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Dillon, Albert W. (Second World War papers, photographs, and correspondence)
2019.068.w.r  
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box WWII 151, folder 8, folder 1

Series 1, Military records 1942 August 10 - 1965 October 5

Physical Description: 0.02 Linear feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Arrangement

This collection was original contained in an official records envelope and has been removed for safe access to the documents. The some of the documents have been reorganized to impose a logical, chronological order where one did not exist.

Scope and Contents

This series contains the military records of LtCol. Albert W. Dillon, USAAF pertaining to his service during the Second World War. The records were kept in an official records jacket and contain the following: promotions and citations, general orders and deployment orders, qualification card, separation certificate, retirement approval and retirement pay orders, as well as notes on the travels and promotions of Dillon compiled by either Dillon or the donor.
Also included is one panoramic black and white unit photograph of Section 7, Squadron G, Class 42K, Officers Training Scool, Army Air Forces, Miami Beach. Dillon is in the middle row, sixth from the left.
The records jacket also contained one photograph, described in Series 2, Photographs.
box WWII 151, folder 9, folder 2

Series 2, Big Springs Army Air Forces Bombardier School 1943-1963

Physical Description: 0.03 Linear Feet(2 folders)
Language of Material: English.

Arrangement

The photographs have been kept in their original order. Many photographs were kept in an envelope, three photographs loose from rest of the collection, and one panoramic unit photo was kept with the military records.

Scope and Contents

This series contains photographs of and relating to LtCol. Albert W. Dillon, USAAF during his work at the Big Springs Army Air Forces Bombardier School during the Second World War.
The photographs were contained inside of a pictorial souvenir envelope for Big Spring Army Air Field, Texas, and includes a yearbook and large postcard for the Army Air Forces Bombardier School there. The photos include four unit/class photos, one photo of Dillon showing cadets how to operate a machine, and one of Dillon looking inside a training cockpit with another officer.
The first unit photo, from July 1943, has names typed across the soldiers and written on the back, and includes:
Donald C. Rhoades, Marvin Johnson, Thomas W. Stallworth, Ira Lauderdale, Ernest Coverdill [Cavendill?], Albert W. Dillon, Homer Fields, Edward A. Fredrickson, Kindred, Lowell Bowen, Jorgenson, Ernie Johnson, France [?], Roscoe Booth, Max E. Turner, Kenchital.
The second unit photo, from summer 1944, also has names typed with written words on an afixed piece of white paper, and include:
Hopkins, Kenchital, Dickerson, Fredrickson, Bowen, Booth, Stallworth, Johnson, Scholtzhau, Brody, Johnson, Endicott, Schubert, Lannery, Krobs, Coverdill, Fields, Snodgrass, Rhoads, Wade, Stadlewort, Williams, Dillon, Bryant.
Also included is one ticket for Dillon granting entry to the Officer's Mess at the training school in Big Spring, signed by the officer in charge, Charles E. Sparks.
box WWII 151, folder 10, folder 3

Series 3, Deployment to Iran 1945 May 2 - June 29

Physical Description: 0.02 Linear feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Arrangement

This series has been arranged in its original order, with correspondence in chronological order and separate from the ephemeral materials.

Scope and Contents

This series contains sixteen photocopied correspondence, three original correspondence including two V-Mail, and ephemera from the deployment of LtCol. Albert W. Dillon, USAAF to Iran from April to July 1945. Dillon was requested to deploy as an education officer for aeronautics and bombardiers for the Persian Gulf Command (PGC) and was stationed with the 1265th AAF Base Unit, North Africa Division, Air Transport Command, Amirabad post in Tehran. Included in the ephemera he brought home is a PGC pictorial book of sights, a memo on "Suggestions to Make Your Stay in Teheran [sic] More Pleasant," and a fold from Yank magazine. The magazine includes articles on a Burmese cameraman, other short editorials, and a spread called "Paris.....of the Middle East" about Tehran. The magazine and memo were folded inside the PGC pictorial book. Another item includes an envelope containing a blank arrival bulletin and two logos for the Hotels de Ramsar, Iran.
The correspondence was written to his family, some to specific children, and discusses daily activities and the mundanity of a non-combat area. This includes the local people, seeing movies, laundry, preparing lessons, sports, etc. He also mentions enjoying himself, except for a little homesickness, and the restriction of travel, though he and some men have gotten around, including a trip to the Caspian Sea.
In his first letter, dated May 2, 1945 he mentions the surrender of the Germans in Northern Italy and how he hopes this will bring the war closer to a close.
The letter dated June 12, 1945 has a note in the top left corner that says, "The Iranian announcement asking for withdrawal of troops is only a diplomatic move - no military action contemplated or even likely."
One letter, with no clear date, was sent to Dillon from Mrs. Tom W. ----worth [inferred], first name Ione. She mentions her husband being away in the military and receiving a letter from a Corporal Eliz.[abeth] Stout who was formerly at Big Spring.
The last letter was written on June 29, 1945, a couple weeks before returning home.
box WWII 151, folder 11, folder 4

Series 4, Deployment to Guam 1945 August 10 - 1946 February

Physical Description: 0.03 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Arrangement

This series has been arranged in its original order, with correspondence in chronological order and separate from the ephemeral materials.

Biographical / Historical

The USAHS Acadia was the first Army Hospital Ship of the Second World War and was converted to a troop transport at the end of the war to obide by Geneva conventions while transporting unwounded soldiers home from the Pacific. More information can be found in Troopships of World War II, by Roland W. Charles, Naval Architect, published by the Army Transportation Association, 1947. https://history.army.mil/documents/WWII/wwii_Troopships.pdf

Scope and Contents

This series contains four correspondence and ephemera from the deployment of LtCol. Albert W. Dillon, USAAF to Guam just after the Second World War, from October 1945 to February 1946. Included are four photocopied correspondence from August 24 to September 13, 1945, written while on short assignment to Sacramento prior to deployment that were kept with the materials pertaining to the deployment. Also included are photographs and ephemera collected while in Guam.
The photographs include two of at the time Captain Dillon outside of huts in Guam, standing in uniform for the photo, as well as seven photo collages of soldiers learning in classrooms in Guam and one drawing, all apparently glued to a backing with cuts to make them seemingly fit together or to something else (like a bulletin board). Also included are three photographs and one photo postcard of the USAT (formerly US Hospital Ship) Acadia, upon which Dillon returned from the Philippines after a flight there from Guam in February 1946. Two of the photos show Dillon standing in the foreground on the docks, unclear if taken in Guam or upon return to San Francisco. One other picture of the Acadia, on a large magazine paper print while it was painted with red crosses during service as a hospital ship, is also included.
The ephemera includes one welcome pamphlet with instructions for conduct and processing at Camp Stoneman, Pittsburg, California, the San Francisco Port of Embarkation when returning from overseas duty. Also included are two Christmas cards from Guam, one "Education While You Wait" pamphlet describing a program to educate soldiers waiting to return home, four history booklets on the major Pacific battles, including Guam, Iwo Jima, Tinian and Saipan, as well as an unbound (previously glued to a backing) Army Education Program with three pages of pictures and a table of contents (it appears some pages may be missing).