Desiree "Jerry" Clifford Michaud and Thelma Irene McGraw Papers
Collection
Identifier: 2016-11-01
The Desiree "Jerry" Clifford Michaud and Thelma Irene McGraw Papers focuses on the 1942-1952 United States (U.S.) Navy career of Michaud, as well as McGraw's career as a flight attendant with United Airlines from 1942-1952. The collection contains textual materials, black-and-white photographs, and ephemera associated with their respective naval and commercial airlines careers.
Series I, Jerry Michaud Papers, focuses on Michaud and includes black-and-white photographs and textual materials relating to his time as a Naval pilot from 1942-1952, primarily his 1945-1946 service in Japan during and post-World War II, and some materials relating to his personal life. Photographs make up the bulk of the series. Of the 179 military-related photographs, the majority were taken in Japan, although there are also photographs of Michaud's other posts, including Guam, China, and United States Naval training bases and on aircraft carriers. There are several snapshots of the B-29 "Destiny's Tot" (X-triangle-34) and other B-29s from the 313th Bomb Wing, 9th Bomb Group. Few of the images include captions providing contextual information; the archivist therefore grouped the materials by subject as best as possible based on the imagery, but some items may have been mis-identified. The photographs vary in size from 1x1" to 8x10". Some duplication occurs.
There are also five oversized scrapbook pages with 106 black-and-white photographs relating to Michaud's military service. The pages contain captions providing contextual information such as locations, dates, and names of individuals, although many are only identified by first name. Other minor contextual information is also included, such as "Chinese Sword Dance." The pages feature locations in Japan, China, and San Francisco, California.
Textual materials related to Michaud's military career include Christmas cards, certificates, and menus from his time in Japan. His World War II service record is a commemorative album with additional photographs and ephemera pasted and laid in. Personal materials consist of 37 snapshots depicting vacations, family, and Louisiana State University football games.
Series II, Thelma McGraw Papers, focuses on McGraw and includes 69 black-and-white photographs and textual materials of her time as a United Airlines stewardess, personal papers, and a small number of clippings. Career-related photographs include formal shots of stewardesses posing with UAL branding, stewardess training exercises, and images from Hawaii. Textual documents include letters praising McGraw's work as a stewardess, photocopied clippings about her work, and clippings relevant to commercial aviation at the time. The sources of most clippings are unidentified, but one, "Gala Aloha for Inaugural UAL Flight Here from Los Angeles," is from the October 10, 1950 issue of the Honolulu Advertiser. There is also additional promotional material for the first UAL flights to Hawaii. Personal materials in the collection include snapshots of family and a life insurance policy.
Series I, Jerry Michaud Papers, focuses on Michaud and includes black-and-white photographs and textual materials relating to his time as a Naval pilot from 1942-1952, primarily his 1945-1946 service in Japan during and post-World War II, and some materials relating to his personal life. Photographs make up the bulk of the series. Of the 179 military-related photographs, the majority were taken in Japan, although there are also photographs of Michaud's other posts, including Guam, China, and United States Naval training bases and on aircraft carriers. There are several snapshots of the B-29 "Destiny's Tot" (X-triangle-34) and other B-29s from the 313th Bomb Wing, 9th Bomb Group. Few of the images include captions providing contextual information; the archivist therefore grouped the materials by subject as best as possible based on the imagery, but some items may have been mis-identified. The photographs vary in size from 1x1" to 8x10". Some duplication occurs.
There are also five oversized scrapbook pages with 106 black-and-white photographs relating to Michaud's military service. The pages contain captions providing contextual information such as locations, dates, and names of individuals, although many are only identified by first name. Other minor contextual information is also included, such as "Chinese Sword Dance." The pages feature locations in Japan, China, and San Francisco, California.
Textual materials related to Michaud's military career include Christmas cards, certificates, and menus from his time in Japan. His World War II service record is a commemorative album with additional photographs and ephemera pasted and laid in. Personal materials consist of 37 snapshots depicting vacations, family, and Louisiana State University football games.
Series II, Thelma McGraw Papers, focuses on McGraw and includes 69 black-and-white photographs and textual materials of her time as a United Airlines stewardess, personal papers, and a small number of clippings. Career-related photographs include formal shots of stewardesses posing with UAL branding, stewardess training exercises, and images from Hawaii. Textual documents include letters praising McGraw's work as a stewardess, photocopied clippings about her work, and clippings relevant to commercial aviation at the time. The sources of most clippings are unidentified, but one, "Gala Aloha for Inaugural UAL Flight Here from Los Angeles," is from the October 10, 1950 issue of the Honolulu Advertiser. There is also additional promotional material for the first UAL flights to Hawaii. Personal materials in the collection include snapshots of family and a life insurance policy.
Dates
- 1938-1980 (bulk dates 1940s)
- Majority of material found within 1940 - 1949
Creator
Language of Materials
All materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.
