National Air and Space Museum Archives

William Rigby Jacobs (Arctic Search and Rescue Unit) Scrapbook

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.2003.0050
Creators:
Jacobs, William Rigby, 1906-1957
Dates:
1942-1945, 1998-1999, 2004
bulk 1942-1945
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.27 Cubic feet
1 small flatbox, 1 VHS tape
Repository:
This collection consists of one scrapbook and some additional materials relating to Dr. William R. Jacobs and his service in the Alaskan Air Transport Command (Arctic Search and Rescue Unit) during World War II.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of one scrapbook containing photographs, newspaper articles and correspondence relating to Dr. William R. Jacobs and his service in the Alaskan Air Transport Command (Arctic Search and Rescue Unit) during World War II. The collection also includes copies of letters from Jacobs to his family, 1943-1945; twelve black and white photographs; three issues of the
North Star
, newsletter for the Alaskan Division, Air Transport Command; miscellaneous magazine articles and correspondence; a report of a medical emergency at Fish Lake, YT, April 1945; and a VHS copy of "Paradocs," which was produced by Dr. Paul Little for the Air Force Television News.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged by type of material.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
William Rigby Jacobs (1906-1957) was born in Ogden, Utah, and attended Weber College and Brigham Young University for his bachelor's degree and the University of Utah and Rush Medical College for his medical degree. In 1941, Jacobs moved with his family to Lewiston, Idaho, and established a general medical practice. He was commissioned with the Air Force in August of 1942, serving as a flight surgeon with the Alaskan Division of the Air Transport Command, in charge of an Arctic Search and Rescue Unit for northern Canada and Alaska. Jacobs served as a medic who parachuted into Arctic rescue situations with sled dogs, and he was awarded the Silver Star for his effort to render aid to a fighter pilot who had parachuted from his disabled aircraft. Jacobs was promoted to captain before being honorably discharged in 1945. Dr. Jacobs died of a heart attack while caring for his Appaloosa horses, which he bred as a hobby.

Administration

Author
Patricia Williams
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Pauline Jacobs, Mary Heuskinkveld, Gift, 2003, additional material sent by Henry Heuskinkveld in 2003 and 2004, NASM.2003.0050.
Processing Information
Arranged and described by Patricia Williams in 2003, updated and encoded by Jessamyn Lloyd in 2020.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
William Rigby Jacobs (Arctic Search and Rescue Unit) Scrapbook, NASM.2003.0050, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aviation medicine Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arctic medicine Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rescue work Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rescue dogs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rescues -- Medals Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arctic Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jacobs, William Rigby, 1906-1957 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Air Force -- Search and rescue operations. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Air Force -- Search and rescue operations -- Alaska. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army Air Forces. Air Transport Command Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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