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Rogers, Joseph (Second World War correspondence)
2015.103.w.r
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Joseph Rogers Second World War correspondence
source:
Curington, Terry
Identifier/Call Number: 2015.103.w.r
Physical Description:
4.1 Linear Feet
(1 carton, 1 document-box, 1 oversize box, 1 specimen multi-compartment box, 1 newspaper box)
Date (inclusive): 1830 - 2015
Date (bulk): 1943 - 1948
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence written to Capt Joseph Rogers of the United States Army Air Force during the Second
World War as well as military documents, photographs and realia belonging to Rogers. Items in this collection pertain, for
the most part, to Rogers' military career in both the United States and China, where he served for a period as a member of
the Army Advisory Group in an advisory role to the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
Language of Material: The materials in this collection are primarily in English. Series 3 contains materials written in Chinese.
Container: WWII 34
Container: 1-25
Container: 1-25
Container: WWII 35
Container: 26-31
Container: WWII 36
Container: 32-38
Container: 1-7
Container: WWII 37
Container: 39-44
Container: 1-6
Container: Oversize 1
Container: 2
Container: Specimen Box 1
Container: 1
Container: WWII 32 (oversize)
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Terry Curington. Received from Andrew Carroll 7/15/2015.
This collection is arranged by material type, subject, and date.
- Series 1, Correspondence
- Series 2, Hankow, China (Sub-Series 1: Chinese Air Force, Sub-Series 2: Personal Papers)
- Series 3, United States Army Air Force
- Series 4, Flight/Aviation Training and Instruments
- Series 5, Photographs
- Series 6, Books
- Series 7, Personal Papers
- Series 8, Periodicals
- Series 9, Realia
Captain Joseph Rogers was born on 18 March 1924. Rogers, a "lad from Atlanta, Ga" (Tyndall Target Vol. 2 No. 47, Dec. 18,
1943), attended college briefly before enlisting in the Army as an aviation cadet on 1 February 1943. He had entered with
the aim of becoming a pilot, but washed out and completed training as a bombardier. Rogers attended pre-flight training at
Maxwell Field in Alabama and graduated from Bombardier/Navigation School as a member of Class 44B on 20 May 1944.
Rogers became a member of the 8th Air Force and flew a tour of duty consisting of thirty combat missions in Europe (Germany)
as lead Bombardier with the 468th Bomb Group (September 1944-March 1945), in recognition of which he was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross. Subsequent to this, Rogers received "refresher training" in Bombardiering and Navigation, after which he served
as an Assistant Finance Officer at Turner Air Force Base in Albany, Georgia.
Rogers' proficiency as a bombardier eventually led to his being selected for the Army Advisory Group's Air Advisory Division,
at which point he was sent to Hankow, China, to assist in an advisory role to the Chinese Air Force (CAF). While there, Rogers
instructed in bombardiering and navigation for the CAF Unit Staff Course. His diligence led to his being honored with the
Mai Chi Decoration, which was awarded to him by Lieutenant General C. J. Chow, Commanding General of the Chinese Air Force.
Despite his success as a bombardier, Rogers still wished to become a pilot and reapplied for pilot training. This, his second
attempt, proved successful and Rogers was finally awarded his pilot's wings.
Rogers actively served in the United States Army Air Force for nearly seven years and was honorably discharged on 24 January
1950.
After leaving the service, Rogers attended and graduated from Stanford University as a Business major.
Rogers' post-military career included work as a government contractor. He worked for the Foreign Operation Administration
as an FSS (Federal Supply Schedule Service [?]) employee (1955- ). In this post, Rogers traveled around the world, working
in both New Delhi, India, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He also worked as a Contract Price Analyst for the Procurement & Supply
Division of the Office of Administration at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenblatt, Maryland (1962- ).
Rogers passed away 26 April 2015, in Washington, D.C.
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Joseph Rogers Second World War correspondence (2015.103.w.r), Center for American
War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URL's, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains correspondence, documents, and personal items belonging to Joseph Rogers, a captain in the United
States Army Air Force during the Second World War.
In addition to correspondence written to Joseph Rogers from various senders, this collection also includes Rogers' military
records, various military documents (U.S. Army Air Force and Chinese Air Force), awards received by Rogers for his service
both in the U.S. and China, navigational instruments and aeronautic charts, photographs, books, periodicals, realia, and personal
papers belonging to Rogers.
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
United States -- Air Force.
United States -- Army -- Air Forces -- Bombardier
China -- Air Force
Rogers, Joseph, March 18, 1923-March 28, 2015
Curington, Terry