http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8n87gvt Online items available Papers SDASM.SC.10196 San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives July 2017 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park San Diego 92101 URL: http://www.sandiegoairandspace.org/ SDASM.SC.10196 1
Language of Material: English Contributing Institution: San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives Title: Walter W. Pentecost Personal Papers Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10196 Physical Description:.4 Cubic FeetThe material primarily relates to his days with the AVG-Flying Tigers from early 1941 through July 4, 1942, as well as later correspondence and documents relating to AVG-Flying Tigers publications. Included are aircraft records and service logs, maps and blueprints, newspaper clippings, photographs, and souvenirs. The Walter W. Pentecost collection is housed in two 10-inch tall flip-top archival boxes. Date (bulk): bulk Abstract: The material primarily relates to his days with the AVG-Flying Tigers from early 1941 through July 4, 1942, as well as later correspondence and documents relating to AVG-Flying Tigers publications. Included are aircraft records and service logs, maps and blueprints, newspaper clippings, photographs, and souvenirs. Physical Description: Description: The Walter W. Pentecost collection is housed in two 10-inch tall flip-top archival boxes. Content notes: The material primarily relates to his days with the AVG-Flying Tigers from early 1941 through July 4, 1942, as well as later correspondence and documents relating to AVG-Flying Tigers publications. Included are aircraft records and service logs, maps and blueprints, newspaper clippings, photographs, and souvenirs. Biographical / Historical Walter W. Pentecost was one of the original American Volunteer Group-Flying Tigers in China, before the United States' involvement in World War II. He was born in Anderson, Indiana in 1912. Upon graduating Anderson Indiana High School in 1932, Pentecost attended Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corporation's jet engine school on the J-75 and J-50 engines, in Hartford, Connecticut. From 1941 to 1942, he was assigned to General Claire L. Chennault and the Flying Tigers in Rangoon, Burma. Being an aircraft specialist, his duties included training and supervising the Chinese mechanics in the assembly of P-40 aircraft, performing flight-test inspections, and supervising the flight test program. Pentecost acted in an operation and engineering capacity while stationed in China. After the assembly of the P-40s, he established and managed an overhaul depot in China for P-40 aircraft that were damaged in combat. Pentecost moved back to the United States after his duty in China, and worked as a Field Service Representative. He was employed first with Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Co., in Buffalo, NY, from 1942 to 1943, working on the P-40 and C-46 aircraft. He was then employed by Convair, in San Diego, CA, from 1943 to 1945, working on the BT-1, BT-15, B-24, PBY, A-31, and A-35. As a Field Service Representative, he was involved in operations, maintenance, and the flight-testing of the various aircraft. In 1947, he went to work for Douglas Aircraft Co., as an Experimental Mechanic. His duties included design, fabrication, and installation of new parts on the C-74 and C-124 experimental aircraft. From 1949 to 1951, he was a Flight Inspector for Northrop Aircraft Corp. serving as a flight test inspector on the F-89 aircraft. From 1950 to 1959, Pentecost was again employed by Convair in San Diego, CA; this time as a Field Service Engineer. He monitored the flight test programs of the F-102 and F-106 aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base and Holloman Air Force Base. He also monitored the armament development program on the F-102, which consisted of launching the GAR-1 and -2 Genie missiles. He was assigned to the Air Defense Command (ADC) in Colorado Springs, CO in charge of the F-102 and F-106 aircraft being integrated into the ADC inventory. Pentecost also served as Assistant Office Manager of the Convair Corporate office for 1-1/2 years, where he advised staff-level personnel and had direct contact with general officers on