John D. Ledford Collection

This collection contains Naval Aviation and Naval Aviation Reserves documentation; Naval orders; maps; schedules; handwritten notes; draft for a letter to Popular Science Magazine; a pilot’s flight logbook; student flight record; promotion forms; officer qualifications questionnaires; officer assessment qualifications; active duty extension applications; directions to separate; maneuvers checklist; aviation cadet manual; Naval Aviation academy course descriptions, syllabus, and study materials; clippings and photographs that were created and/or collected by John D. Ledford during his military service in Naval Aviation. The John D. Ledford Collection is housed in four boxes of various sizes, totaling 3.92 linear feet.

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. After reviewing the materials, the collection was identified for additional processing. The archivist identified five series with the first series being the Personal Papers Series, which contains a hardbound, United States Naval Aviation - Aviators Flight Logbook; information on dependents, residency, a static exhibit, flights, travel, pilot, passengers and aircraft types; instructor approvals; an amended Civil Air Regulations, part 43 general operation rules; general information on FH-1 operating procedures; a photograph of map of local flying area “plate X”; landing charts; general information on aviation.

Handwritten notes describing personal matters, mechanical stats, arrival and departure times, administrative office information, course listings, 35 mm slide information, drill accountabilities, and résumé notes; a page from a publication with various information and comics, which also includes hand drawn doodles; pay vouchers with handwritten notes; list of special qualifications and skills; letter to Popular Science magazine explaining the mechanics of a blimp.

Uniform records; flight school information on correspondence courses, reserve training, and exam questions; forms for volunteer reserve, active and inactive duty, and promotions; student flight records and class grades; officer’s qualification reports; an officer data record; annual and officer qualifications questionnaires; qualifications for naval air reserve.

Military and lighter-than-air correspondence; naval information regarding drill schedules, drill requests, duty orders, daily plans and schedules, performance activity recordings, check out sheets, charge outs, training dates, and naval aviation applications; a notification for years of service; a medical clearance; leave requests; instructions to separate; discharge options.

The second series is the U.S. Naval Air Station Training School Series, which is further organized into two subseries: 1. Manuals and 2. Syllabus.

Subseries 1. contains printed naval aviation flight school manuals for subjects on Non-Rigid Airship; Routine Installation and Service Instruction; YE and YG Sector Coded Homing Radio Navigation Aid introduction; Commander Fleet Airship Wing One Air Sea Rescue Procedure; Postflight Inspection Instructions; Extracts from the Parachute School Instruction Manual; Science of Ballooning; Lifting Gases; Course Rules Examination, Annex Barer; Materials Design Construction, “K” and “L” Types; Blimp Hedron One-Detachment Fifteen; Strategy, Tactics, and Missions; Ground Handling and Mooring: Brief History of Ground Handling; Airship Maintenance and Dock Routine; Aerostatics; Non-Rigid Airmanship, Photography; Flight Officer’s Order #2-44; Daytime Flights Traffic Rules Training Squadron; Mixture Control Information Sheet; Naval Airship Reserve Training Unit (NARTU); Takeoff and Landing.

Subseries 2. contains printed naval aviation syllabus information for the Sociology of War, Aerology; Instrument; and Link Trainer for Lighter-Than-Air.

The third series is the Publications Series, which contains various clippings and excerpts from newspapers and magazines. These clippings depict photographic images, artist renderings, and articles about the use of airships; post World War II airships; naval aviation; naval aviation history; Air-Sea rescue ships; blimps; dirigibles; lighter-than-air; dirigible wrecks, accidents, and rescues; articles on the mechanics of dirigibles and naval aviation; clipping images of various WWII airplanes and float planes; a clipping image of a 1930s biplane; clippings where Lt. John D. Ledford is mentioned and pictured; a clipping of commissioned “Liberty” sculpture; a photocopied article on the lives of knights; a half page clipping from the Chicago Daily News dated May 14, 1959; a single newspaper page from the Dallas Morning News dated January 21, 1963; a single newspaper page from the Ledger-Star newspaper, dated December 10, 1968; the Chicago Daily Tribune newspaper showcasing covers of major events dated Friday, September 1, 1939, December 8, 1941, May 6, 1942, May 9, 1942, June 6, 1942, November 8,1942, September 3, 1943, June 6, 1944, April 12, 1945, May 8, 1945, August 7, 1945, and August 15, 1945; a watch pamphlet on Pioneer Sensitive Altimeter watch.

The fourth series is the Photographs Series, which is further organized into three subseries: 1. People, 2. Naval Ships, and 3. Airships

Subseries 1. contains a contact print of various military personnel; a portrait of a man; a military person standing with a person in knight attire; an active shot of a person playing tennis; an individual practicing tightrope walking; a man in formal wear and top hat; Commander John D. Ledford in formal dress uniform, in conversation, with vice admiral of the German Navy; various military personnel with U.S. aircraft #6 on tarmac and cameras; various military personnel with U.S. aircraft #8 on tarmac and cameras; U.S. aircraft #6 taking off as camera crew film; a close up of pilot in U.S. aircraft #8 being filmed; a pilot in U.S. aircraft #8 being filmed; a close up of pilot in cockpit of aircraft; a hula dancer with a man playing the ukulele.

Subseries 2. contains the launching of U.S.S. New Jersey (BB-62), bow view, Navy yard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; U.S.S. Olympia docked in the Boston Navy Yard with various crew members aboard; view from aboard the deck of a ship.

Subseries 3. contains U.S.S. Los Angeles (ZR-2) in vertical kite on mast; a “N” type airship arriving at U.S. Naval Air Station Glynco, Georgia from Lakehurst, New Jersey; a ZMC-2 all metal clad, non-rigid airship landing east of hangar #1 with the help of crew members at U.S. Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey; a navy blimp breaking up before crash; a damaged front under view of gondola and landing gear airship; a damaged quarter portside under view of gondola and landing gear of airship; nose view of a U.S. Navy ZSG-4 airship using a Dacron fiber envelope, undergoes pressure tests in hangar at U.S. Naval Air Station, Lakehurst; close up of spindle, nose cone, and nose cone battens on airship; portside view of the gondola of a ZSG-3 79 airship after first touch down at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Lakehurst; portside view of the gondola of a ZSG-4 airship #131923; two airships, one on tarmac front portside view with crowd gathered around and one in the air portside under view; a “M" type airship XL-3 being docked in hanger #1 at Glynco, Georgia while two “K” type airships are being made ready for departure in the background; starboard side view of a U.S. Navy airship, tail number K-92.

The fifth series is the U.S.S. Olympia Series, which contains a negative of the dock area to be used by the U.S.S. Olympia; a blueprint of Chestnut Street Pier No. 4 South Delaware River, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, first deck plan; research sheets on the U.S.S. Olympia; a newsletter with ad looking for information or a model to assist as references for the U.S.S. Olympia restoration; blueprints of sections of the U.S.S. Olympia; a letter excerpt with history on the U.S.S. Olympia; a letter from Bethlehem Steel Corporation explaining they have the original plans to assist in the restoration.