Guide to the F. Michael O'Brien Papers, 1969-1991

The F. Michael O'Brien Papers, comprising 7.5 linear inches of documentation, consists of five manuscripts spanning the period from 1969 to 1991. The manuscripts, including several historical works, a novel, and two poems, pertain to jet military aircraft (specifically the F-4 Phantom II, F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, and Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat), the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the United States Marine Corps, and Carrier Air Groups.

The O'Brien Papers are arranged chronologically by date of authorship or copyright. The first two manuscripts in the collection, Phantom II and The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels in Phantoms pertain to the development of the F-4 Phantom and the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team's conversion to the Phantom, respectively. Tomcats, Foxbats, and Eagles pertains to the development of the F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, and the MiG-25 Foxbat. All three manuscripts include photographs and limited amounts of source materials, as well as occasional press clippings pertaining to O'Brien's work. A poem, entitle "Peacekeepers," is an ode to the United States Marine Corps. A novel, entitled Super CAG, is a fictional account of the events surrounding a Cold War engagement of a Carrier Air Group, including the sinking of the U.S.S. Nimitz (Aircraft carrier : CVN-68). The final manuscript is a poem, in the form of an epic paean, commemorating Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.