Descriptive Finding Guide for the Zilda De Carlo Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10035
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
11/05/2014
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Zilda De Carlo Special Collection
source:
De Carlo, Zilda
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10035
Physical Description:
0.6 Cubic Feet
2 Boxes
Date (inclusive): 1913-2010
Abstract: Zilda De Carlo was born July 2, 1913 in North Hollywood, California. She was the youngest of four children to Frank and Vincenza
(Dinino) De Carlo. Their sons, Ray, Bill, and Nick, also served in the Armed Forces. Zilda enrolled in Parachute Rigger School
at Lakehurst in January 1943 after completing WAVES basic training at Hunter College in The Bronx. She was one of the first
women to serve in the Navy as a chief parachute rigger.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
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”]
Zilda De Carlo was born July 2, 1913 in North Hollywood, California. She was the youngest of four children to Frank and Vincenza
(Dinino) De Carlo. Their sons, Ray, Bill, and Nick, also served in the Armed Forces. Zilda enrolled in Parachute Rigger School
at Lakehurst in January 1943 after completing WAVES basic training at Hunter College in The Bronx. She was appointed as Chief
Parachute Rigger on November 24, 1956 and retired from the Navy Reserves in 1973 as a Chief Petty Officer/Chief Parachute
Rigger. De Carlo was also a commander for the 20th District American Legion Auxiliary. De Carlo was an expert seamstress and
before her enlistment, she was employed in Desmond’s alteration department, a large men’s clothing store in North Hollywood,
and in the wardrobe department at 20th Century Fox.
De Carlo passed away at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Long Beach, California on January 17, 2010 and was honored at a “Beach
Jumpers” reunion ceremony in November 2010, held at the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, and included WAVES from the local
San Diego Unit, Stars & Stripes. She was married after World War II to Beatrice Claude Davis and is interred as “Zilda De
Carlo Davis” at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park in North Hollywood, California
The collection includes photographs; 1945 newspapers from Honolulu; Naval Air Station newsletters; U.S. Navy certificates
of service and I.D. cards; manual, album, and personal diary in two boxes.
Women of Flight Collection.
Naval Aviation Collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Women in aeronautics
Women air pilots
Naval Station Pearl Harbor (Hawaii)
Naval Air Station (N.J.)
World War, 1939-1945
United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve (WAVES)
De Carlo, Zilda
Box 01
Physical Description: 1. Envelope with De Carlo’s Military ID, immunization records, certificates of service, Women’s Memorial Foundation membership
card, parachute inspection cards, and other miscellaneous.
2. U.S. Navy certificates, including “Enlisted Woman of the Year Award,” ranking appointment letters & hand-written paper
with information on enlistment, and a small biography on a typed letter.
3. Includes a “Service Women’s Guide” booklet, an “Army, Navy & Marine Corps Insignia” booklet, and a Navy Guide for Retired
Personnel.
4. Includes a “19th National WAVES Reunion” program, a Naval Air Station, Los Alamitos newspaper with article about De Carlo,
“The Inner Jib” Summer Accelerated Training cruise book (De Carlo photo, page 6), and the “Honor Roll Album” San Fernando
Valley book dedicated to the men and women serving in the WWII Armed Forces (De Carlo photo, page 57).
5. “Island Breeze” (12 January 1945), “Conning Tower” U.S. Naval Training School handout (March 1943), “Casu Forcaster” packet
(July 5, 1945), and the “Pearl Harbor Banner” Navy newspaper (August 25, 1945).
6. “The Airship” Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey newspapers (2) from 1943, and and “HABIT” Naval Air Station, Hutchison,
Kansas packets (10) from 1943-1944, some addressed to De Carlo’s parents.
7. “The Ford Islander” Naval Air Station, Pearl Harbor, T.H. newspapers (16) from March to October, 1945.
8. Newspaper Clippings and Photographs #1-42.
9. Photographs #43-110.
10. Photographs #111-160.
Box 02
Physical Description: 1. Four newspapers: “Honolulu Star-Bulletin,” August 10, 1945; August 13, 1945; and September 1, 1945; “The Honolulu Advertiser,”
August 15, 1945.
2. United States Navy WAVES book, “Anchors Aweigh” (De Carlo photo page 87).
3. The Bluejackets’ Manual 1940.
4. “My Life in the Service” De Carlo diary.
5. 29th Annual Convention American Legion, Large Digitized Photograph #154.