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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Herman J. Sommerhauser World War I Photograph Album

 Collection
Identifier: 1989-12-12
The collection consists of one loose-leaf album containing seventy-two (72) photographs from the World War I service of Herman J. Sommerhauser. Photos are primarily snapshots, with a few studio portraits, most with handwritten captions. Images are primarily of servicemen and aircraft at Orly Field, France, with a few snapshots from Paris and a ship journey on the U.S.S. Caserta (possibly the return home post-war). Several groups of men are identified as the 650th Aero Squadron, although it is unclear if Sommerhauser himself belonged to the squadron.

Dates

  • 1918-1919

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

0.03 Cubic Feet (1 legal size folder)

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection contains a photograph album from the World War I career of Herman J. Sommerhauser (1895-1949), who may have served with the U.S. Army Air Service, 650th Aero Squadron in France.

Biographical Note

Herman J. Sommerhauser was born in Tipton, Missouri in 1895 to Joseph and Elizabeth Sommerhauser. Based on the materials in this collection, he may have served with the U.S. Army Air Service, 650th Aero Squadron during World War I. Sommerhauser lived most of his life in Anaconda, Montana, with a few years spent in Seattle and Bellingham, Washington toward the end of his life. He returned to Anaconda shortly before his death in 1949.



Source:

Biographical data derived from an obituary in The Daily Capital News (Jefferson City, Missouri), August 10, 1949.
Historical Note The 650th Aero Squadron formed from the 131st (I) Aero Squadron at Camp Morrison, Virginia in February 1918. They left for Europe from the Port of Embarkation in Newport News, Virginia in March 1918. The 650th became one of the many Services of Supply (S.O.S.) squadrons at the rear, and was stationed at the Air Service Acceptance Park #1 at Orly Field near Paris, France. During the war, Orly Field served as a major supply base for aircraft, from which ferry pilots would deliver planes to training camps and the front. After the war, many aircraft (including captured German planes) were disassembled for parts by S.O.S. squadrons that remained in France. The 650th returned home to Mitchell Field, New York in May 1919 and was demobilized.



Source:

Center of Military History, United States Army. Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War - Zone of the Interior: Directory of Troops, vol. 3, pt. 3. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988.

Acquisition Note

Donated in memory of Herman J. Sommerhauser by Jane Fawthrop.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Existence and Location of Copies

Materials from this collection have been digitized and are available at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections.

Related Archival Materials

The following collection from the Museum of Flight also relates to the activities of Services of Supply squadrons in France during and after World War I:

Joseph A. Bossi Collection. Collection contains an event program and postcard relating to Bossi's service in Europe with the U.S. Air Service during World War I.

Robert Richmond Aero Squadron Photographs. The collection is comprised of two photographs relating to the 371st Aero Squadron.

John Hess Shuman Collection. World War I diary of John Hess Shuman, who served as a member of the ground crew for the U.S. Army Air Service.

Subjects

Related Names

Creator

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Herman J. Sommerhauser World War I Photograph Album
Status
Completed - Level 4
Author
A. Demeter
Date
2017
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
English
Sponsor
Processing, cataloging and digitization of this collection was made possible by a Council on Libraries and Information Resources (CLIR) "Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives" grant.
Edition statement
1st Edition

Revision Statements

  • November 2018: Finding aid migrated to ArchivesSpace.

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository

http://www.museumofflight.org
Contact:
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874


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