Descriptive Finding Guide for the Benjamin Cloud Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10027
Finding aid prepared by Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
10/17/2014
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA, 92101
(619) 234-8291
Title: Benjamin Cloud Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10027
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.0 Cubic feet
2 boxes: one is 12 x 5, the other 17 x 13
Date (inclusive): 1931-2014
Abstract: Captain Benjamin Cloud was a U.S. Navy pilot who worked in reconnaissance at various stages of his long career, including
on the cusp of the Vietnam War. Eventually he would be assigned command of that unit making him one of the first African-American
officers to command a squadron. This collection focuses on photos taken by Cloud or his reconnaissance squadrons. This Collection
includes numerous photos taken by Cloud.
Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Benjamin Cloud was born November 6, 1931, in San Diego. He grew up predominantly in El Cajon, a small city in San Diego County.
After briefly majoring in Civil Engineering at San Diego State, he joined the US Navy and began pilot training in 1952. In
1954, he was assigned to the fighter reconnaissance program VC-61 (later designated as VFP-63), in San Diego, flying Grumman
F9F Panthers. The unit was deployed to the Pacific several times. After participating in a Navy special program, Cloud earned
a degree in Chinese language and culture and was returned to VC-61 in 1963 at the cusp of the Vietnam War. One of Cloud’s
team, Charles Klausmann, was among the first to be wounded when his plane went down during a reconnaissance mission.
After his tour, Cloud was assigned as an aide to President Lyndon Johnson. Upon his return to flight duty Cloud was assigned
to NAS Oceana in Virginia in 1966. From there, Cloud was assigned to command VFP-63, making him one of the first African-American
officers to command a squadron. In 1972, after completing Navy War College in Rhode Island, Cloud was assigned Executive Officer
of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). The fallout from a race riot onboard the carrier slowed Cloud’s career. He
was transferred to Prairie View A&M University to run the ROTC program. After stints in Naples, Italy and Washington, D.C.,
Cloud retired in 1984. He was elected to SDASM board of directors in 1990, served until at least 2003.
Related Archival Materials note
The collection is stored in 2 boxes: one is 12 x 5, the other 17 x 13. Collection consists entirely of photograph, covering
the years 1955–1968, approximately. The photos were organized in two binders, one envelope and several loose oversized photos.
Binder 1 contained photos of U.S. Navy carrier-based aircraft, many taken from the perspective of a reconnaissance aircraft.
Binder 2 contained photos of ships and locations. The envelope contained reconnaissance photos of the Tupolev TU-95 Bear.
The loose oversized photos consisted of aircraft and ships. Photos were moved to archival folders and kept in these same groupings.
Related SDASM Resources:
The Museum has aircraft files on many of the aircraft in these photos, including the Grumman F9F Panther, Vought F8 Crusader
Variants and Family, and Douglas F3D (F-10) Skyknight Family.
The Museum has many photos of the aircraft featured in the collection on Flicker. Below are links to two photos. https://flic.kr/p/7X8niy
https://flic.kr/p/aecQ3p
Corwin “Corky” Meyer, Grumman F9F Panther Part One (Simi Valley: Steve Ginter; 2002) Steve Ginter, Grumman F9F Panther Part
Two (Simi Valley: Steve Ginter; 2003) McDonnell Douglas Corporation, The Fabulous Phantom F4 (St. Louis; McDonnell Aircraft
Company; 1978) Kris Hughes, Douglas A-1 Skyraider (North Branch, MN: Specialty Press; 1997)
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cloud, Benjamin, 1931
Boxer (Aircraft Carrier)
Douglas A4D (A-4) Skyhawk Family
Douglas AD (A-1, BT2D) Skyraider Family
Grumman F9F Panther
Kitty Hawk Class (Aircraft carriers)
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Box 01
Binder 01
Physical Description:
Photos from Binder 1 Misc. U.S. Navy Carrier Aircraft, 8x10 photographs
Many photos were taken by someone standing on carrier deck. Interesting examples include photo 41: a Douglas A-1 Skyraider
crashing into a gun director platform; photo 63: catapult at moment of explosion; and photo 66: a Douglas A-3D Skywarrior
in tension and ready for takeoff.
1. Grumman F9F Cougars in formation
2. Grumman F9F Panthers and Douglas A-1 Skyraiders on USS Boxer (CV-21), leaving SD harbor, 1955.
3. Grumman F9F Cougar, reconnaissance.
4. Grumman F9F Cougars in formation.
5. Grumman F9F Panthers, two, directly overhead.
6. Grumman F9F Panther and four A-l Skyraiders over USS Boxer.
7. Grumman F9F Panthers, two in formation.
8. Grumman F9F Panthers, two over USS Boxer.
9. Grumman F9F Panther coming aboard USS Boxer. Noseart.
10. Grumman F9F Cougars, four in formation, directly overhead.
11. Grumman F9F Cougar IFR from Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
12. Grumman F9F Cougars, four in formation.
13. Grumman F9F Panther landing aboard USS Boxer.
14. Grumman F9F Panthers, two, flying past USS Boxer.
15. Grumman F9F Panthers, four, overflying NAS Cubi Point, Philippines.
16. Grumman F9F Cougars, four, over NAS Cubi Point, Phillipines.
17. Grumman F9F Panthers, four, at the break over NAS Cubi Point, Philippines.
18. Grumman F9F Panthers, four, at the break over USS Boxer (CV-21) at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines.
19. Grumman F9F Panther, close alongside, over NAS Cubi Point, Philippines.
20. Grumman F9F Panthers, four ship formation.
21. Douglas A-1 Skyraider mid-air refueling Grumman F9F Cougar. End folder 1
22. Vought RF-8 Crusader over a desert lake. Beginning folder 2
23. Vought RF-8 Crusader from USS Shangri La.
24. Vought RF-8 Crusader over USS Enterprise (CVN-65).
25. Vought RF-8 Crusader mid-air refueling from Douglas A-3 Skywarrior.
26. Vought RF-8 Crusader over major dam.
27. Vought RF-8 Crusader over desert (2 copies).
28. Vought RF-8 Crusader over USS Enterprise (CVN-65).
29. Display, camera system of Vought RF-8 Crusader.
30. Display, camera system of Vought RF-8 Crusader
31. Display, reconnaissance camera
32. Display, reconnaissance camera
33. Douglas A-1 Skyraiders, four, head on.
34. Douglas A-1 Skyraider being towed on carrier deck.
35. Douglas A-1 Skyraider at touchdown on a carrier view from beyond Landing Signal Operator platform.
36. Douglas A-1 Skyraider nose over crash on carrier deck. Non-fatal accident.
37. Douglas A-1 Skyraider approaching touchdown on carrier. View from near fantail.
38. Douglas A-1 Skyraider getting launch signal from LSO on CV flight deck.
39. Douglas A-1 Skyraiders on deck preparing for launch. End of Folder 2
40. Douglas A-1 Skyraiders bombs loaded and ready for launch. Beginning of Folder 3
41. Douglas A-1 Skyraider aboard USS Valley Forge (CV-45), crashing into gun director platform.
42. Douglas A-1 Skyraiders in formation over Corregidor Island, Philippines.
43. Douglas A-1 Skyraider catching the wire on carrier.
44. Douglas A-1 Skyraiders over Philippine Island.
45. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk mid-air refueling. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk.
46. Douglas A-4 Skyhawks on CV flight deck.
47. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk in tension, getting signal to launch.
48. Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, two in formation.
49. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk approaching catapult for hookup for launch.
50. Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, four in formation, USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63).
51. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom of VF-51 over San Diego Stadium, in baseball configuration (now Qualcomm).
52. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II prototype.
53. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom from Project "Top Flight", early photo
54. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms in formation over Coronado Bridge.
55. McDonnell Douglas F-4, Phantom USAF, visiting USN airfield.
56. Douglas F4D Skyrays, four making simultaneous launch from USS Ranger (CV-61).
57. Douglas F4D Skyray taking catapult shot on USS Ranger (CV-61).
58. Douglas F4D Skyray on touchdown on USS Ranger (CV-61).
59. Consolidated Model 31 seaplane prototype; first A/C with a Davis wing. (Note: this photo seems out of place in collection.)
60. Douglas C-54 Skymaster at unnamed flight terminal building.
61. Douglas F3D Skyknight taking off from carrier
62. Douglas F3D Skyknight on catapult preparing for takeoff signal.
63. Douglas F3D Skyknight at the moment catapult fired for launch.
64. North American T-2 Buckeyes, two in formation. NATC markings.
65. Boeing F4B-4 biplane dive bomber in flight. (Note: this photo seems out of place in collection.)
66. Douglas A-3D Skywarrior "All Three Dead" in tension and ready for takeoff on USS Ranger (CV-61).
Binder 02
Physical Description:
Photos from Binder 2 Naval Ships and Locations, 8x10 photographs
1. USS Enterprise (CVN-65) entering port. Overhead photo.
2. USS Boxer (CV-21) leaving San Diego Bay, from high astern.
3. USS Boxer (CV-21) conducting flight ops. Taken from alongside.
4. USS Boxer from overhead - sailors on deck spelling out "Saludos Don Diego" for San Diego celebration.
5. USS Boxer (CV-21) sailing near unknown coastline.
6. USS Boxer (CV-21) from overhead- sailors on deck spelling out "BOXER 75,000 LANDINGS".
7. USS Boxer conducting flight ops (similar to photo #3).
8. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) CV 63 from overhead. 5 copies.
9. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) UNREP with AOE and FF (unknown).
10. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) underway alongside unknown foreign aircraft carrier, DD-41, and other ship.
11. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) from above. 3 copies.
12. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) from directly astern. 1960s photo.
13. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) from ahead and above. Color 1960s photo.
14. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) from ahead, port bow. 1960s photo. 3 copies.
15. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) from directly ahead - 8"x8" odd size.
16. USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) underway, from port side. 3 copies.
17. USS Bremerton (CA-130) light cruiser. Underway in the SCS, 1955.
18. USS Henderson (DD- 785) destroyer. Underway 1955.
19. USS Rowan (DD-782) destroyer. Underway 1955.
20. Admiral Senyavin, Soviet Navy "Sverdlov"-class light cruiser. Modified for Command & Control.
21. NAS Anacostia, Washington DC. Overhead view, 1961.
22. NAF Andrews, Andrew AFB, Washington DC. Overhead view, 1961.
23. NAS Miramar photo, hangar labeled "Home of the Pacific Fleet Photo Escorts". 1960s photo.
24. Unknown dam and lake. 3 color photos from overhead.
Envelope 01
Physical Description:
collection of Tupolev Tu-95 Bear photographs, various sizes.
1. 1971 Memorandum, from VLP-63 Det 4 Officer in Charge to Commanding Officer, VLP-63 concerning Bear interceptions.
2. 46 in flight views of Tupolev Tu-95 Bear from reconnaissance aircraft being intercepted by various U.S Navy aircraft. Color
and B&W detail views.
3. 12 in flight views of Tupolev Tu-95 Bear from reconnaissance aircraft interceptions. Sizes from approximately 8x8 to 10xl2.
Box 02
Physical Description:
Oversize Loose collection of ship and aircraft B& W photos
Significant photos include a series of 5 photos, in sequence, of an aircraft carrier landing from perspective of landing aircraft;
and a mid-air refueling.
1. Sequence of five photographs of landing aboard the USS Boxer (CV-21) taken from the perspective of the landing aircraft.
Includes two copies of three of the photos and three copies of one of the photos. No date on photos. 8x17 photos
2. Douglas A-3D Skywarrior (in foreground) and Douglas A-4D Skyhawk over San Diego. B&W 12xl7
3. Four Grumman F9F-8 Cougars conducting inflight refueling from Convair R3Y Tradewind, photographed from dead astern. B&W
12xl7. 1956
4. Two Douglass AD-5N Skyraider aircraft in flight. (VAAW 35?) B&W 12x15
5. Four Vought F7U Cutlass aircraft and four McDonnell F3H Demon aircraft in formation. B&W 12xl7 1957
6. Four Vought F7U Cutlass aircraft in close formation. B&W 12xl7
7. Two North American FJ-1 Fury aircraft inflight refueling from North American AJ Savage. B&W 10x10
8. Four Grumman F9F Panthers in formation. B&W, 10x10
9. U.S. Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan. Overhead view of the U.S. Fleet, the USS Boxer is mooring. 1956