Clarence J. Abadie, Jr. Papers

This collection contains personal papers, pilot’s logbook, business records, memoranda, inter-office routing slips, directories, pilot’s seniority listings, clippings, correspondence, photographs, ephemera, and memorabilia that were created and/or collected by Clarence J. Abadie, Jr. during his career with Civil Air Transport (CAT) and Air America, Inc. The Clarence J. Abadie, Jr. Papers are housed in four boxes of varying sizes, totaling 3.1 linear ft.

The collection arrived in fair condition and was initially processed with only a container list as description. Due to a change of the content management system, further description proved to be necessary. Earlier accessions were discovered and the collection was reprocessed with a new arrangement.

The archivist identified four series with the first series being the Clarence J. Abadie, Jr. Series. Materials are Abadie’s resume; narrative “Air America and the H-19A” by Abadie; Thai letter regarding bird hunting in Thailand including translation notes; and clippings from the St. Charles Herald about Abadie being the escort to Miss Turkey, Ms. Muler Sirmen, during the Miss Universe Pageant in Long Beach, CA. Abadie’s Chinese and Laotian pilot licenses; Chinese driver licenses; various Air America membership and ID cards; Club Rendezvous coupon book and membership cards; “FEPA Flight Crew Log;” business cards; luggage tags; postcards; Marine Helicopter Squadron One certificate; Radio Amateur Society membership certificate; Abadie’s Laotian pilot’s logbook, and articles about Abadie post Air America career in the Lagniappe and Air America in particular in the Evening Independent.

The second series is the Civil Air Transport (CAT)/Air America, Inc. Series. Materials are an offer of employment, travel requests, inter-office routing slips, payroll, travel orders, memoranda, invoices, letter of thanks by Continental Air Services, letter of separation from Air Asia Company, Ltd., newsletter Circular, letters of recommendation, and correspondence congratulating Abadie’s appointment as Vice President.

Memorandum regarding Thai-Am’s take-over of Air America’s facilities and contracts, letters of recommendation, and other personnel matters of CAT and Air America employees, memorandum regarding the number of helicopters needed in Laos, and memorandum regarding management and assignment of helicopter pilots including new hires.

Radiograms, narratives, notes, and inter-office routing slips regarding the History of the Udorn Base in Thailand; photocopies of a brochure to sell Air America aircraft during the unsuccessful attempt to sell Air America including a few pages of the original draft with images; pilot’s seniority listings from 1948 through 1973; memorandum regarding firearms and war related weapons; memorandum regarding authorization for Air America personnel to withdraw materials from the Redistribution and Marketing yard; last flight schedule from Udorn; and address listings from Udorn, Thailand.

The third series is the Photographs Series.

Box 2, Folder 1 depicts the flood at Udorn.

Box 2, Folder 2 depicts damaged US Air Force aircraft and Air America aircraft, Douglas DC-3s, Curtiss C-46 Commandos, North American T-28 Trojans, Bell helicopters, and other types (tail numbers 085, 0-17686, 00150, 00149, 732, 64183, 0-13698, 0-76510, 0-17815, 017735, 017828, and 017823); damaged airport facilities, aerial views of airport; and casualties.

Box 2, Folder 3 depicts aerial views of Udorn, Thailand Air America facilities; De Havilland DHC-6 Caribou; unidentified Air America employees; Air America Udorn, Thailand base from its early construction on; Clarence J. Abadie, Jr.; and other Air America employees.

Box 2, Folder 4 depicts aircraft accident scenes from the Bill Beale and Varney crash near Long Tieng, Lima Site 20A. Note: very graphic images of casualties. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Ed Shore’s crash, and Tom Pitkin’s crash at L.P. (L54).

Box 2, Folder 5 depicts Air America office personnel Suphol and Banney; children; Bell 47 helicopter tail number B-803; Sikorsky H-34/S-58 helicopter; Val Bednekoff, Abadie, Mike Weinberg, and others; aerial view of Savannakhet, Laos, Paske, Laos, and Udorn, Thailand; Long Tieng in its early stages; landscapes; the Mandarin Jet; buildings; damaged helicopter rotor blades; Air America recreational buildings; Air America employees and their families during festivities; Jack Parke; Air America Twin Beech Model 18, tail number N9542Z; Billy Long flight mechanic; Wayne Knight; Air America employees at Taipei; Abadie family photos; landing site H-30; Air America plaque Charden Panthong; family picture of “Soupy;” Vang Pao and Terry Burke; Vang Pao and others standing in front of a Sikorsky S-58 Choctaw; landing strip.

Box 2, Folder 6 depicts a Sikorsky S-58 Choctaw taking off and in flight; native people in a village; crashed aircraft; Sikorsky helicopter, tail number CIC; civilians and soldiers working; landing strip; kilometer stone “Paske;” Helio H-250 Courier Mark II (Caballero), tail number B-833 taking off; aerial views of airport facilities; soldiers carrying cargo to a village; cargo being dropped over a village; and crashed aircraft.

Box 2, Folder 7 depicts Air America pilots in front of a Sikorsky S-58 Choctaw; Abadie receiving an award from US Air Force in regards to search and rescue missions; a group photo of Air America personnel “Doc” Lews, Tom Tucker, Joe Madison, Abadie, Friends of Admiral Stump, Admiral Stump, Johnson, and H. Grundy (President of CAT).

Box 2, Folder 8 depicts Air America facilities and airplanes on contact sheets.

Box 2, Folder 9 depicts a promotional poster Don’t Get Behind! Fly CAT. A woman walks towards an airplane carrying her luggage.

Box 2, Folder 10 depicts children sitting on cargo in front of a Douglas DC-3.

Box 2, Folder 11 depicts an armed Southeast Asian soldier overlooking a village, and a group of Southeast Asian soldiers surrounding and staring at heavily wounded and killed victims of war. Note: very graphic images of casualties. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

Box 3, Folder 1 depicts an aerial view of the flight line of Sikorsky S-58 Choctaw on the airstrip at the Udorn, Thailand facility.

Box 3, Folder 2 depicts an unspecified landscape with a crash site in the left foreground.

Box 3, Folder 3 depicts an unspecified landscape with a crashed Sikorsky S-58 Choctaw in the right foreground.

The fourth series is the Memorabilia Series, which includes an 8.5x5” black plastic sign with, When I Eat at Rendezvous I Feel so Good! written in white text, and a note explaining that this sign needs to hang below the 12x4.5x4" red wooden laughing Buddha statue with arms that raise over his head.