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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Commercial Video Recordings, 1945-1993

 Series

Contents of Collection

From the Collection:

The Robert "Bob" Bergin American Volunteer Group Research Collection documents Robert Bergin’s writings on the American Volunteer Group (AVG) Flying Tigers and military aviation history in China and Southeast Asia. This collection, which dates from 1932 to 2021, consists of visual materials, textual documents, audiovisual recordings, and digital files. These materials illustrate Bergin’s personal interest in the history of the AVG provide insight on the individuals who served in the group. The collection is arranged in three series: Series I. Individual Profiles, 1941-2021; Series II. Topical Articles, 1932-2011; Series III. Commercial Video Recordings, 1945-1993.

Series I. Individual Profiles consists of documents collected and produced by Bergin while he was researching and writing articles on the remaining living individuals of the AVG. Within the files are transcripts from interviews Bergin conducted, manuscript drafts of his articles with handwritten edits, biographical information on AVG members, flyers, correspondence, photocopies of published articles, and photographs of the AVG members while serving in their units, as well as contemporary to the time of interviews. In addition, some profiles also have original sound recordings of Bergin's interviews on microcassettes. In total, Bergin profiled 25 of the AVG pilots. Some points of interest include files on interviews with AVG pilots Claire Lee Chennault, Emma Jane Foster, Tex Hill, Jim Howard, Charlie Mott, and Ed Rector. The file on Tex Hill includes unpublished personal account by Hill related to a night combat incident on July 30, 1942.

Series II. Topical Articles focuses on articles that Bergin wrote on broader topics of the AVG and aviation history in China and Thailand. The files contain brochures, manuscript drafts with edits, photocopies of published articles, correspondence, clippings, maps, bibliographies, transcripts from interviews, photographs, negatives, microcassettes, floppy disks, and compact discs. While there are some articles related to the Flying Tigers in China and the China National Aviation Corporation, there is a heavier emphasis on the Flying Tigers in North Thailand. Bergin wrote about the Tango Squadron, the AVG battles at the River Kwai and Chiang Mai, and most notably on his identification of a P-40 aircraft wreckage from March 1942, found in a remote area of North Thailand.

Series III. Commercial Video Recordings consists of videocassettes containing footage from televised features on the AVG and topics related to Bergin’s published articles, mostly produced in the 1990s. There is one video disc titled "End of War, China 1945, Victory Parade Luichow and Shanghai, Barney Rosset Film," that consists of transferred moving image files.

Dates

  • Creation: 1945-1993

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

There is a painting featuring black ink calligraphy and stamps in Chinese. All other materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. The digital materials and audiovisual are not accessible at this time, pending digital preservation measures. For more information contact us.

Full Extent

From the Collection: 2.15 Cubic Feet (3 5-inch legal size document boxes, 1 card box (12"x 7"x 5"), 1 card box (12"x 6"x 4"), 1 oversize folder (16"x20"), and 1 oversize folder (47"x35"))

Full Extent

From the Collection: .346 Gigabytes (29 floppy disks, 1 USB drive, 3 compact discs, and 2 video discs)

Repository Details

Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository

Contact:
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-5874


The Museum of Flight | 9404 E. Marginal Way South | Seattle WA 98108-4097 | 206-764-5874
Contact us with a research request
curator@museumofflight.org