Descriptive Summary | |
Repository: | Georgia Historical Society |
Creator: | Frank, O'Driscoll Hunter, 1917-1982. |
Creator: | Hunter, Frank O'Driscoll, 1894-1982. |
Title: | Frank O'Driscoll Hunter papers |
Dates: | 1917-1982 |
Extent: | 9.92 cubic feet (17 boxes, 2 volumes, 3 oversize folders, 1 microfilm roll, 1 folder) |
Identification: | MS 1342 |
Frank O'Driscoll Hunter (1894-1982) was born in Savannah on December 8, the son of John Heard Hunter and Fanny O'Driscoll Hunter. Hunter had two sisters. He attended a private school in Savannah, and studied in Lausanne, Switzerland and at Hotchkiss Preparatory School in Lakeville, Connecticut. He then went to work with an investment banker in New York City.
At the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted as a sergeant, 1st Class, Signal Reserve Corps and began a distinguished military career. On May 18, 1917, Hunter was ordered to Memphis, Tennessee where he began flight training. He was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Aviation Signal Reserve on September 12, 1917 and left for France where he received additional flight training. Hunter was in active combat with the 103rd Aero Squadron (Lafayette Esquadrille) in France and Blegium. While serving in Europe, he received the following decorations for extraordinary heroism: Distinguished Service Cross with four oak leaf clusters, Croix de Guerre with Palm and the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat. He shot down eight enemy planes for which he was named an Ace. Hunter was discharged in February 1919 with the rank of first lieutenant.
Between World War I and World War II, Hunter was in active service with the Army Air Forces in various capacities and at various army airfields. He was commissioned a first lieutenant, Regular Army Air Service on July 1, 1920. He was promoted to captain on January 17, 1921; to major (temporary) on March 15, 1935; and to major (permanent) on November 1, 1936.
When World War II started, Hunter was sent to France as Assistant Air Attache in May 1940. In July he was attached to the Office of the Military Attache in London, England as a military observer. He returned to the United States in December and was stationed at Orlando Air Base, Florida, as commanding officer of the 23rd Composite Group. While there, Hunter was promoted to the rank of colonel. In August 1941 he became commander of the 1st Air Force at Mitchell Field, Long Island, New York. In February 1942, Hunter was assigned to Headquarters, Army Air Forces in Washington and in April he was promoted to brigadier general. In July, he was sent back to England to command the U.S. fighter units of the Army Air Forces. While in England, he led several aerial offenses against the enemy on the continent. In November 1943, he was promoted to major general. During the war, he was awarded The Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Honor, and was named honorary Commander of the British Empire. Hunter retired from the Army Air Force in 1946 and returned to Savannah where he was active in civic and social affairs.
Hunter is said to be the only "third degree" member of the Caterpillar Club, a mythical organization composed of more than 600 flyers who had been forced to jump with parachutes from airplanes in order to save their lives; General Hunter qualified three times. Hunter was also the only living American to have a military base named in his honor, Hunter Army Air Force Base in Savannah.
The Hunter Papers, which fill two scrapbooks and 139 folders in 17 boxes, document the life and military career of Frank O'Driscoll Hunter from 1917-1982. The majority of the materials are comprised of news clippings from various newspapers and magazines which deal with his career and friends and family. Also included are personal correspondence (mostly with family members); official military correspondence, orders, and reports; commendations and awards; financial records; photographs; various subject files; and miscellaneous printed materials.
Notable among correspondents are General Carl A. Spaatz, Sholto Douglas, General Ira C. Eaker, Air Commander T.N. McEvoy, Wing Officer Margaret Forbes-Semphill, Herbert Buckmaster, General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Colonel Robert H. Jones, Jacqueline Cochran and Floyd Odum, General Nate F. Twining, General Edward V. Rickenbacker, General Frank Mezar, General Leon W. Johnson, Grover A. Whalen, and Jock Whitney.
The collection also includes a roll of microfilm, X-1342-01.