Conditions Governing Use
The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.
Extent
1.05 Cubic Feet (1 full-width legal size document box, 1 half-width legal size document box, and 2 oversize folders)
Abstract
Jerry Michaud (1924-1982) Michaud served in the United States Navy during World War II as a Naval pilot in the Pacific Theater. Thelma McGraw (1920-1996) She worked as a stewardess with United Airlines (UAL). The collection contains textual materials, black-and-white photographs, and ephemera associated with their 1942-1952 naval and commercial airline careers, respectively.
Biographical Note: Desiree Clifford Michaud
Desiree (also seen spelled as Deserie) Clifford "Jerry" Michaud was a naval aviator who served in World War II.
Born October 8, 1924 in Van Buren, Maine, Michaud later attended Louisiana State University for two years before leaving in 1942 to enlist in the United States Navy during World War II. Michaud was a naval pilot who flew a variety of planes, including the Lockheed P2V (P-2) Neptune. Michaud was stationed in the Pacific Theater and was in Japan for V-J Day and the following occupation. His military service also included time in Olathe, Kansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Shanghai, China and Guam. Michaud also served in the Korean War.
Jerry Michaud and Thelma McGraw were married in 1952. Michaud died in Fullerton, California on August 25, 1982.
Source:
Biography derived from collection and donor materials.
Born October 8, 1924 in Van Buren, Maine, Michaud later attended Louisiana State University for two years before leaving in 1942 to enlist in the United States Navy during World War II. Michaud was a naval pilot who flew a variety of planes, including the Lockheed P2V (P-2) Neptune. Michaud was stationed in the Pacific Theater and was in Japan for V-J Day and the following occupation. His military service also included time in Olathe, Kansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Shanghai, China and Guam. Michaud also served in the Korean War.
Jerry Michaud and Thelma McGraw were married in 1952. Michaud died in Fullerton, California on August 25, 1982.
Source:
Biography derived from collection and donor materials.
Biographical Note: Thelma Irene McGraw
Thelma Irene "Tim" Michaud (née McGraw) was born on July 18, 1920 in North Platte, Nebraska. From 1942-1952 she worked as a stewardess with United Airlines (UAL), and during that time was based out of Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado; Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; and Salt Lake City, Utah. McGraw flew one million miles with UAL, and was a stewardess on the airline's inaugural route to Hawaii. McGraw eventually became the Assistant Chief Stewardess in the U.S. Western Region. Jerry Michaud and Thelma McGraw were married in 1952. McGraw died in Fullerton, California on June 30, 1996.
Source:
Biography derived from collection and donor materials.
Source:
Biography derived from collection and donor materials.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Mateil Michaud.
Accruals
No further accurals are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Materials from this collection have been digitized and are available at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections.
- Aichi B7A Ryusei (Shooting Star) Grace (Navy Exp. 16-Shi Carrier Attack Bomber)
- Air pilots, Military
- Azores
- Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress Family (Model 345)
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress Family (Model 345)
- Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser Family
- California
- Consolidated PBY Catalina Family
- Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina
- Curtiss C-46 Commando Family
- Douglas R5D Skymaster Family
- England
- Flight attendants
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Hiroshima-shi (Japan)
- Iwo Jima (Volcano Islands, Japan)
- Japan
- Kamakura-shi (Japan)
- Korea
- Korean War, 1950-1953
- Kugisho MXY7 Model 22 Ohka (Cherry Blossom) Baka (Crazy)
- Kugisho P1Y1 Model 11 Ginga (Milky Way), Frances
- Los Angeles (Calif.)
- Martin (Glenn L.) PBM-5 Mariner (Model 162F)
- Michaud, Desiree "Jerry" Clifford, 1924-1982
- Michaud, Thelma Irene (McGraw), 1920-1996
- Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Thunderbolt) Jack Family
- Morocco
- Okinawa Island (Japan)
- San Diego (Calif.)
- San Francisco (Calif.)
- Shanghai (China)
- Tokyo (Japan)
- United Airlines
- United States. Army Air Forces
- United States. Army Air Forces. Air Force, 20th
- United States. Navy
- V-J Day, 1945
- Women in aeronautics
- World War, 1939-1945
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Pacific Area
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Japan -- Hiroshima-shi
- airline maps
- certificates
- clippings (information artifacts)
- correspondence
- magazines (periodicals)
- manuals (instructional materials)
- menus
- military records
- photographic prints
- printed ephemera
- scrapbooks
- yearbooks
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the Desiree "Jerry" Clifford Michuad and Thelma Irene McGraw Papers
- Status
- Completed - Level 3
- Author
- H. Kolesar; N. Davis
- Date
- 2018
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Edition statement
- 2nd edition
Revision Statements
- November 2018: Finding aid migrated to ArchivesSpace.
- July 2020: Re-organized some photographs; re-titled some folders
Repository Details
Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository
Contact:
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org