Description:

ARCHIVE OF "HUMP" PILOT HADLEY C. PERKINS
An interesting and uncommon archive of material from the military career of Hadley C. Perkins, Air Corps service pilot assigned to the 1330th AAF Base Unit, Air Transport, stationed in Jorhat, India and flying the "Hump" to China. Perkins served from Aug. 1944 to March 1946 flying C-46 and C-47 twin engine transports, and C-54, B-24, C-87 and C-109 four-engine transports, winning an Air Medal with One Oak Leaf in the process. The "Hump" was originally referred to as the "Indian-China Ferry", and comprised the eastern portion of the Himalayas. This notoriously rugged and impenetrable mountain range blocked access to China from India and presented a huge logistical problem for the Allies, who needed to re-supply the Chinese war effort. The USAAF created a series of programs to fly supplies over the mountains beginning in 1942. Flying the Hump was a difficult and dangerous flight as navigation aids were scanty and radio communication spotty. Nonetheless, the airlift was successful and provided a crucial 685,304 gross tons of cargo to China for the effort during the war, with nearly 60% of that total delivered in 1945, during which Perkins flew. This is a most comprehensive archive of material related to that period of Perkins' military career and includes: several folders of Perkins' detailed training records including instructor's comments such as "needs more air time" and so forth; a carbon copy of a document verifying his award of the Air Medal, approx. 15 Loading Lists from 1945, naming lade such as wool blankets, flashlights, insecticide, microphones and dozens of other much-needed supplies; Perkins' copy of The Amended G.I. Bill of Rights, a pay stub, his individual flight record and certificates, and more. Along with 13 bound (and some quite large) pilots' manuals, each with detailed technical content, and five A.L.S. of Perkins to his wife Elizabeth, who he affectionately calls "Skip". While the letters do not reveal much of Perkins' missions, they reveal the intelligence and good humor of a pilot tasked with a stressful role in the war, in very small part: "...[Assam Valley, Apr. 22, 1945] The other night...the 1330th were due to change their base & sure enough the next day the Col. told us the same thing. Rumor has it that will be Mandalay or Rangoon but our girl Rose said the next night that we could throw away our summer uniforms so that means Russia or Siberia...Frank went out on a trip about three days ago & hasn't gotten back yet. I sure hope that he's O.K. There's no report on the ship yet so he may be over China with engine trouble...Don't mention it to anyone...No I never got my Reader's Digest, give 'em hell...[June 1, 1945]Here I am in Bihar Province going to school again & is it ever hot. We have practically given up eating...we take a shower with our clothes on & give them a good scrubbing...If the flight surgeon ever saw us we probably would all get a section 8...The course is set up for ten days...Just beginning our night flights...I suppose you have your vacation all planned out. How about a jaunt to India for a couple of weeks?...I hate to think that I am giving the best years of my wife to the Army...[Aug. 8, 1945] The war may be over but nobody over here knows it yet. The only difference is that we don't get quite as many night flights & haven't lost any of our crews for a couple of weeks...Of course now while we are doing the same things we always did, now we get no more awards for it. I want to get the D.F.C. [Distinguished Flying Cross] & when Frank checked his records he missed it by two hours...Everything we do now seems so useless & unnecessary that if I get knocked off now I'll really be peeved...", and more. Finally, the lot includes Perkins' white silk ace's scarf, his personal O.D. green duffel bag, original leather pilot's cap and bronze wings, several original snapshots including a 5" x 7" portrait, and a carbon copy of his resume listing his employment through 1947. Very good condition, worthy of further research.

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October 10, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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