operations, maintenance, and combat capabilities of the F-102 and F-106 type aircraft. In 1959, Pentecost became Senior Engineer at Thiokol Chemical Corporation in Huntsville, AL. He was assigned to the Falcon, Pershing, and Zeus rocket motor programs. Pentecost monitored nearly all Nike Zeus rocket motor launches at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico for over four years. He performed these duties until 1965. During his various employments, Walter Pentecost always maintained a connection with his AVG-Flying Tigers days. In the later part of his life, Pentecost continued correspondence with those people he had met in China and Burma, and pursued publications on the Flying Tigers. Walter Pentecost lived in Southern California until he passed away in 1991. Conditions Governing Access The collection is open to research by appointment. Some restrictions may apply Related Materials Flying Tiger AVG Collection https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/albums/72157624587561232 Subjects and Indexing Terms Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945 China Burma India Theater (CBI) China SDASM.SC.10196 2
Japan -- History -- 1926-1945 AVG (American Volunteer Group) Flying Tigers Pentecost, Walter Box 1 of 2 Series I: Correspondences Folder 1 -- Correspondence - Employment in China Physical Description: Correspondence to/from General Chennault and others regarding employment in China, March 2, 1948 - October 27, 1948. Folder 2 -- Letters of Recommendation Physical Description: 1. Various typed letters of recommendation, 10/25/1934-11/7/1945. Folder 3 -- Correspondence - AAHS Journal Article, AVG Physical Description: Handwritten and typed correspondence to/from James J. Sloan, George L. Paxton, Jr., William Wagner regarding AAHS Journal article on AVG, 1970-1973. Folder 4 -- Correspondence: Walter Pentecost Personal Letters Physical Description: Collection of handwritten and typed correspondence to and from Walter Pentecost, 4/3/1942-9/11/1942. Folder 5 -- Miscellaneous Correspondence Physical Description: 1. Handwritten letter to Walter Pentecost regarding former Flying Tiger Charles W. Sawyer, and Pentecost's response. 2. Letter regarding use of photos for a book by Robert M. Smith on the Flying Tigers. 3. List of Flying Tiger members, deceased members, and prisoner's of war. 4. Pamphlet for book, "A Flying Tiger's Diary," by Charles R. Bond, Jr., and Terry H. Anderson. 5. Other miscellaneous correspondence and documents. Folder 6 -- Museum Correspondence Physical Description: 1. National Air and Space Museum letters. 2. San Diego Air & Space Museum letters, and donor documents. 3. Certificate, The Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc. Friends of the United States Air Force Museum. Series II: Documents Folder 7 -- Interviews Physical Description: Typed interview with Walter Pentecost, April 27, 1942, with background on personal involvement and mention of Claire Chennault. 2. Typed interview with Walter Pentecost, June 7, 1969, "The American Volunteer Group in Burma and China, 1941-1942," interview conducted by James J. Sloan. Folder 8 -- Vultee Aircraft, Inc. Employment Agreement Physical Description: Employment agreement with Vultee Aircraft, Inc., January 12, 1943 (12 pages). SDASM.SC.10196 3
Box 1 of 2 Series II: Documents Folder 9 -- Employment and Military Records Physical Description: 1. Resume of Walter W. Pentecost. 2. Selective Service Permit to Depart from the United States. 3. Thiokol Trip Logs, showing locations and people, 1959-1961. 4. Miscellaneous correspondence - U.S. Military. Resume of Walter W. Pentecost. 2. Selective Service Permit to Depart from the United States. 3. Thiokol Trip Logs, showing locations and people, 1959-1961. 4. Miscellaneous correspondence - U.S. Military. Folder 10 -- Personal Daily Calendar Physical Description: Handwritten daily calendar mounted on board, 5/11/1941-12/3/1941, pilot and ship notes. Folder 11 -- Ferry Pilot Forms - Aircraft Record of Reception Physical Description: 1. Multiple records of reception, The Intercontinent Corporation, September 4, 1941 - November 28, 1941. Folder 12 -- Aircraft Service Logs, Maintenance & Operational Procedures Physical Description: 1. Three small notebooks, Walter Pentecost, Line Supervisor, Intercontinent Corp., 1941. 2. Miscellaneous maintenance and procedures documents. Folder 13 -- Maps and Blueprints Physical Description: 1. Foldout color map of India and adjacent countries, 1932. 2. Black & white map mounted on canvas board of Burma. 3. Black & white foldout map of Burma, 1941. 4. Comprehensive sketch of Loiwing and Pangkham, China. 5. Blueprint, Building Progress Map of 1940. Box 2 of 2 Series III: Newspapers Folder 1 -- News Clippings Physical Description: 1. Miscellaneous news clippings regarding AVG-Flying Tigers and Walter Pentecost, aeronautical engineer (sleeved). Series IV: Articles / Periodicals Folder 2 -- Article, "Advance of the Flying Tigers" Physical Description: 1. Article, "Advance of the Flying Tigers," Walter E. Pentecost and James J. Sloan, AAHS Journal, Summer 1970 (2 copies and 1 page proof). Folder 3 -- Walter Pentecost Publications, AVG (#1 of 2) Physical Description: 1. Untitled article, cover page starts, "Expansions on the first ten pages...," author not identified (7 typed pages, 2 copies). 2. Untitled article, first page starts, "Colonel Chennault and the Chinese...," author not identified (10 pages). 3. Script for "Double or Nothing" radio program with Walter Pentecost, by William Esty & Company, July 31, 1942 (19 pages). 4. Typewritten Service School Broadcast regarding Flying Tigers, Walter Pentecost, September 2, 1942. 5. Article, "Here Come the Flying Tigers," Walter Pentecost, as told to Alan Hynd, Liberty magazine, July 25, 1942. 6. Manuscript draft, "Flying Tigers," Walter Pentecost, in collaboration with Alan Hynd. SDASM.SC.10196 4
Box 2 of 2 Series IV: Articles / Periodicals Folder 4 -- Walter Pentecost Publications, AVG (#2 of 2) Physical Description: 1. Article, "Those Amazing Flying Tigers," Major Franklin Hibel, Air Training magazine. 2. Booklet, "Americans Valiant and Glorious," history of Flying Tigers and pilot profiles (2 copies). 3. Article, "U.S. Tigers Claw Japs," Air Forces News Letter, February 1942. 4. Article, "China Tiger," Colonel C. H. "Link" Laughlin, USMCR(Ret), Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, Spring 1983. 5. Article, "Tiger in the Sky," Mike Minnich, Air Enthusiast, No. 4, 1970, plus letter to Walter Pentecost responding to his protest that Minnich used his copyrighted material. 6. Fragment of article by Tye M. Lett, Jr., first page titled "We Learned War Maintenance With The AVG." 7. Article, "Assembling and Testing P-40s in Burma," Byron A. Glover, source not listed. 8. Untitled typed 5-page article, first line reads, "Some interesting highlights..." (2 copies) 9. Handwritten flight log. 10. Miscellaneous correspondence related to articles. Folder 5 -- Notes for AVG Book Physical Description: 1. Notes for possible Flying Tigers book. Series V: Photographs Folder 6 - Photographs Physical Description: 1. Two small black & white pictures of Walter Pentecost. Folder 7 -- Log Book of Photo Negatives Physical Description: 1. Walter Pentecost Picture Negative File Book. Series VI: Miscellaneous Folder 8 -- Souvenirs Physical Description: 1. Currency, French Indochina, Brazil, Hong Kong, India. 2. Assortment of hotel and luggage tags, Singapore, Rangoon, Brazil, Manila, etc. 3. Stickers, Convair, 498th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Geiger Tigers. 4. Motor vehicle license, Burma, to Walter Pentecost, 1941. 5. Greeting card, Bombay. 6. Airline ticket, Pan American Airways, Khartoum to Lagos. 7. Pass, Intercontinent Corporation Engineer pass, Walter Pentecost. 8. Raceing program, Rangoon Turf Club. Governor s Cup Day, season 1941-42. 9. Steamship ticket, Matson Line, one-way 1st class, Los Angeles to Honolulu, 1941. 10. Souvenir passenger list, Matson Line, S.S. Matsonia, 1941. 11. Undated/signed flight route, on colored map of the world. 12. Form BX, for passengers disembarking at Indian Ports bringing in Currency Notes other than Bank of England Notes, the Import of which is restricted in the amount of U.S. 500. 13. Anderson Public Schools Vocational Department, Pattern Making course, to Walter Pentecost, 1931. 14. Silver Wings Fraternity, Aviation Pathfinders Life Member, Walter Pentecost, 1927. 15. 14th Air Force Association member in good standing certificate, 1956. 16. Colored chart, Insignia of the U.S. Navy and related Services. SDASM.SC.10196 5