Biographical Note
Scope and Contents
Organization
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Preferred Citation
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries East Asian Library
Title: Edward Paik papers
creator:
Paik, Edward, 1917-
Identifier/Call Number: 3315
Physical Description:
2.25 Linear Feet
3 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1931-2000
Date (bulk): 1939-1994
Abstract: Edward Paik was a Korean American food service equipment sales supervisor, Kitchen Specialist, and U.S. Air Force Surplus
Property Disposal Specialist. This collection comprises primarily photographs and printed materials created and collected
by Edward Paik. It also contains ephemera in the form of service medals, a wool cap, and Army patches, as well as personal
papers in the form of correspondence, letters, and yearbooks.
Biographical Note
Edward Paik, born in California on March 20, 1917, was a Korean American food service equipment sales supervisor, certified
Kitchen Specialist, and U.S. Air Force Surplus Property Disposal Specialist.
Paik came from a large Korean family. He went to Whittier Union High School and thereafter worked for Richard M. Nixon from
1936 to 1937. During the war years, Paik went back to school, studying at the University of Ohio and earning a certificate
as a Surplus Property Disposal Specialist for the U.S. Air Force. He worked as an airplane inspector for the U.S. Air Force
during World War II. In 1943, he was accepted as a flying cadet but did not complete his training due to cutbacks in the program.
After the war Paik went on to work in the food service equipment industry. He was a sales supervisor at Litton Industries,
the manager of Iscro Restaurant, and a food service equipment consultant for numerous restaurants, hotels, and hospitals.
In 1951 he earned his Kitchen Specialist certificate.
He was married to Katherine Paik and sometimes went by the name Eddie Pack, mostly in his professional career.
Scope and Contents
The Edward Paik papers (1931-2000, bulk 1939-1994) consist of personal papers, photographs, albums, printed materials, and
ephemera created and collected by Edward Paik. The majority of the material is comprised of personal and family photographs,
negatives, and albums, as well as printed materials in the form of magazines, clippings, instructional books, and postcards.
The collection also contains Paik's personal papers comprised of school yearbooks, correspondence, cards, and letters, and
documents related to his professional career in the food service equipment industry. The remainder of the collection comprises
ephemera related to Paik's time in U.S. Air Force, largely service medals in their original boxes, as well as stamps, pins,
woven names, patches, and a wool flight cap.
Organization
The Edward Paik papers have been organized into the following series: 1. Personal papers; 2. Photographs and albums; 3. Printed
materials; 4. Ephemera. Folders are arranged alphabetically.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of the Korean
Heritage Library. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Korean Heritage Library 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.
Preferred Citation
[Box/Folder# or Item name], Edward Paik papers, Collection no. 3315, Korean Heritage Library, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the estate of Edward Paik.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Food service equipment industry -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Korean American families -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Korean American men -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
World War, 1939-1945 -- California -- Archival resources
Clippings
Commemorative medals
Correspondence
Ephemera
Magazines (periodicals)
Manuals (instructional materials)
Negatives (photographic)
Picture postcards
Photographs
Photograph albums
School yearbooks
Paik, Edward, 1917- -- Archives
Paik, Irvin, 1940- -- Archives
Paik, Katherine -- Archives
Litton Industries -- Archives
United States. Air Force -- Archives