National Air and Space Museum Archives

Edwin C. Parsons Scrapbooks

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0308
Creators:
Parsons, Edwin C, 1892-1968
Dates:
1914-1924
bulk 1915-1820
Languages:
This collection contains materials in
English
and in
French
.
Physical Description:
0.66 Cubic feet
1 flatbox
Repository:
This collection contains three scrapbooks and four certificates relating to Edwin C. Parsons' aviation career.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection contains three scrapbooks and four certificates relating to Edwin C. Parsons' aviation career. The three scrapbooks include photos, news clippings, and mementos from Edwin C. Parsons' expatriate years, 1914-1924. Included in the albums are photos of Parsons' service in France with the Lafayette Escadrille and Les Cigognes squadron, his repatriation certificate, French military citations, and his memoir
Fighting Men of the Sky
, published in 40 installments weekly beginning 24 March 1918. Also included are news clippings of Parsons' exploits during his varied career.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged by type of material; the scrapbooks are in original order and the loose items are housed at the end of the collection.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Rear Admiral Edwin C. Parsons (1892-1968) had a varied aviation career, serving in two World Wars. Parsons graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1910 and after attending the University of Pennsylvania, he moved to California where he learned to fly at Dominguez Field. Parsons was commissioned with the Mexican Aviation Corps in 1914 where he trained Pancho Villa's pilots. In 1915, he worked his way to Europe where he joined the Lafayette Escadrille, and was credited with eight kills, making him an ace. From 1920 until 1923, Parsons was a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He then went to Hollywood where he became a script writer and technical advisor, working on such films as
Wings
,
Dawn Patrol
, and
The Great Adventure
. In 1934 he joined the Naval Reserve where he advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral. During World War II Parsons served on an aircraft carrier and took part in amphibious landings in the South Pacific. He retired from the service in 1954.

Administration

Author
Jessamyn Lloyd
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Adm. Edwin C. Parsons, Gift, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0308
Processing Information
Arranged, described, and encoded by Jessamyn Lloyd, 2019.

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
Edwin C. Parsons Scrapbooks, NASM.XXXX.0308, 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
World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Memoirs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Periodicals Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Certificates Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
France. Armée. Escadrille Lafayette Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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