Charles W. Kerwood Collection

This collection contains photographs, poems, documents, and material related to Charles W. Kerwood’s career as a combat pilot. The Charles W. Kerwood Collection is housed in one half-size manuscript box and one photo print box totaling 0.9 linear ft.

The collection arrived in good 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. After the first revision, more materials were discovered, and the entire collection was reprocessed with a new arrangement. The archivist identified eleven series with the first series being the Biographical Information Series, which contains biographical sketches by the War Department, an excerpt from the U.S. Air Force Biographical Dictionary, a photocopy of a flag designed by Kerwood, an efficiency report, correspondence regarding Kerwood’s promotion to Colonel, and a Certificate of Service United States Army.

The second series is the Publications about Kerwood Series, which contains articles, clippings, and narratives: “An Old Pal of Mine” by Charles Watkins, “A Bird(man) named Kerwood” by Flint O. DuPre, and “Retread Bounces Back” by Birt Darling.

The third series is the World War I Series, which contains a diploma issued to Kerwood certifying permission to fly airplanes; a narrative briefly describing the structure of the L’Escadrille Lafayette Flying Corps including a chart of total enlistments, number of accidents, killed or wounded, victory list and transfers to other units; correspondence announcing a meeting, minutes of the L’Escadrille Lafayette Flying Corps Association meeting, correspondence to Kerwood announcing the world premiere of the motion picture Lafayette Escadrille, radio message from Ambassador of France to the United State Herve Alphand to the association regarding the fortieth anniversary of the unit, and a medical record listing the injuries Kerwood suffered in the line of duty.

The fourth series is the Publications by Kerwood Series, which contains articles authored by Kerwood: "The Forum: Power in the Air," "Where are the Heroes?," "Service with the British: A Guide Book for AAF Officers," and “Fireproof and Heatproof flying suites and Helmets.”

The fifth series is the Correspondence Series, which contain letters from the The Sun to Kerwood regarding connecting the journalist with aviators in Puerto Rico.

The sixth series is the Photographs Series, which contains images from Kerwood during his military career in World War I and World War II and in civilian life, a slide of the Mémorial de L’Escadrille Lafayette at Villeneuve-l’Etang, and a photograph of the L’Escadrille Lafayette Flying Corps guidon designed by Kerwood. The Moroccan stereograph images about the Rif expedition are currently missing.

The seventh series is the Ephemera Series, which contains stationery from the International League of Aviators, American Section Ligue Internationale des Aviateurs, L'Escadrille Lafayette Flying Corps Association; a sketch “Col. ‘Chuck’ Kerwood- Fruitsalad and All!,” a signed poster Evolution depicting the development of the groomed soldier in uniform to a figure with wolf features, and a note from Mrs. Charles W. Kerwood.

The eighth series is the Trophies Series, which contains a narrative and correspondence about the Harmon International Trophies and a listing of winners.

The ninth series is the Poems Series, which contains a poem about Kerwood titled, “The Battle of Paris” by Scotty Campbell and one about the Lafayette memorial, To the Mémorial de L’Escadrille Lafayette at Villeneuve-l’Etang by Richard Le Gallienne. The tenth series is the University of Wyoming Series, which contains the finding aid of the Charles W. Kerwood materials housed at the University of Wyoming.

The eleventh series is the Memorabilia Series, which contains a wooden stereoscope manufactured by the Keystone Company, Meadville, PA, to view the stereoscope images from series six.