Troy State University, Troy, Alabama, where he teaches drawing, painting, and art appreciation. As a painter and illustrator, Mr. Ishmael has drawn a weekly syndicated column for the Associated Press Newsfeatures, called, "The Power of Faith;" served as an official artist for the United States Air Force; sailed as artist-in-residence on major ocean lines to deliver art lectures and demonstrations; and officiated as the only courtroom artist at the Jack Ruby trial. In addition, he has done paintings of several Air Force Chiefs of Staff. (Adapted).

Woodi Ishmael: Artwork

AAF in WWII, Vol. VI

Men and PlanesPhotos in this album were official Army Air Corps photos collected for Volume VI of the Army Air Forces in World War II, Men and Planes, by Wesley Frank Craven and James Lee Cate, copyright 1955 by the University of Chicago. Only 80 of the photographs were eventually used in the book. Over the years, many of the photos have disappeared from the collection. From 209 original photos, the following photos are no longer available and are maintained in poor quality on microfilm only. Photo Numbers: 00910460_004 thru 00910460_010; 00910460_018; 00910460_027; 00910460_040; 00910460_042; 00910460_065; 00910460_129; 00910460_150; 00910460_154 thru 00910460_155; 00910460_161; 00910460_194; 00910460_197; 00910460_198; and 00910460_200 thru 00910460_201. 

Table of Contents
Photos Used in Book "Men and Planes"
Aircraft Photos
Aircraft Production Repair and Maintenance
Personnel, Training, and Facilities

Capt. Merhar collection

Young lady feeding a piece of cake to the chaplain during an organizational party.This Photograph album of unidentified allied personnel and aircraft maintenance operations in England during World War II is a part of the Capt. Joseph J. Merhar, Jr., Personal Collection donated to the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) by William D. Merhar. Captain Merhar commanded the 9th Air Division Photo Laboratory. His album contains photos relating to personal experiences in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during World War II, along with Life in England, and the European continent after D-Day. They deal primarily with the 7th Photo Group, 9th Bombardment Division and 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron. Unfortunately, the photographs had no captions identifying individuals and other processes. AFHRA attempted to create captions to assist in identifying the pictures. However, in some cases this task proved impossible.

Aircraft Photos
Ground Support Operations
Miscellaneous Photos
Photo Processing
Photos of US and Allied Personnel

Mobile Air Training Command

Photo Processing FacilityThe Army Air Forces Mobile Air Service Command established the Marine Training School at Point Clear, Alabama in the summer of 1944. Its purpose was to provide training in elementary seamanship, marine training, and aquatic training for all officers and enlisted personnel of the Aircraft Repair and Maintenance Units (Floating). 
Photos