The Descriptive Finding Guide for the The Benson B. Hardy Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10202
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: The Benson B. Hardy Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10202
Physical Description:
.25 Cubic Feet
The collection is housed in one gray flip-top box, 15-1/2 x 5 x 13 inches. The material includes a combination of documents,
cartoons, artwork, magazines and photographs. Most of the photographs are unlabeled and unattributed. The material was collected
during Mr. Hardy's military service and covers the period from the early 1940s until his retirement in 1957, although some
of the items that relate to that period were obtained after his retirement.
Date (bulk): 1920-2006
Abstract: The material includes a combination of documents, cartoons, artwork, magazines and photographs. Most of the photographs are
unlabeled and unattributed. The material was collected during Mr. Hardy's military service and covers the period from the
early 1940s until his retirement in 1957, although some of the items that relate to that period were obtained after his retirement.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was dropped off anonymously at the SDASM Gillespie Field facility in April,2017, and has no paperwork. The
collection has been processed and is available for research with no restrictions.
Biographical / Historical
The original owner of the collection appears to be Benson Bliss Hardy (November 22, 1920 to May 9, 2006), and this material
was collected during his time in the military. Mr. Hardy was born in Oakland, CA. He began his military career in 1942 as
a ship's Cook First Class in the U.S. Navy. ln 1948, he left the Navy and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During this time
he attended photo school and received three months of training in photo interpretation. He served in World War II and the
Korean War in Japan, Korea and Greenland. He worked in top secret photo interpretation and was awarded a Letter of Commendation
Medal and a Bronze Star. In 1956, he left the Air Force as a Captain. Mr. Hardy then worked for and retired from Teledyne
Ryan Aeronautical. During a layoff period from Ryan, he worked as a cook on the FLIP vessel at Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
In 2004, he co-authored and published a book with Duane Hall, "Photographic Aerial Reconnaissance and Interpretation, Korea,
1950-1952."
Subjects and Indexing Terms
548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron
5th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron -- 8th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron -- 67th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron
-- 91st Reconnaissance Technical Squadron
Hardy, Benson O
Series I: Military Documents
Folder 1- Rosters -- 5th, 8th, 67th, 91st Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, U.S. Air Force, 1949-1957
Folder 2 -- Rosters -- 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, 1954-1955
Folder 3 -- Cocktail Invitations
Folder 4 -- News/Press Releases Newsletters and press releases, printed by U.S. Air Force, June 1943 - October 1944.
Folder 5 -- Cartoons of 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron. Cartoons collected by Benson Hardy and drawn by Bob Briare,
"Moree" Morrell, William P. Shaw, and "Skid" Sherrerd.
Folder 5 -- Cartoons of 548th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron. Cartoons collected by Benson Hardy and drawn by Bob Briare,
"Moree" Morrell, William P. Shaw, and "Skid" Sherrerd.
Series II: Personal Documents
Folder 7 -- Japanese Theater Playbills from Japanese theater (some nudity).
Folder 8 – Magazines copies of "VIEW" magazine from Tokyo, Japan, September 1953
Folder 9 – Miscellaneous including Hardy Obituary and IDs
Folder 10 -- Photographs (includes scenes of nudity, war and death).
Folder 11 Photographs - Miscellaneous