Papers are arranged chronologically. Addenda to the collection (materials received in 1982) appear at the end of the collection in boxes 1A-8A and include correspondence, clippings, photographs, maps, military records, and other papers.
Box 9A was later (in September 2012) added as a part of this addenda and includes two photographs of Frank O'Driscoll Hunter, newspaper articles regarding Kaiser William Hohenzollern and activities in Germany, pilot license issued to Hunter in 1925 signed by Orville Wright, reading pamphlets, and soldier songbooks.
A microfilm reader is required to access a portion of this collection.
Custodial History
Material was acquired from collector and his sister.
Preferred Citation
[item identification], Frank O'Driscoll Hunter papers, MS 1342, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia.
Acquisition Information
Gift of General Frank Hunter, 1981; Jeanne Hunter 1982.
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Artifacts were separated and cataloged with the Georgia Historical Society Artifacts Collection. View digital images of artifacts at the end of this collection inventory or search the Digital Image Catalog for further information.
Folder items that are listed as a part of "Roll 1" are available on the microfilm.
Box | |||||||||||||
1 | Personal and military correspondence, 1917-1944 | ||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1917-1919, 4.0 items. View online. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1920-1923, 4.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1930-1931, 3.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1933, 58.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1934, 7.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1935-1939, 12.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1940-1941, 15.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1942, 41.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1943, 139.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1944 January -June, 51.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Personal and military correspondence, 1944 July -December, 75.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
1A | Correspondence; news-clippings, 1918-1972 and undated; 1922-1949 | ||||||||||||
Papers regarding military career, 1918 and 1940-1943, 16.0 items. . View images: 1 | 2 | 3. | |||||||||||||
Correspondence, 1918-1933, 31.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Correspondence, 1940-1951, 33.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Correspondence, 1952-1972 and undated, 42.0 items. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 1917-1921, 12.0 items. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 1922, 4.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Records include a program and scorecards for the National Airplane Races. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 1923-1930, 13.0 items. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 1931, 17.0 items. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 1931, 7.0 items. , 7 items (1785-1791). | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 1932-1934, 18.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1935-1939, 12.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1940-1941, 14.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1942, 45.0 items. , 45 items (1836-1880). | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1943 January - June, 16.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1943 July - December, 23.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1942-1943, 9.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1944, 18.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1945, 24.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1946-1949, 14.0 items. | |||||||||||||
ADDENDA | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
3A | Miscellaneous records, 1918-1981 and undated | ||||||||||||
Biographical materials concerning Hunter, 28.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Includes news clippings and releases regarding Hunter's military career. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous correspondence, 7.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Correspondence with family, 1918-1921, 1926, and 1940-1943, 19.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Photographs, 4.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Program, 1924, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
This is the program for the aerial exposition at Selfridge Field in Mt. Clemons, Michigan. | |||||||||||||
Program, 1944, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
This is the program for the Institute of the Aeronautical Science's twelfth annual meeting and honor night dinner. | |||||||||||||
Retirement records, 1949-1954, 12.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Papers document retirement regulations as well as the amount of Hunter's retirement pay. | |||||||||||||
Pamphlet, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
The publication is titled "The Miracle of Chateau-Thierry" and documents this World War I battle. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous certificates, 5.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Transcript of radio broadcast, 1945, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
This presentation commemorated the fourth anniversary of the First Air Force. | |||||||||||||
Address to New York State Publishers' Association, 1945, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
This address was presented at the association's 25th anniversary meeting. | |||||||||||||
Correspondence of the Air Force Association, 1948-1950, 72.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Citation from the American Red Cross, 1947, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Certificate from the National Rifle Association, 1963, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1947-1981, 8.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous, 1945-1949, 3.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Correspondence with the Air Force Association and the Air Force, 1948-1949, and undated, 11.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
2A | Miscellaneous papers, 1918-1979 and undated | ||||||||||||
New clippings, 1950s, 24.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1960s, 10.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1970-1977, 7.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1978-1979, 4.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, undated, 8.0 items. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1930-1932, 11.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Articles are related to Hunter Air Force Base. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1940, 16.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Articles are related to Hunter Air Force Base. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1952-1956, 1974, and undated, 24.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Articles are related to Hunter Air Force Base. | |||||||||||||
New clippings, 1944-1945, 6.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Invitations, 22.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous papers, 7.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Records mostly consist of programs and menus of functions attended by Hunter. | |||||||||||||
Speeches, 4.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous, 10.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous papers concerning Hunter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Heard Hunter, 1918 and 1930-1950, 5.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous papers concerning Hunter's brother, Edward Ormonde Hunter, 1922-1955, 9.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous papers concerning Hunter's sister, Jeanne Hunter, 1940-1945, 2.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous papers concerning Hunter's sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Gordon, 1942-1974, 7.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Miscellaneous papers concerning the Battey family, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 29.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Articles concern military personnel. | |||||||||||||
News clippings, 22.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Articles concern Hunter's acquaintances. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
4A | Photographs, undated | ||||||||||||
Loose in folder: Photographs of Hunter and family members, undated, 13.0 items. . View images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
5A | Photographs, undated | ||||||||||||
Loose in folder: Photographs of acquaintances, undated, 9.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Most of these photographs are of military leaders during World War II. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
6A | Certificates, 1917-1980 | ||||||||||||
Loose in folder: Miscellaneous certificates, 1917-1980, 28.0 items. . View images: 1 | 2 | 3. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
7A | Monographs | ||||||||||||
Loose in box, 2.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Monograph includes The Invisible Tent by Ambrose Gordon, Jr., and The Hotchkiss School: A Portrait by Lael Tucker. | |||||||||||||
Box | |||||||||||||
8A | Miscellaneous records, 1943 and undated | ||||||||||||
Flight book, undated, 1.0 items. | |||||||||||||
Army identification card, Frank O'D. Hunter, 1st Lieutenant A.S.S.C.U.S.R., flying; pilot license issued for the year 1925 signed by Orville Wright. View images: 1 | 2. | |||||||||||||
2 photographs of Frank O'Driscoll Hunter | |||||||||||||
Correspondence items | |||||||||||||
notecard from 1
| |||||||||||||
Pamphlets | |||||||||||||
"What Are We Fighting For?: A Question Answered from the Messages and Addresses of Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America" and "The President's Flag Day Address and Evidence of Germany's Plans," September 15, 1917 | |||||||||||||
Savannah Morning News clipping, "Savannah Officers of Famous Wighty-Second", 1919 February 02 | |||||||||||||
Savannah Morning News clippings regarding events in Germany and German Kaiser William Hohenzollern, 1918 November 10-11 | |||||||||||||
oversize_folder | |||||||||||||
64 | Old soldier songbooks | ||||||||||||
"Pack All Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile" and "Your Song-My Song-Our Boys' Song: Over There" | |||||||||||||
oversize_folder | |||||||||||||
65 | Award certificates | ||||||||||||
"Croix de Guerre"; honors received from being wounded in action, signed by President Woodrow Wilson; General Order No. 24, related to "Croix de Guerre;" Distinguished Service Cross Certificate, 21 November 1918; Promotion to 1st Lieutenant in the Aviation Section of the Signal Officers' Reserve Corps of the U.S. Army, 12 September 1917. | |||||||||||||
oversize_folder | |||||||||||||
66 | War Medal certificate Aero Club of America to Lieutenant F. O. D. Hunter, 1919 May 9 | ||||||||||||
Volume | |||||||||||||
1 | Scrapbook 1: War clippings of Monk and Ormonde, 1918-1930 | ||||||||||||
Volume | |||||||||||||
2 | Scrapbook 2, 1942-1943 | ||||||||||||
Negatives RESTRICTED | |||||||||||||
Artifacts | |||||||||||||
