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Loren D. Borders Collection, 1942-2012, Date acquired: 01/09/0012

 

Summary

Creator:
Borders, Loren D.
Extent:
5.00 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Loren D. Borders collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_12_0003.

Background

Scope and content:

This extensive collection consists of 1 box of personal papers and 4 boxes of personal artifacts. Included in the papers are miscellaneous photographs of Borders, several official military documents (primarily unit commendations and discharge papers), several military publications (pilots handbook, ship/aircraft identification booklet, hymnal, and the bible), and a personal notebook.

Included in the artifacts are his U.S. burial flag from his burial in 2001, several contemporary newspapers from V-J day (August 15, 1945), a photo album compiled by Borders during his service in the South Pacific, assorted artifacts in a box including shells, a fishing hook, and a hair pick, and a shadowbox with Borders' military medals and awards.

Biographical / historical:

Loren D. Borders was born on February 23, 1923, in Dugger, Indiana. After the U.S entry into the war on December 8, 1941, Larry, as he was called, joined the Navy on September 2, 1942, and served until January 12, 1946. He trained as an aircraft machinist for the U.S. Navy SBD-6 Douglas Dive bomber and served as an Aerial Gunner on sorties. In his 19 months of combat duty, he served in Guadalcanal and Bougainville in the Solomon Island chain, and in what was then called New Hebrides, now the nation of Vanuatu.

Borders flew 32 combat missions over the Solomon Islands before being restationed in the New Hebrides from May-December 1944. His flight squadron was attached primarily to the aircraft carrier U.S.S Franklin, but it is unknown if Borders was onboard when the Franklin was hit and nearly sunk on March 19, 1945. Borders served in Carrier Aircraft Service Units (CASU) 11 and 12.

He was discharged in 1946 with plenty of experience as an aircraft engine mechanic to help him find a job stateside. By the end of the war, Borders was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Ribbon, the Navy, and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (awarded to members of exemplary units) the American Campaign Medal (awarded to servicemen in 1942), the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with four stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. Borders passed away on September 15, 2001, and is buried in Dugger Cemetery, Dugger, Indiana.

Acquisition information:

Martha Jane Borders-Norman

Donation

Custodial history:

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

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers

This collection is in an offsite storage location. Please contact lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu with requests for access or for more information.

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], Loren D. Borders collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_12_0003.

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