Otay Flood Relief Expedition Records, 1916-1988

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Summary

Creators:
United States. Navy.
Abstract:
This collection consists of records pertaining to a flood relief expedition led by US Navy Lt. Willis W. Bradley Jr. after the 1916 Lower Otay Dam failure.
Extent:
0.25 Linear feet (1 box)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Otay Flood Relief Expedition Records, MS 264, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of records pertaining to a flood relief expedition led by US Navy Lt. Willis W. Bradley Jr. after the 1916 Lower Otay Dam failure. Correspondence includes orders establishing the expedition, daily reports made throughout the expedition, and orders withdrawing the Navy’s forces. Other records include itemized bills for supplies, correspondence surrounding the investigation of several civilian complaints, and letters of commendation. Additionally, there are biographical excerpts about Lt. Bradley as well as a photograph of him.

Biographical / historical:

In January 1916, severe storms hit San Diego, California, lasting several days. The Lower Otay Dam lacked an adequate spillway for excessive overfilling, and on January 27, the dam collapsed. Billions of gallons of water swept through Otay Valley, leaving at least 20 dead and much of the rest of the population homeless.

Admiral William F. Fullam, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet, immediately sent in a flood relief expedition under Lt. Willis W. Bradley, Jr., then commanding officer of the USS Lawrence. This party consisted of eight officers and 85 enlisted men from the Navy and Marine Corps. For two weeks they provided all police and medical attention for the flooded district, which included Otay, Palm City, Nestor, San Ysidro, and the Tijuana border area. They initially distributed food and clothing to about 500 people, decreasing to about 200 people at the end, at which point the operation was turned over to local authorities.

Lt. Willis W. Bradley, Jr. was born June 28, 1884 in Ransomville, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1906 and served until his retirement in 1946. During that time he served in World War I and World War II, and acted as Governor of Guam from 1929-1931. In 1946 he was elected to Congress as a representative of L.A. County districts 69, 70, and 71. He died August 7, 1954.

Acquisition information:
Accession number 890722.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Samantha Mills on April 4, 2012.

Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.

Arrangement:

Items in the collection are arranged by subject.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.

Preferred citation:

Otay Flood Relief Expedition Records, MS 264, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Location of this collection:
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA 92101, US
Contact:
(619) 232-6203
Website