Documents concerning enemy planes at Freeman AAF, Seymour, Indiana

[Richard T Eger]

James D. West
jimwest@indianamilitary.org
Member
posted 20 August 2002 17:07
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A person emailing me with a question made me realize that I have a considerable amount of copied information from the National Archives, all concerning the arrival and disposition of captured enemy aircraft and other equipment at Freeman AAF, Seymour, IN. I have a large web site at www.IndianaMilitary.org (http://www.IndianaMilitary.org) which has a large section about Freeman. I am wondering if it would be worth my efforts to scan all these papers and put on a CD ? I understand that without seeing them you can't know what I have, but I see lists of planes with serial numbers, arrival methods and dates, shipping destinations, etc. For all I know, you all may already have such info. I am estimating perhaps 175-200 pages. Got any ideas ?

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 21 August 2002).]

[Richard T Eger]

Alan Scheckenbach
Moderator
posted 20 August 2002 21:31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi,
I'm not aware of this information being available generally.

I'd be interested in this info on a CD.

I'm especially interested in information relating to V2 and Meillerwagen coming into the USA.

Feel free to contact me off board if you like.

Alan

[Jim West]

Here are some representative samples:

15 Apr 46 - report of a conference - Dr. Clarke Millikan on his trip to Germany
12 Sep 45 - copy of foreign equip status board
29 Aug 45 - chart of foreign aircraft available for technical evaluation and test
no date - Stock List - Class 31(01) German aircraft - 3 pages (included Rocket, supersonic, A-4 (V-2) 4 sections) Two additional pages with what looks like page 3 missing.
21 Jul 45 - Transmittal ltr - about 50 sheets. "Equip being returned to Freeman", Foeign photographic equipment, lists of items for test, etc.
12 July 45 - more of the same - about 25 sheets. XCG-16 glider will be shipped to Freeman", letters about the HMS Reaper docking with planes.
07 Jun 45 - 20 sheets - transfer of Freeman to Air Tech COmmand, list of tech. data lab personnel to be transferred to Freeman, organization chart.
24 May 45 - 20 sheets - request for add. manpower at Freeman,21 types of German aircraft at Freeman. 78 others to be tested.
09 Jul 45 - 35 sheets - more organization charts
30 Aug 45 - 35 sheets - setting up labs for evaluation, several pages of foreign equipment - props, gauges, switches, etc.
07 Dec 45 - 50 sheets - arrival of German techs in this country, more equipment lists, specific tests of equipment (saw parachutes, sheels, etc.) Jim West

[Jim West]

Apparently these records have already been"seen", and are part of the Sarah Clark collection. Sorry - Thought I had something for you all.

Jim West

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 23 August 2002).]

[Richard T Eger]

Dear Jim,

No need to apologize. Not everyone has the time or access to go root through the Sarah Clark collection at NARA II. On top of that, the "indexing" of the collection is pretty nightmarish. You need to spend maybe half a day going through the index from one end to the other to be sure you've got the key files. Then it's another day or two to look through the relevant boxes and identify and copy the material.

So, if you have all this material to hand, a CD might be of interest to others.

Regards,
Richard