Wilson (Charles Richard) Personal Papers, 1942-1953
Online content
Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Charles Richard Wilson Personal Papers
- Dates:
- 1942-1953
- Creators:
- Wilson, Charles Richard
- Abstract:
- This collection contains materials from the personal collection of Charles Richard Wilson. Wilson was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He was shot down over the North Sea and captured and held as a prisoner of war until his camp was liberated at the end of the war. He was killed in an air accident off the Galapagos Islands in 1953.
- Extent:
- 0.8 Cubic Feet 2 manuscript boxes
- Language:
- English and English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Item], Charles Richard Wilson Special Collection, Archives, San Diego Air & Space Museum
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection contains correspondence, official records and other notes from the personal collection of Charles Richard Wilson.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Charles Richard “Chuck” Wilson was born in Missouri, 16 December 1921. He attended Citrus Junior College in the Los Angeles area, majoring in mathematics. He worked at North American Aviation for a brief period before enlisting in the Army Air Corps on 11 April 1942.
Wilson received a reserve commission on 29 April 1943. He flew a wide variety of aircraft during flight training, including the BT-9B, BT-13A, BT-15, PT-17, AT-6A/C/D, AT-11, AT-23B. Later, he transitioned to the L-5, BC-1A, C-45F, P-39, P-40, P-51 and B-26. He received advanced training in the B-17F/G. The crew photograph shown above was taken during training in Tennessee. Wilson is in the front row, second from the left.
His B-17G was hit by flak on his first bombing mission over Germany, on 16 February 1945, near Gelsenkirchen, located in the northern part of the Ruhr Valley. Gelsenkirchen was a center for oil refining and coal production. They were able to drop their bomb load on target, but, eventually, had to ditch over the North Sea. He was the co-pilot.
The crew survived, but was captured. Chuck Wilson was a POW in Stalag XIIID in Nuremburg, and Stalag VIIA in Moosburg. He was liberated on 29 April 1945. He continued in active military service for a short period after World War II, serving as a flight instructor, flight inspector and check pilot.
After separation from active service he flew a variety of small civilian aircraft, working as a corporate pilot, flight instructor and technical advisor. He was killed in a crash at sea on 10 October 1953, off the coast of the Galapagos Islands, only 32 years of age. At the time he was flying a spotter plane for a fishing fleet. Chuck Wilson was a resident of San Diego, California.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2016-06-27 18:28:45 +0000 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Terms of access:
-
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Item], Charles Richard Wilson Special Collection, Archives, San Diego Air & Space Museum
- Location of this collection:
-
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa ParkSan Diego, CA 92101, US
- Contact:
- (619) 234-8291