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Wallace Sidney Park Papers

 Series
  • No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the V-Mail and some air mail sent to W. Sidney Park while he was stationed in London during World War II. The letters are mostly between him and his wife Margarate. The letters mostly deal with family matters and securing a contract with the government to build the Park Trainer. The Park Trainer was developed by Park's company to help train areal photographers. The collection also contains newspaper clippings, magazine articles and photographs. The photographs include some of Park before the war and some taken in London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Kenilworth Castle.

Dates

  • Creation: 1940 - 1950

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.

Biographical / Historical

Wallace Sidney Park was born on May 16, 1898 in Kentucky. Park joined the Army Air Corps during World War I but was no old enough to fly until after the armistice was signed. In the 1920s Park helped establish Bowman Field in Louisville, Kentucky, and with his friend A.H. Bowman he established Bowman-Park Aero Co.. In 1937 Park bought out Bowman's interest in the country and renamed the company Park Aerial Surveys, Inc.. During World War II, Park served in the Army Air Corps in photo intelligence and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. During the war Park served in the United Kingdom and at various posts in the United States. After the war Park returned to his company.

Extent

From the Collection: 3 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

General

Formerly MSS.3942

Processing Information

Processed by Patrick Adcock, August 2013.

Repository Details

Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Box 870266
Tuscaloosa AL 35487-0266
205.348.0513