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Howard A. Craig Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Craig, Howard A.
Title: Howard A. Craig Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1918-1960
Quantity: 10 linear ft.
Abstract: Papers of the U.S. Air Force officer. Collection includes correspondence (1938-1959); flight records (1937-1951); photographs; pilot's books; scrapbooks (1919-1959), and clippings.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Howard A. "Pinky" Craig (1897-1977) was an American Air Force officer and pilot. He joined the Air Force during World War I and eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. Over the course of his career he was a bomber pilot, commanded a fighter group in Tunisia, led the XII Air Support Command during the North Africa campaign, was on the General Staff of the War Department, headed the Alaskan Air Command, and served as commander of the National War College. His memoirs, Sunward I've Climbed: A Personal Narrative of Peace and War were published in 1975.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Howard A. Craig Papers consist of files containing correspondence, memorabilia, photographs, military material such as aerial maps and Army and Navy publications, and printed material. There are also eleven scrapbooks, some of which are formal commemorative albums and others are personal scrapbooks compiled by Craig.

Of particular interest are the extensive number of photographs from Craig's tenure in Alaska and during World War II, from the National War College, and from meetings of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) for which Craig served as president and on whose behalf he visited a number of countries in Latin American and South America. The IADB, formed in 1942, is an international committee of nationally appointed defense officials who collaborate on various aspects of defense; it also maintains the Inter-American Defense College (IADC). There are also two 16mm films featuring President Dwight D. Eisenhower on a visit to Adak, Alaska.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection was left in the arrangement and order in which it was received, and original folder titles were retained for the most part. Correspondence is therefore chronological rather than alphabetical.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Signed copy of Craig's memoirs, Sunward I've Climbed, transferred to Rare Books for cataloging, 12 Jan 2010.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Craig, Howard A.

Corporate Bodies

Inter-American Defense Board.
National War College (U.S.)
United States. -- Air Force -- History -- World War, 1939-1945.
United States. -- Air Force -- Officers -- Photographs.
United States. -- Air Force -- Officers.
United States. -- Air Force.
United States. -- Air Force. -- Alaskan Air Command.
United States. -- Army Air Forces.
United States. -- Army Air Forces. -- Bomb Group, 5th.

Subjects

Aeronautics, Military -- United States.
Air pilots, Military.

Places

United States -- History, Military -- 20th century.

Genres and Forms

Logs (records)
16mm (photographic film size)
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Memorabilia.
Photographs.
Scrapbooks.

Occupations

Aeronautics.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Howard A. Craig Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: -
Date: 1983
Revision history: 11 Jan 2010 - converted to EAD, box no's fixed (MRC); 15 Apr 2014 - film rehoused and inventory updated (MBD); 19 May 2014 - inventory expanded, oversize items housed (MRC)

