Edward E. O'Connor Jr. papers, 1940-1945 (bulk 1943-1945)
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Photographs:,Organization: album and scrapbook organization retained.,Arrangement: Numeric by photograph number assigned during processing by library staff.

Materials housed in the Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

Snapshots were removed from three photograph albums and one scrapbook. The original albums have been retained and are shelved separately. Some photographs remained in place in the first album and are noted within the collection. Additional details relating to the organization and processing of these snapshots can be found in the finding aid housed with O'Connor's snapshots.

Newsletters from City Road Chapel Methodist Church are also in the Veterans History Project collection, under the church name. Loraine O'Connor helped work on these newsletters, and news of Edward E. O'Connor's miltary service is frequently mentioned. These newsletters were given to the library in a separate donation by Patsy Wessels.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: A wide variety of materials including numerous greeting cards, letters and photographs document the service of Edward E. O'Connor Jr. in the Army Air Force during World War II. Many cards and letters written to and from him during his service are significant for the information they contain about homefront life and life on stateside air bases. These materials are especially notable for the story they tell during the anxious month when O'Connor was reported missing near the Austria/Yugoslavia border in April 1944, and when news of his return to American lines was received in May. Snapshots taken of and by O'Connor show his family and relatives in Nashville, Tenn.; scenes at various military bases in Florida and the western U.S.; airstrips in North Africa and Italy, as well as local civilians and allied military personnel; scenes of aircraft, especially B-24s including some photographs of nose art, especially O'Connor's own plane, "Hubba Hubba;" and a variety of other scenes on and off base. A colored pencil drawing of the nose art for "Hubba Hubba" is in the back of his "Edward E. O'Connor Jr. - Snapshots" album, from which most photographs have been removed.

Cite as: [folder or item citation], Edward E. O'Connor Jr. papers, World War II Series, Veterans History Project Collection, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library.

This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code). Nashville Public Library does not have copyright to the Edward E. O'Connor Jr. snapshots.

Martin O'Connor and Patsy Wessels;,Gift;,2002.,Acc. 2002.059.

Edward E. O'Connor Jr. was born on Jan. 14, 1915 in Nashville to Edward Earl O'Connor and his wife, Kate. He attended Jere Baxter and Isaac Litton schools in Nashville, and married Loraine Erwin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin P. Erwin of Santa Fe, Tenn. on June 9, 1940 at City Road Chapel Methodist Church in Madison, Tenn. He went into the Army Air Corps early in 1943, trained in Florida, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and South Carolina, before being sent overseas early in 1944. He served as a ball turret gunner aboard the B-24 "Hubba Hubba" with the 415th Bombardment Squadron of the 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), stationed in North Africa and Italy. According to a government telegram to his wife, he was shot down over Austria on Palm Sunday, April 2, 1944; however, Ed always told his family he was shot down over Yugoslavia. He returned to American lines with the help of Tito's partisans. He had been missing in action for 30 days. He soon returned to the U.S. where he continued his military service as a gunnery school instructor. He was discharged in Oct. 1945. He and Loraine remained in Nashville and raised a son, Martin, and a daughter, Patsy. He died on Oct. 3, 1992 in Nashville.

In English.

Finding aids: Guide to snapshots located in front of first envelope of O'Connor snapshots.

Materials in possession of Patsy Wessels and Martin O'Connor, children of Edward E. O'Connor Jr. until donated to the library in 2002.

Forms part of the World War II series of the Veterans History Project collection.

Book jacket image digital identifier: VHP-WWII-O'Connor-f7, telegram