Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Buford A. Johnson papers
MS 372
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: Buford A. Johnson papers
Date (inclusive): 1945-2012, undated
Date (bulk): 1951-1959
Collection Number: MS 372
Creator:
Johnson, Buford A.
Extent:
2.56 linear feet
(3 boxes)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Riverside, CA 92517-5900
Abstract: This collection contains military documents, correspondence, and other material pertaining to the Tuskegee Airmen and Buford
A. Johnson, a Master Sergeant in the United States Army Air Force and chief mechanic who serviced jet aircraft in the 99th
squadron of the 477th composite group in World War II. Highlights include newspaper clippings, programs, photographs, posters,
and awards pertaining to the personal and professional accomplishments of Buford A. Johnson during and after his World War
II service.
Languages: The collection is in English.
This collection is open for research.
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction,
and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by
copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions
apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for
obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Buford A. Johnson papers (MS 372). Special Collections & University Archives,
University of California, Riverside.
Gifts of Buford A. Johnson, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2013.
Processed by Reajinae Jenkins and Jamie Madrigal, Student Processing Assistants, 2015.
Processing of the Buford A. Johnson papers was completed by undergraduate students from the University of California, Riverside
as part of the Special Collections & University Archives Backlog Processing Project started in 2015. This project was funded
by the UCR Library and administered by Bergis Jules, University and Political Papers Archivist, and Eric Milenkiewicz, Manuscripts
Curator.
Buford A. Johnson was a Master Sergeant in the United States Army Air Force and chief mechanic who serviced fighter planes
in the 99th squadron of the 477th composite group also known as the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. Born August 1927 in Longview,
Texas, Buford went on to become the first African-American jet mechanic in the United States Air Force, the first African
American Crew Chief to work on jet aircraft, and the first African American Crew Chief to work on jet aircraft in a combat
zone.
This collection contains military documents, correspondence, and other material pertaining to Buford A. Johnson, the Tuskegee
Airmen, and events during World War II. Highlights include newspaper clippings, programs, photographs, posters, and awards
pertaining to the personal and professional accomplishments of Buford A. Johnson during and after his World War II service.
This collection is arranged into four series as follows:
- Series 1. Post-military service documents, 1977-2012
- Series 2. Military service documents, 1951-1966
- Series 3. Awards, 1999-2011
- Series 4. Publications, 2001-2011
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Johnson, Buford A.
United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Group, 332nd
United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Squadron, 99th
African American fighter pilots
World War, 1939-1945
Correspondence
Documents