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Inventory

General files
Correspondence
Box 1 Indexes to and/or lists of correspondence (2 folders)
It is not known who created these lists. They may have come with the papers at the time of donation. Accuracy of the lists has not been determined.
Box 1 General 1938-1947 (9 folders)
Box 2 General 1948-1952 (9 folders)
Box 3 General 1953-1959, undated (5 folders)
Box 3 Juan Peron 1953
Box 3 "201 file" 1947-1952 - military orders
Box 3 National War College and Inter-American Defense Board 1949-1955 - orders
Box 3 Orders and vouchers
Box 3 Special orders
Box 4 Individual flight records 1937, 1943-1951 (4 folders)
Box 4 Flying time reports 1921-1952 (gaps)
Box 4 Speeches by HAC 1952-1957, undated - most are National War College commencement addresses
Box 4 Construction and transportation in Alaska 1948 - correspondence, Congressional Record items, etc.
Box 4 Dept. of Defense Reserve Award to Solano County (California) Superintendent of Schools 1957
Box 4 Itineraries 1946, 1951, 1953
Oversize 1 Eisenhower Visit to Adak, Alaska - 16mm film (1 reel, 200 feet) (ID#: craig_01)
Oversize 1 Eisenhower Visit to Adak, Alaska, dupe - 16mm film (1 reels, 200 feet) (ID#: craig_02)
Box 4 Letter, Marshall to Eisenhower 7 May 1945
Box 4 Memorabilia - menus, calling cards, invitations
Box 4 Memorabilia - photographs
Box 4 Memorabilia - clippings
Box 5 Proceedings, Board of Review, Airborne Operations 1943-1944
Box 5 Inter-American Defense Board 1952-1955 - correspondence and related material
Box 5 Report of Board of Officers on reorganization of War Department 1945
Box 5 Algeria map
Oversize 3 Japanese surrender, World War II (copy)
Box 5 Pilot's books, no. 1-5 1918-1932 (6 volumes)
Photographs
Box 6 Alaska 1946-1947, undated - Eisenhower, Fort Richardson, base hospital, Nakneck, Pt. Barrow, Ladd Field, inspections, etc.
Box 6 Bad Godesberg 1945
Box 6 Bohemian Grove 1951
Box 6 Chile
Box 6 Colombia - reception given by President Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Box 6 Dominican Republic
Box 6 England 1953, 1955, undated
Box 6 General Craig 1944, 1947, 1950-1956, 1960, undated - many are from meeting of Inter-American Defense Council; included are government and military personnel from Latin American and South American countries (Cuba, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, etc.)
Box 6 Guatemala
Box 6 Haiti 1954
Box 6 Inter-American Defense Board 1953-1954, undated - includes color transparency of group shot from LIFE magazine
Box 6 National War College 1953-1955
Box 6 Rome 1953
Box 6 Uruguay 1952
Box 6 Venezuela 1954
Box 6 Miscellaneous 1943-1957 - many are of people being awarded medals
Published volume, Sunward I've Climbed, signed
Transferred to Rare Books for cataloging, 1/12/2010.
Reference material
Box 7 Typescript manuscripts by others - speeches, articles, papers, addresses, etc. (2 folders)
Box 7 Published material - Air Force manuals, issues of LIFE magazine, The Eighth Army in Japan, The Navy Plan for National Security, Air Force yearbooks, etc. (3 folders)
Box 8 Published material - National War College material, The United States Strategic Bombing Survey (1945), Pacific Counterblow Interim Report, report on the Scientific Intelligence Center at Syracuse University Research Corp., assorted Army and Navy publications, Atlas de Cuba, aviation policy and strategy, etc. (3 folders)
Box 8 Newspaper and clippings 1941-1947, 1956 (2 folders)
Box 9 Newspaper and clippings 1941-1946 - includes issues of l'Algerienne (in French), Stars and Stripes (2 folders)
Box 9 World War I air navigation maps
Box 9 Miscellaneous
Box 9 Published articles about Craig 1942-1957 (3 folders)
Scrapbooks
Oversize 5 Alaska (I) - presented to Craig by members of the Armed Forces Alaska
Oversize 2 Alaska (II) - mostly newspaper clippings; a few photographs and items of memorabilia
Oversize 6 Argentina (I) 25 Nov 1953 - souvenir book of photographs presented to Craig by the Argentine Ministry of Defense to commemorate his visit; handwritten title page
Oversize 3 Argentina (II) 25 Nov 1953 - souvenir book of photographs presented to Craig by the Argentine Ministry of Defense to commemorate his visit; printed title page, "Visita a la Argentina del Tenienio General Howard A. Craig"
Oversize 6 Cuba 1953 - book of photographs and clippings, sent to Craig on the instructions of Major General Francisco Tabernilla Dolz, Chief of Staff of the Cuban Army
Oversize 7 5th Bombardment Wing 1959 - 40th anniversary commemorative book, signed and inscribed to Craig by Lucion N. Powell, Commander
Oversize 7 National War College graduation Jun 1955 - during Craig's tenure as commandant of NWC
Box 10 "A souvenir from the Uruguayan Navy" 20-23 Nov 1953 - presented to Craig while he was president of Inter-American Defense Board; mostly photographs
Box 10 [Miscellaneous I] 1919-1946 - quote from Andrew Jackson pasted inside front cover; correspondence, military orders, clippings, photographs; includes reproduction of 1898 photograph of Signal Corps Officers in Jacksonville, Florida
Oversize 7 [Miscellaneous II] 1939-1940 - appears to have been compiled during Craig family's time in Florida; clippings from Miami and Tampa newspapers, photographs, postcards, memorabilia, etc.
Oversize 4 [Miscellaneous III] 1942-1947 - bulk relates to World War II, with a few later items; bulk is newspaper clippings, a few photographs and other items

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