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Wagar Space collection, 1944-1986

 

Summary

Creator:
Wagar, Howard C. (Howard Carlyle), 1906-1995
Abstract:
The Wagar Space collection, 1944-1986 represents the interests of Commander Howard Wagar, from the 1940s to the 1980s. His main collecting interest was the space program, for which he collected periodicals, newspaper clippings, public relations materials, photographs, and prints. Subjects include the Apollo missions, the lunar module landing, the Skylab and Viking projects, Mars, the Russian Space Program, and astronauts. The collection also includes information about events such as the post World War II atomic bomb tests, the rise of Fidel Castro to power in Cuba, and the assassination of U.S President John F. Kennedy. This collection provides insight into International space program activities. Commander Howard Wagar was born in Fairmont, Minnesota in 1906. He moved to New Jersey in the 1920s, where he worked for WAAM radio station in Newark. He received his radio operators liscense in 1928 and worked as an operator for the merchant marines in various radio stations. Wagar joined the Navy in 1943, where he served until 1966, advancing to the rank of Commander. In the Navy, Wagar participated in sensitive Navy missions, including the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests, the Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Project, and the Apollo Space Project.
Extent:
18.6 Linear Feet 6 boxes, 37 volumes and 1 flat file
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Wagar Space collection, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

The Wagar Space collection, 1944-1986 represents the interests of Commander Howard Wagar, from the 1940s to the 1980s. His main collecting interest was the space program, for which he collected periodicals, newspaper clippings, public relations materials, photographs, and prints. Subjects include the Apollo missions, the lunar module landing, the Skylab and Viking projects, Mars, the Russian Space Program, and astronauts. The collection also includes information about events such as the post World War II atomic bomb tests, the rise of Fidel Castro to power in Cuba, and the assassination of U.S President John F. Kennedy. This collection provides insight into International space program activities.

Series I: Periodicals, 1945-1981, Undated, contains periodicals about the space program. The periodicals are in French, Italian and Russian and English, and include issues of major periodicals such as Newsweek, Time and numerous issues of LIFE Magazine, as well as special editions of newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel. Major headlines include the Gemini mission, the lunar module landing and a multitude of articles on astronauts.

Series II: Newspaper Clippings, 1945- 1982, contains bound and unbound newspaper clippings related to the space program and other major world events. The Space Shot collection includes twenty-three volumes of bound newspaper clippings of all aspects of the space program from 1956 to 1976. Other bound volumes include articles on the rise of Fidel Castro to power in Cuba and the assassination of President Kennedy. Unbound clippings cover various other aspects of the space program, including Mars, the Russian Space Program and Viking 1 and 2.

Series III: Public Relation and Press Materials, 1963-1983, includes a range of public relations materials related to the space program, including brochures, pamphlets and press releases created for the public. Topics covered included the Apollo-Suyuz Test Mission, Space Project Mercury and Skylab 1 and 2.

Series IV: Technical Manuals, 1952-1968 contains technical manuals for a variety of electronic equipment, including different types of lenses, television equipment, utility monitors and film equipment.

Series V: Photographs and Prints, 1954-1986, contains a variety of photographs and prints related to the space program and the U.S. Military. This series includes three volumes of bound official NASA black and white photographs, ranging in date from 1960 to 1974, as well as unbound official photographs of the Apollo 10 and 15 missions and the orbiter Discovery launch. The series also contains photographic prints from the U.S. Army and Air Force, some of which are oversize. Finally, the series includes oil and watercolor prints from various artists depicting events in the space program such as guided missile launches.

Biographical / historical:

Commander Howard Wagar was born in Fairmont, Minnesota in 1906. He moved to New Jersey in the 1920s, where he worked for WAAM radio station in Newark. He received his radio operators liscense in 1928 and worked as an operator for the merchant marines in various radio stations. Wagar joined the Navy in 1943, where he served until 1966, advancing to the rank of Commander. In the Navy, Wagar participated in sensitive Navy missions, including the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests, the Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Project, and the Apollo Space Project.

Acquisition information:
Gifted by Howard Wagar in 1973 (Accession no. CFM1973_06).
Processing information:

Processed and finding aid prepared by Jessica Achberger. Finding aid revised for consistency by Chloe Lanham in 2026.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged by material type.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Wagar Space collection, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA