Frank O'Driscoll Hunter papers

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Frank O'Driscoll Hunter papers


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

Biographical/Historical Note

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.

Scope and Content Note

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.

Index Terms

Aviation.

Caterpillar Club.

Hunter Army Airfield (Ga.)

Hunter, Frank O'Driscoll, 1894-1982.

Military records.

Photographs.

Scrapbooks.

United States. Air Force.

World War, 1914-1918.

World War, 1939-1945.

Wright, Orville, 1871-1948.

Physical and Technical Access Restrictions

A microfilm reader is required to access a portion of this collection.

Administrative Information

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.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

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.

Separated Material

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.

Sponsorship

Encoding funded by a 2012 Documenting Democracy grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Container List

Box

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

Personal and military correspondence and subject files, 1945-1972; 1944-1945

Personal and military correspondence, 1945, 72.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1945, 67.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1945, 69.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1946-1948, 24.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1950-1959, 11.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1961-1965, 12.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1966-1969, 14.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, 1970, 1972, 2.0 items.

Personal and military correspondence, undated, 58.0 items.

Correspondence and subject files, 1945, 38.0 items.

These records deal with race relations and segregation on military bases, including Godman, Freeman, Wallerboro, and Selfridge airfields. Included are correspondence, news-clippings, and pamphlets.

Subject files, 1945, 74.0 items.

Records mostly consist of transcripts of telephone conversations dealing with race relations and segregation on military posts, including the Godman, Freeman, Walterboro, and Selfridge airfields.

Box

Miscellaneous personal papers, 1934-1945 and undated

Financial papers, 1934-1935, 2.0 items.

Records consist of paid bills.

Financial papers, 1940, 19.0 items.

Records consist of bills and receipts.

Financial papers, 1942, 1943, 1945 and undated, 10.0 items.

Photographs, undated, 27.0 items.

Miscellaneous papers, 36.0 items.

Records consist of note cards, invitations, club memberships, military and civilian passes and licenses. Dates vary, spanning General Hunter's lifetime.

Miscellaneous papers, 9.0 items.

Records consist of note cards, invitations, club memberships, and news-clippings. Dates vary, spanning General Hunter's lifetime.

News clippings, 54.0 items.

Dates vary, but the bulk of the material is dated in the 1960s.

Box

Military papers and orders, 1917-1945 and undated

Military papers, 1917-1919, 9.0 items.

Military papers, 1920-1927, 12.0 items.

Military papers, 1930-1938, 18.0 items.

Military papers, 1940, 17.0 items.

Military papers, 1941-1942, 18.0 items.

Military papers, 1943, 13.0 items.

Military papers, 1944, 4.0 items.

Military papers, undated, 15.0 items.

Military papers, 1945, 13.0 items.

Orders, 1928-1930, 1941, 1943, and 1945, 8.0 items.

Confidential orders, 1917 and 1937, 2.0 items.

General orders, 1918-1919, 7.0 items.

Operation orders, 1930-1931 and 1937, 3.0 items.

Personnel orders, 1918-1941, 17.0 items.

Special orders, 1917-1918, 12.0 items.

Special orders, 1920-1921 and 1927, 8.0 items.

Special orders, 1930-1939, 28.0 items.

Special orders, 1940-1945, 35.0 items.

Box

Military papers, 1917-1948

Military histories and reports, 1918 and 1943, 2.0 items.

Included is a record titled "History of the First Pursuit Group, Air Service," which consists of an overview of the organization of the unit and a diary maintained by the First Pursuit Group from January 16, 1918 to December 17, 1918. The second report is titled "Belly Tanks P-47: The History and Development of these Tanks in the United Kingdom from 24 January 1943 to 10 September 1943."

Pilots' Information File, 1921-1944, 1.0 items.

These records constitute only a portion of the file, which documents a military pilot's flight career.

Flight records, 1917 and 1932-1945, 244.0 items.

These records document Hunter's individual flights and include name, rank, unit, station, date of flight, pilot time by aircraft type, aircraft model, mission symbol, number of landings, and remarks.

Biographical materials, 5.0 items.

Includes a paper presented to the Madeira Club on January 30, 1961 by Malcolm Bell, Jr. titled "The Military Career of Frank O'Driscoll Hunter."

Commendations, 1918-1946, 38.0 items. , 38 items (1456-1493).

Personal reports and immunization records, 1927-1930, 34.0 items.

Retirement and recall papers, 1945 and 1948, 9.0 items. , 9 items (1528-1531, 1534-1538).

201 File, 1943-1945, 1.0 items.

Radovich, Walter V. investigation file, 1945, 5.0 items.

This file documents the official investigation of allegations made against General Hunter by Major Walter V. Radovich, a war hero who was found guilty of accepting a bribe in a court martial in 1945. The records include the allegations, exhibits, testimony transcripts, and statements as well as the findings and conclusions of the investigating officer, Colonel Oliver A Hess.

Box

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.

Box

Air Force Registers, 1959-1972

Loose in the box: Air Force Registers, 1959-1965, 4.0 items.

Included are Retired List II, January 1959; Active List I, January 1960; Active List I, January 1965; and Retired List II, January 1965.

