Register of the Aubrey Wray Fitch papers

Finding aid prepared by Stephanie Watson
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2017
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu


Title: Aubrey Wray Fitch papers
Date (inclusive): 1900-1982
Collection Number: 80132
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 4 manuscript boxes, 6 oversize boxes, 2 sound discs (5.2 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Correspondence, speeches, orders, personnel records, clippings, and photographs collected by Aubrey Wray Fitch relating to American naval aviation, especially in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Sound use copies of sound recordings available.
Creator: Fitch, Aubrey Wray, 1883-1978
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Access

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Acquisition Information

Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1980.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Aubrey Wray Fitch papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Biographical Note

1883 June 11 Born, St. Ignace, Michigan
1906 Graduated, United States Naval Academy
1908 Ensign, United States Navy
1930 Received wings, Naval Aviator
1931 Commander, USS Langley, United States Navy's first aircraft carrier
1944-1945 Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air)
1942-1944 Commander, Air Forces, South Pacific
1942 Awarded Distinguished Service Medal for leadership role during the Battle of the Coral Sea
  Vice Admiral, United States Navy
1978 May 22 Died, Newcastle, Maine
1947 Retired as Admiral, United States Navy
1945-1947 Superintendent, first aviator appointed to the United States Naval Academy Annapolis, Maryland

Scope and Content of Collection

The Aubrey Wray Fitch papers consist of the personal and naval records of Admiral Fitch. These papers document the span from his early career as a student at the United States Naval Academy, circa 1902, to the launching of the guided missile frigate USS Aubrey Fitch (FFG-34) in 1981, three years after his death. While the collection primarily emphasizes American naval aviation in the Pacific Theater during World War II, with special focus on the Battle of the Coral Sea, it also documents Admiral Fitch's time as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy from 1945 to 1947.
As a Vice Admiral in the Pacific Theater during World War II, Fitch commanded U.S. planes in the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval battle fought entirely by aircraft. Although his flagship, the USS Lexington, was sunk during the battle, Fitch was praised for his leadership and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. The Naval Records series includes Fitch's naval awards, orders and promotions, dispatches, war diaries from the Pacific Theater during World War II, and poems and drawings created by fellow sailors. Photographs within the collection depict the early stages of U.S. naval aviation and follow Fitch throughout his changing assignments. The collection also contains personal scrapbooks created by Fitch during his time in the Navy.
In 1945, Fitch became the first naval aviator to be appointed Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. Fitch served as Superintendent until 1947, when he retired with the rank of Admiral. The Speeches and Writings series contains award presentations, written press releases, and speeches made by Fitch at the U.S. Naval Academy, including his retirement speech.
Unless otherwise noted, the arrangement scheme was imposed during processing in the absence of an identifiable original order.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Sound recordings
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Pacific Ocean
Aviation
Officers
United States. Navy

 

Correspondence 1941-1971

Scope and Content

Original alphabetical order of correspondence was maintained.
box 1, folder 1

A-B 1944-1959

box 1, folder 2

C-D 1944-1971

box 1, folder 3

E-F 1944-1947

box 1, folder 4

G-I 1944-1959

box 1, folder 5

J-M 1945-1964

box 1, folder 6

N-Q 1944-1959

box 1, folder 7

R-S 1943-1947

box 1, folder 8

T-Z 1941-1967

 

Speeches and Writings 1919-1947

Scope and Content

Includes radio broadcast transcripts, awards presentations, written press releases, and speeches made at the U.S. Naval Academy while Fitch was Superintendent, arranged in chronological order.
box 2, folder 1

Award presentations undated

box 2, folder 2

Introduction of Rear Admiral Lewis B. Combs undated

box 2, folder 3

Naval Academy lecture 1919 March

box 2, folder 4

Army Air Force awards presentation 1942 October 9

box 2, folder 5

Enterprise awards presentation 1943 January 22

box 2, folder 6

Task Force Sixty-seven awards presentation 1943 January 26

box 2, folder 7

Tangier awards presentation 1943 February 20

box 2, folder 8

Presentation of Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Patch 1943 March 10

