William George Forsyth collection
Collection
Identifier: MSS-3697
Scope and Contents
The collection contains the U.S. Army Air Corps dress uniform worn by William George Forsyth during World War II. This uniform was a precursor to the uniforms developed by the military when the United States Army Air Corps morphed into the United States Air Force. The uniform in this collection consists of only the tunic and pants; there are no rank or unit insignia.
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), established in 1941. Although abolished as an administrative entity in 1942, the Air Corps (AC) remained as one of the combat arms of the Army until 1947.
The collection also contains a copy of the Veterans Hospital News of 7 November 1947 from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with a front page article about Forsyth's dog, Bease, who logged 185 hours flying with Forsyth, as well as photocopied photographs of Bease climbing into a C-47.
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), established in 1941. Although abolished as an administrative entity in 1942, the Air Corps (AC) remained as one of the combat arms of the Army until 1947.
The collection also contains a copy of the Veterans Hospital News of 7 November 1947 from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with a front page article about Forsyth's dog, Bease, who logged 185 hours flying with Forsyth, as well as photocopied photographs of Bease climbing into a C-47.
Dates
- circa 1941
Biographical / Historical
William George Forsyth, son of Arthur R. and Elizabeth Harris Forsyth, was born on 8 January 1910 in Birmingham, Alabama, the fourth of five children. He entered Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, and later enrolled at the University of Alabama where he majored in Civil Engineering. He married Elizabeth D. and the couple had one daughter, Julia (Judy).
He joined the United States Army in September 1940, serving as a Gunnery Officer in the Army Air Corps. He was discharged on 29 June 1947, and received an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force Reserve with the rank of Major.
Forsyth died in February 1992, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
He joined the United States Army in September 1940, serving as a Gunnery Officer in the Army Air Corps. He was discharged on 29 June 1947, and received an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force Reserve with the rank of Major.
Forsyth died in February 1992, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (contains Forsyth's U.S. Army Air Corps dress uniform)
Language of Materials
English
Overview
Forsyth's United States Army Air Corps World War II era dress uniform and an article about his dog.
Provenance
gift of Judy Phipps (daughter), 2013
General
To provide faster access to our materials, this finding aid was published without formal and final review. Email us at archives@ua.edu if you find mistakes or have suggestions to make this finding aid more useful for your research.
Processed by
Martha Bace, 2013
- Title
- Guide to the William George Forsyth collection
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- February 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository