The Wilbur D. Kennedy Collection contains materials dating from 1911-1944 primarily related to the World War I career of Wilbur D. Kennedy, a reconnaissance pilot for the 12th Aero Squadron (American Expeditionary Force). The collection includes a diary of Kennedy's preceding his time in the military; extensive personal correspondence, primarily letters to Carmelite Kennedy; identification cards; military service papers, orders and memos; financial materials; assorted ephemera, such as pamphlets and souvenirs received while in service, as well as postcards and clippings; Veteran's Administration papers; sixty-seven (67) loose photographs including aerial views, people and scenes in Germany; and oversized materials including a certificate, several issues of The Stars and Stripes newspaper, and photograph album. The large photograph album with six hundred five (605) images traces his time from training in Minnesota and Ohio to service abroad along the French-German border and includes significant views of aircraft, artillery, and wartime scenes.

Please note the photograph album contains some graphic images of wartime casualties.