National Air and Space Museum Archives

Theodore E. Boyd World War I Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.2013.0016
Creators:
Boyd, Theodore E.
Dates:
1916-1983
Languages:
The majority of the materials are in
English
; however, some of the military orders and training materials are in
French
.
Physical Description:
0.84 Cubic feet
1 legal document box; 1 flat box
Repository:
The Theodore E. Boyd World War I collection consists of material documenting Theodore E. Boyd's World War I career. The bulk of the collection covers the World War I era, 1917 to 1919, but materials before and after those dates are also present. Materials include: correspondence, written both during the war to family and friends; photographs; military orders, mostly in English, a few in French; flight logs; identity card; Honorable Discharge and Distinguished Service Cross certificates; memoirs of his war experiences, both written for publication and to his family; and post war veterans rosters.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of material documenting Theodore E. Boyd's World War I career: correspondence, written both during the war to family and friends; photographs; military orders, mostly in English, a few in French; flight logs; identity card; Honorable Discharge and Distinguished Service Cross certificates; memoirs of his war experiences, both written for publication and to his family; and post war veterans rosters.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection has been arranged into three series: Series 1, World War I; Series 2, Memoirs; and Series 3, Post War Rosters.
The collection did not have any particular order when received by the NASM Archives. Archivists have organized the documents by topic then by date.

Biographical Note

Biographical Note
During World War I, Theodore E. Boyd served with the 88th Aero Squadron (Attached), 7th Field Artillery, Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.). Second Lieutenant Boyd was an observer and served in France until he was injured on September 14, 1918, when during a flight near Conflans, France, he was wounded in both legs, his left foot, and right elbow by explosive bullets. For his bravery during this flight, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Due to his injures, his service ended and he was honorably discharged. After the war, Boyd went to medical school and taught physiology for 24 years at Loyola University in Chicago. In 1947, Boyd joined the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis where for twenty years he served as Assistant Director, and then Director, of the Research Department.
Timeline
Theodore E. Boyd Timeline
1893 December 14
Theodore Elliott Boyd born in Ashland City, Tennessee.
1910
Boyd forced to give up a West Point appointment because of varicose veins and a bad scar.
1917 May
Reported to Reserve Officers' Training Camp, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
1917 August 15
Honorably discharged from Ft. Oglehthorpe to accept commission as Second Lieutenant Field Artillery Section Officers Reserve Corps.
1917 August 22
Ordered to report to General Superintendent, Army Transport Services, New York City, for assignment to first available transportation to France. Left Tennessee August 23.
1917 September 9
Left New York. Landed at Liverpool on September 23, Le Havre on September 25.
1917 October 1
Entered Artillery School at Saumur
1918 January 14
Report to Aviation School, Tours
1918 February 19
Transferred to First Corps School, Gondrecourt, for advanced instruction.
1918 April 6
Dispatched for duty with French 40th Observation Squadron in Champagne.
1918 May 20
Ordered from Chalons-sur-Marne to the AEF 88th Squadron in Amanty (Meuse).
1918 June 6
Ordered to Cazeux for course in machine gun instruction.
1918 July 1
Returned to the 88th Squadron at Ourches (Meuse).
1918 August 9
Protected a photographic miessio nbetween the Vesle and Aisne. Cited for gallantry in action and entitled to wear a silver star on the Victory medal.
1918 September 9-12
On leave in Paris.
1918 September 14
"[Lt. Theodore Boyd was charged with the] protection of an aerial photo mission over the city of Conflans, in which six machines were schedule to fly in combat formation. This officer, three of the escorting plans having failed to join the formation, proceeded on his mission notwithstanding. At a point, roughly 3 km NW fo Conflans, he engaged in combat with five enemy pursuit machines of the Pfalz type. He was wounded in both legs, the left foot, and right elbow by explosive bullets. In spite of his wounds, he succeeded, by a remarkable display of courage and tenacity, in keeping up the fire of his guns until the attacking planes were put to flight. During the return to the Allied lines, Lieut. Boyd, although faint with pain and loss of blood, assisted his pilot, whose machine was disabled and coming down under control, in choosing the shortest route to safety."-Captain Kenneth P. Littauer, recommendation for Distinguished Service Cross
1918 November 11
Ordered to proceed from Savenay to the port of Brest for transport to the United States (left Brest November 18).
1918 November 29
Landed at Newport News, Virginia.
1918 December 6
Arrived at Fort McPherson, Georgia, for convalescense.
1919 May 6
Lieutenant Theodore E. Boyd honorably discharged from the United States Army.

Administration

Author
Elizabeth C. Borja
Acquisition Information
Donated by Pat Piper, gift, 2012.
Processing Note
Arranged and described by Elizabeth Borja, 2014. Encoded by Elizabeth Borja, 2015.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
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.
Preferred Citation
Theodore E. Boyd World War I Collection, Accession 2013-0016, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Air and Space Museum Archives
14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
NASMRefDesk@si.edu