Photograph Album, 1930-1932

Item — Box: Scrapbook box 37

The LeRoy Milliren National Air Races Photograph Album primarily relates to the 1932 Cleveland Air Races and is comprised of a photograph album containing one hundred ninety-eight (198) black-and-white photographs, likely collected by Milliren, of assorted aircraft from the 1920s and 1930s.

The black cloth album is titled "Snapshots." On the inside front cover is a red and blue decal featuring the Cleveland Air Races logo with the text "Aug. 27 to Sept. 5 1932 National Air Races Cleveland [Ohio]." Only one (1) image is loose. The remaining one hundred ninety-seven (197) are affixed to the pages, usually four (4) photographs to a page. The photographs are 2.75 x 4.5" and include very brief captions which identify the aircraft model and/or manufacturer, including aircraft by Curtiss, Boeing, Douglas, Grumman, Fokker, Morane-Saulnier, and many more.

Some captions also include a location, most of which are labeled as "Cleveland," although some list "Akron" and "Dayton" (Ohio). Additionally, captions often note which military branch the aircraft is associated with, most being the United States Army, but there are also references to the U.S. Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Very few images include visible people and only three (3) images even list names; "B. Orlinski," "Capt. Shearer," and "Brig. Gen. Pratt."

Two (2) images are captioned as "International Balloon Races 1930 – Cleveland," though they feature Boeing P-12Bs in flight. The last page of the album features three (3) snapshots of obscured U.S. Army aircraft displaying the insignia of three different units: the 1st Pursuit Group, the 94th Pursuit Squadron, and the 17th Pursuit Squadron.

Finally, on the inside back cover of the album is an undated, handwritten note that has been taped to the cover. "LeRoy Milliren" is inscribed on the cover above the note. The note, written by the donor, Milt Meyer, explains how he was given the album by LeRoy Milliren's widow, Frances.