A-1342-001 Personal flag of General Frank O’Driscoll Hunter at the rank of General, circa 1960 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-002 Map of Europe, double sided, 1939-1945 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-003 Flag from the car of Frank O’Driscoll Hunter while he commanded the 8th in England, 1942 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-004 Ribbon from the Croix de Guerre awarded to Frank O’Driscoll Hunter, 1918 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-005 Frank O’Driscoll Hunter’s ribbon from the World War I Victory Medal, 1919 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-006 Five colones bill from the International Bank of Costa Rica, 1929 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-007 Five custom gold unit bill issued by the Central Bank of China, 1930 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-008 Five peso bill from the Bank of Mexico, 1933 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-009 Twenty escudos bill from the Bank of Portugal, 1940 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-010 One dollar bill issued by the treasury of the United States for the territory of Hawaii, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-011 Ten shilling bill issued by the Commonwealth of Australia View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-012 Five Rupee bill issued by the Reserve Bank of India View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-013 Fifty Lire bill issued by the bank of Italy View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-014 Ten Lire bill in Allied Military Currency, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-015 One Lira bill in Allied Military Currency, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-016 Ten Lire bill in Allied Military Currency, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-017 Ten Lire bill in Allied Military Currency, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-018 Five Lire bill in Allied Military Currency, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-019 Ten cent bill issued by the Japanese government during its occupation of foreign countries during World War II View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-020 One centavo bill issued by the Japanese government during its occupation of the Philippines View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-021 Ten franc bill from the Bank of Morocco, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-022 One guilder bill from Nederlandshe-Indische, or the Dutch East Indies, 1941 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-023 Currency printed in Arabic View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-024 Twenty escudos bill issued by the Bank of Portugal, 1941 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-025 Five shilling bill from the Bermuda Government, 1937 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-026 One shilling bill from the Japanese government View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-027 One hundred Lire bill in Allied Military Currency, 1943 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-028 Quarter Dinar bill from the government of Iraq View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-029 Ten plastres Egyptian currency note, 1940 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-030 Ten franc bill issued by the bank of France, 1932 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-031 One rupee bill issued by the government of Ceylon, 1942 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-032 Coin from Costa Rica, 25 centimos, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-033 Coin from Peru, 20 centavos, 1926 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-034 Coin from Bolivia, 10 centavos, 1907 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-035 Coin from Mexico, 50 centavos, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-036 Coin from Mexico, 5¢, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-037 Coin from Chile, one peso, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-038 Coin from Peru, 2 sol, 1924 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-039 Coin from Peru, 1/2 sol, 1924 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-040 Coin from Mexico, 20¢, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-041 Coin from Mexico, 20¢, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-042 Coin from Costa Rica, 25 centimos, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-043 Coin from Peru, 20 centavos, 1921 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-044 Coin from Bolivia, 10 centavos, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-045 Coin from Chile, ten centavo, 1928 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-046 Coin from El Salvador, five centavos, 1916 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-047 Coin from El Salvador, ten centavos, 1925 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-048 Coin from Guatemala, 1/4 quetzal, 1928 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-049 Coin from Costa Rica, 50 centimos, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-050 Coin from Bolivia, 10 centavos, 1899 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-051 Coin from Costa Rica, 25 centimos, 1924 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-052 Coin from Mexico, 5 centavos, 1907 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-053 Coin from Chile, twenty centavos, 1925 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-054 Coin from Peru, 20 centavos, 1928 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-055 Coin from Peru, ten centavos, 1921 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-056 Coin from Costa Rica, 25 centimos, 1924 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-057 Coin from Bolivia, 5 centavos, 1892 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-058 Coin from Costa Rica, 25 centimos, 1924 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-059 Coin from Costa Rica, 25 centimos, 1935 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-060 Coin from Peru, ten centavos, 1921 View online. | |||||||||||||
A-1342-061 Map of the Zones of France, second edition, with an inset showing the occupied areas, 1944 View online. | |||||||||||||