Box

Military publications, 1960-1972

Loose in the box: Air Force Registers, 1967-1972, 3.0 items.

Included are Active List I, January 1967; Retired List II, January 1967; and Retired List II, January 1972.

Loose in the box: Rosters of USAF Retired General Officers, 1960-1978, 16.0 items. , 16 items (1552-1567).

Included are rosters for June 1960, September 1964, March 1965, September 1965, September 1966, February 1967, August 1967, February 1968, August 1968, February 1970, February 1971, August 1971, August ]973, August 1974, September 1977, and July 1978.

Box

Miscellaneous printed materials, 1918-1978 and undated

"A List of Airplane Pilot Officers of the United States Army Air Service Commissioned Prior to 12 November 1918", 1.0 items.

Roster of Members. Order of Daedalians and the Daedalian Foundation, 1969, 1971, and 1974, 3.0 items.

Records. The Chatham Club, Savannah, undated, 2.0 items.

These records include an invitation for membership and a booklet describing the club's history.

Roster of Members. American Fighter Aces Association, 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1979, 4.0 items.

Roster of Members. Army and Navy Club, 1972, 1.0 items.

Roster of Members, 8.0 items.

Society of the Cincinnati, 1969-1977; and pamphlets, 1970 and 1978. Membership rosters include the Society of the Cincinnati for 1974 and 1977 and the Society of the Cincinnati, Georgia Chapter for 1969 and 1975. The pamphlets are "The Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Georgia (1970) and "Anderson Museum, Director's Report" (1978).

Records. The Alfalfa Club of Washington, D.C., undated, 2.0 items.

Included are a fiftieth anniversary dinner program and a roster of members.

Pamphlets, 1943-1968 and undated, 10.0 items.

Records include "Americans Valiant and Glorious," which concerns the Flying Tigers; "The Effect of the Rise of Air Power on War" by the Viscount Trenchard (1943); "L'Escadrille Lafayette, Avril 1916-Janvier 1918" by Beorges Thenault; "High Command in War" (1945); "Historic Savannah, Inc." (1968); "Peace Through Air Power" by Major A.P. deSeversky; "Survival under Atomic Attack" by the Government Printing Office (1950); "Tradition and Change" by A.W. Olsen, Jr.; "U.S. Air Force Logistics Command" by Air Force Museum (1947); and "The U.S. Fighting Man's Code" (1955).

Magazines, 1959-1967, 6.0 items.

Included are issues of The Airman, (September 1959, October 1965); The American Legion, (August 1967); Army, (June 1963); The Iron Worker (Autumn 1967); and Savannah: The Military (March-April 1964).

Newspaper, 1975, 1.0 items.

This is an issue of Patriot (June 13, 1975).

Box

Miscellaneous printed materials, 1943-1966 and undated

"United States at War." Army Navy Journal, 1943 December-1944 December, 1.0 items.

"United States at War." Army Navy Journal, 1944 December-1945 December, 1.0 items.

Biennial Report of the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, 1943 July 1-1945 June 30, 2.0 items.

Report of the Chief of Staff, United States Air Force to the Secretary of the Air Force, 1948 June, 1.0 items.

"Major Air Commands as of December 1958", 1.0 items.

"Air Force Guide to Retirement", 1959 October 30, 1.0 items.

"Air Force Guide to Retirement", 1958 June 6, 1.0 items.

"Air Force Guide to Retirement", 1962 April 1, 1.0 items.

"Historical Data: a Chronology of American Aviation Events", 1.0 items.

"Air Force Guide for Retired Personnel", 1966 February 1, 1.0 items.

ADDENDA

Box

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

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

Photographs, undated

Loose in folder: Photographs of Hunter and family members, undated, 13.0 items. . View images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4.

Box

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

Certificates, 1917-1980

Loose in folder: Miscellaneous certificates, 1917-1980, 28.0 items. . View images: 1 | 2 | 3.

Box

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

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 st Lieutenant H.G. Stiles to Mrs. H.G. Stiles notifying safe arrival in France on February 10, 1919; envelope addressed to Cuban General Couchon; letter from Frank O'Driscoll Hunter to his father

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

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

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

War Medal certificate Aero Club of America to Lieutenant F. O. D. Hunter, 1919 May 9

Volume

Scrapbook 1: War clippings of Monk and Ormonde, 1918-1930

Volume

Scrapbook 2, 1942-1943

roll

X-1342-01. The following is available via microfilm

Papers re military career, 1918, 1940-1943

Personal correspondence, 1918-1933

airplane crash injuries.

Personal correspondence, 1940-1951

miscellaneous.

Personal correspondence, 1942-1972, miscellaneous.

Clippings, 1917-1921

military career.

Clippings, official program and score cards of national Airplane Races, Selfridge Field, St. Clemens, Michigan, 1922

Clippings, 1923-1930

military career.

Clippings, 1931 May

Air Armada Maneuvers.

Clippings, 1931, miscellaneous.

Clippings, 1932-1934, military career.

Clippings, 1935-1939, military career.

Clippings, 1940-1941

military career and dedication of Hunter Field, Georgia.

Clippings, 1942