box 2, folder 9

Retention of land-based planes after 1944

box 2, folder 10

Visit from Soviet airmen 1944 May 30

box 2, folder 11

31st anniversary of naval aviation 1944 August 29

box 2, folder 12

Navy Day 1944 October 27

box 2, folder 13

Edwin C. Hill broadcast 1944 October 31

box 2, folder 14

Introduction to Commodore Burke 1944 November 16

box 2, folder 15

By others 1944-1945, undated

box 2, folder 16

National Plastic Products Company circa 1945

box 2, folder 17

The Naval Academy as it begins its second century circa 1945

box 2, folder 18

Acceptance of ensign presented by civilian employees 1945

box 2, folder 19

Board of Visitors 1945

box 2, folder 20

Centennial issue of The Log 1945

box 2, folder 21

Commissioning of USS Princeton 1945

box 2, folder 22

"I Know the Enemy" radio series 1945

box 2, folder 23

Memorial dedication 1945

box 2, folder 24

"Unsung Hero" radio program 1945

box 2, folder 25

"Navy and Marine Pilots Outshoot Japanese," 1945 February 3

box 2, folder 26

Press conference 1945 February 7

box 2, folder 27

To the employees of Grumman 1945 April 10

box 2, folder 28

V-E Day 1945 May 8

box 2, folder 29

USS Franklin tribute 1945 May 21

box 2, folder 30

Proposed statement on universal military training 1945 June 16

box 2, folder 31

"Navy Hour" broadcast 1945 July 24

box 2, folder 32

Acceptance of Order of the Southern Cross 1945 July 25

box 2, folder 33

Reserve battalion review 1945 August 23

box 2, folder 34

Captain John Madison Hoskins 1945 August 23

box 2, folder 35

Press luncheon 1945 September 1

box 2, folder 36

"Saga of USS Maryland," 1945 September 11

box 2, folder 37

To the brigade of midshipmen 1945 September 20

box 2, folder 38

"Meet Your Navy" program 1945 October 1

box 2, folder 39

Navy Day 1945 October 25

box 2, folder 40

Maryland's victory loan 1945 October 30

box 2, folder 41

Last graduating class of midshipmen from Notre Dame 1945 November 2

box 2, folder 42

Introduction of Admiral Halsey 1945 November 27

box 2, folder 43

Unification at St. John's Military Academy 1945 December 20

box 2, folder 44

Visit to Victoria, British Columbia circa 1946

box 2, folder 45

141st anniversary of Trafalgar 1946

box 2, folder 46

June Week 1946

box 2, folder 47

USS Kearsarge 1946 March 2

box 2, folder 48

Broadcast to the people of the Philippine Islands 1946 April 22

box 2, folder 49

Board of Visitors 1947

box 2, folder 50

United Citizens League 1947 January 1

box 2, folder 51

Naval academy resignation 1947 February 15

 

Naval Records 1908-1982

Scope and Content

Includes flight log books, naval correspondence, orders and promotions, war diaries, and poems and drawings created by fellow sailors. Also includes documentation of the launching of the guided missile frigate USS Aubrey Fitch (FFG-34) in 1981. Records are arranged in alphabetical order.
box 3, folder 1

Aviators flight log book 1942-1947

box 3, folder 2

Correspondence 1928-1942, 1945

box 3, folder 3

Correspondence 1943

box 3, folder 4

Drawings undated

box 3, folder 5

Excerpts from personal papers 1908-1974

box 3, folder 6

Launching of the USS Aubrey Fitch (FFG 34) 1981-1982

box 3, folder 7

Orders and promotions 1908-1919

box 3, folder 8

Orders and promotions 1921-1939

box 4, folder 1

Orders and promotions 1940-1944

box 4, folder 2

Orders and promotions 1945-1953

box 4, folder 3

Poems and lyrics undated

box 4, folder 4

War diaries 1942

 

Printed Matter 1906-1963

Scope and Content

Includes awards presented to Fitch, clippings, U.S. Naval Academy souvenir books and bulletin, and naval yearbooks, arranged in alphabetical order.
box 4, folder 5

Awards 1919-1959

box 4, folder 6

Clippings 1936-1963

box 9, folder 1

Lucky Bag 1906

box 4, folder 7

Naval Academy Bulletin, No. 9 1956 June

box 4, folder 8

Naval Academy Centennial 1945

box 4, folder 9

Naval Academy Souvenir Book 1946

box 4, folder 10

Trident 1946

box 4, folder 11

USS Wyoming: At War in the North Sea 1917-1918

 

Photographs 1902-1978

Scope and Content

Includes photographs of Naval bases, naval aviation, President Roosevelt's visits to Pensacola, the U.S. Naval Academy, the Pacific Theater during World War II, and Fitch's personal life after retirement, arranged in chronological order. Photocopies of images are also included.
box 5, folder 1

Undated

box 5, folder 2

1902-1915

box 5, folder 3

1932

box 5, folder 4

1933-1935

box 5, folder 6

1936-1938

box 5, folder 7

President Roosevelt's visits to Pensacola 1938 June - 1940 April

box 5, folder 8

1940

box 6, folder 1

1941-1942

box 6, folder 2

1943

box 6, folder 3

1944

box 6, folder 4

1945

box 6, folder 5

1946

box 6, folder 6

1947

box 6, folder 7

1955-1978

 

Scrapbooks 1900-1943

Scope and Content

Scrapbooks documenting Fitch's naval career from his time as a student at the U.S. Naval Academy to his station as Vice Admiral in the Pacific Theater during World War II, arranged in chronological order.
box 7, folder 1

1900-1904

box 7, folder 2

1906-1908

box 8, folder 1

1910-1936

box 8, folder 2

1918

box 9, folder 2

1922-1926

box 8, folder 3

1941-1942

box 10, folder 1

1941-1943

record cabinet

Sound Recording 1947 January 15

Scope and Content

Sound recording of ceremony noting the changing of command for the U.S. Naval Academy. Includes speeches by the outgoing head, Admiral Aubrey Wray Fitch, and incoming head, Admiral James L. Holloway, Jr., as well as a gun salute and the thoughts of Captain Long.

Access

Use copy reference number: 80132_a_0002815