George B. Ward Jr. letters

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. 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, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

George B. Ward Jr. letters, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
.42 Linear Feet 1 Hollinger box
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

George B. Ward Jr. letters, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection contains letters documenting the life of Seaman First Class George B. Ward Jr. (1915-2008) of Phenix City, Alabama. The letters primarily document Ward's life while he was assigned to the USS Chicago and the Aerology School at Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, New Jersey. The collection also includes letters from Hawaii after Ward graduated from Aerology School.A multi page first hand account from Ward of the Hindenburg airship explosion in New Jersey to his mother is also contained in the collection. The Hindenburg, named for German president, Paul von Hindenburg, was the largest German rigid airship, LZ 129. It was designed to provide luxurious transatlantic travel between Germany, the United States and Brazil. It was also used as a propaganda tool for the Nazis as it contained the Swastika on its tail. The airship became engulfed in flames and was destroyed on May 6, 1937, while attempting to land at Lakehurst Naval Station in New Jersey. The fire killed 36 people and marked the end of transatlantic commercial airship travel. Ward was involved in rescuing people from the wreckage, which he described in the letter. Ward was discharged from the Navy in 1939 and later worked as a U.S. Navy civilian employee helping to salvage ships at Pearl Harbor. George Ward passed away in 2008.

Acquisition information:
Collection purchased with the assistance of the John M. Presson fund.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard