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Francis W. Purdy manuscript, 1943-1946, Date acquired: 12/06/1999

 

Summary

Creator:
Purdy, Francis W., 1924-2001
Extent:
1 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Francis W. Purdy manuscript, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_99_0673.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection relates to Francis W. Purdy who served as a Navigator on B-17 bombers with the 347th Bomb Squadron, 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy), during World War II.  He was stationed in Italy and flew during missions over both Italy and Austria. This collection contains a manuscript memoir written by Purdy which includes pages from training manuals and photographs from Purdy's life.

Biographical / historical:

Francis W. Purdy was born on October 29, 1924 in South Wilmington, IL. He joined the US Army Air Corps on April 24, 1943, and spent time in training at Lansing, Michigan, and also at San Antonio, Texas. He trained as a Navigator as a part of a B-17 crew in the fall and winter of 1944 in Avon Park, FL. He deployed to Italy in February 1945. He was stationed in Italy at Foggia and Pisa and flew missions over both Italy and Austria. While in Pisa, he married in April 1946 and returned home shortly thereafter. In his manuscript "The Great American Bull Session" he narrates his life, including becoming an Eagle Scout. Purdy passed away on November 1, 2001, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.

Acquisition information:

Francis W. Purdy

donation

Custodial history:

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Arrangement:

creator

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Francis W. Purdy manuscript, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_99_0673.

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA