Arthur W. Radford Scrapbook, 1910-1975 (bulk 1912-1913): Finding Aid

Biographical Chronology of Arthur William Radford

1896

• Born on February 27 in Chicago, Illinois to John A. and Agnes E. Radford.

1912

• In July, appointed Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy.

1916

• On June 3, commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy.
• In June, attached to U.S.S. South Carolina (Battleship: BB-26).

1917

• On July 1, temporarily promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade).

1918

• On January 1, temporarily promoted to Lieutenant.
• In December, attached to Division One of Battleship Force One, Atlantic Fleet at Aide on Staff.

1919

• On June 3, promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade).
• In June, attached to Division One, Pacific Fleet as Aide on Staff and Flag Lieutenant.

1920

• In April, assigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight instruction.
• On July 1, promoted to Lieutenant.
• In November, designated Naval Aviator No. 2896 and assigned to duty at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

1921

• In October, assigned to the Bureau of Aeronautics.

1923

• In November, attached to Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet.

1925

• In April, assigned to Observation (VO) Squadron One, Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet.

1927

• On February 17, promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
• In June, attached to Naval Air Station San Diego.

1929

• In April, attached to Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet with additional duty as Commander, Alaskan Aerial Survey detachment.
• In November, attached to U.S.S. Saratoga (Aircraft carrier: CV-3).

1930

• In July, assigned to Fighter (VF) Squadron One-B, Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet as Commanding Officer.

1931

• In May, appointed Aide and Flag Secretary for Aircraft, Battle Force, U.S. Fleet.

1932

• In June, attached to the Bureau of Aeronautics.

1935

• In August, attached to U.S.S. Wright (Aircraft tender: AV-1) as Navigation Officer.

1936

• In June, attached to the staff of Aircraft, Battle Force.
• On July 1, promoted to Commander.

1937

• In June, assumes command of Naval Air Station Seattle.

1940

• In May, attached to U.S.S. Yorktown (Aircraft carrier: CV-5) as Executive Officer.

1941

• In May, assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
• In August, assigned to the Tenth Naval District for duty establishing and commanding Naval Air Station Trinidad.
• In December, attached to the Bureau of Aeronautics.

1942

• In January, promoted to Captain.

1943

• In April, attached to Carrier Division Two.
• On July 21, temporarily promoted to Rear Admiral.
• In July, assumes command of Carrier Division Eleven.
• In December, assigned to Aircraft, Pacific Fleet and Chief of Staff and Aide.

1944

• In January, assigned to the Office of Chief of Naval Operations as Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air, with additional duty as alternate member of the Special Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee on Reorganization of National Defense.
• In November, assumes command of Carrier Division Six, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

1945

• In September, assumes command of Fleet Air, Seattle, Washington.

1946

• In January, assigned to the Office of Chief of Naval Operations as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air.
• On May 25, temporarily promoted to Vice Admiral.

1947

• In March, assumes command of Second Task Fleet.
• On August 7, promoted to Rear Admiral.

1948

• In January, appointed Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

1949

• On April 7, promoted to Admiral.
• In April, appointed Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet and High Commissioner, Trust Territory of Pacific Islands.

1953

• In June, appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1955

• In August, reappointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1957

• On August 1, retires from the United States Navy with the rank of Admiral.

1973

• Dies on August 17 at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Description of Contents

The Arthur W. Radford Scrapbook, comprising 1.67 linear feet of documentation, spans from 1912 to 1913, with additional enclosures spanning from 1910 until 1975. The scrapbook is the product of Radford's time as a candidate and Plebe at the United States Naval Academy, as well as the 1913 summer practice cruise.

The scrapbook consists primarily of photographs, as well as event programs, clippings, and other items of ephemera. Additional enclosed items include correspondence and a notebook.

The scrapbook opens with a selection of autographs of members of the Class of 1916, followed by the results of the 1912-1913 Navy football season. The scrapbook proper opens with pages entitled Plebe Summer and Candidate Days, which include photographs of the Severn River Boat Club Regatta; Academy buildings and grounds; Washington, DC; rifle practice and infantry drills; the Reina Mercedes; football games against NYU and Bucknell. Following are several pages dedicated largely to the 1912 Army-Navy Game, with the addition of a program for the 1913 One Hundredth Night Show by the Masqueraders and a Thanksgiving Day menu. A second section of photographs of the Academy's buildings and grounds in 1913 is followed by photographs from Radford's Youngster training cruise, including images of duty aboard U.S.S. Illinois and port calls in Antwerp, Paris and Tangiers. A section of photographs from Radford's 1913 September Leave follows, after which are several blank pages.

The scrapbook continues with several Academy schedules from 1912 and a page from Radford's Physical Chart. The next four pages consist of picture postcards depicting locales such as Mount Shasta, Pike's Peak, Bay View Michigan, Grand Forks, and Grinnell College. After a lapse of several additional blank pages, the scrapbook closes with several newspaper clippings on topics such as hazing, rumors of the Army-Navy Game's relocation, and public speaking requirements at the Academy. Other documents include Radford's authorization to report for examination at the Academy, a mock conduct record, and several pressed flowers.

Filed separately from the scrapbook are several loose photographs and documents. The photographs include several unidentified snapshots, an undated portrait of the Naval Academy track team, and two portraits of Radford. The documents include several 1915 requests from Radford to the Commandant of Midshipmen and Radford's high school physiology notebook, as well as pieces of ephemera, such as a Thanksgiving menu, the 1913 Army-Navy Game program, a 1913 New York Times pictorial piece on life as a midshipman, 1939 instructions for a pipe, a 1966 Naval War College Certificate, and the 1975 christening program for U.S.S. Arthur W. Radford (Destroyer: DD-968).

Arrangement

The Arthur W. Radford Scrapbook is organized into three folders.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

The Arthur W. Radford Scrapbook is the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Gift of Walter L. Reitz in July 2006. Accession No. 07-36.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Additional material in this repository pertaining to Arthur W. Radford includes his Midshipman Personnel Jacket (sealed until August 1, 2019) and Alumni Jacket.

The Papers of Arthur W. Radford, 1932-1959 are available at Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Arthur W. Radford Scrapbook, MS 502

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

The following sources were consulted during preparation of the biographical note:

Radford, Arthur W. Alumni Jacket, RG 405, Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in May 2019. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in May 2019.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Midshipmen -- United States -- Conduct of life
• Radford, Arthur William, 1896-
• United States Naval Academy -- Buildings and grounds
• United States Naval Academy -- Football
• United States Naval Academy -- Midshipmen -- Cruises
• United States Naval Academy -- Social life and customs
• United States Naval Academy -- Students

Genre Terms

• Clippings (information artifacts)
• Correspondence
• Manuscripts
• Photographs
• Printed ephemera
• Scrapbooks