The Frank C. Leigh World War II Collection focuses on Leigh’s time with the U.S. Navy during World War II. The collection is arranged with the military-related items coming first, followed by personal items, and then general ephemera.
There are 28 photographs present, including three oversize photographs, and one oversize photograph that is mounted and annotated. The photographs in the collection show Leigh, fellow servicemen, aircraft, and the USS Chenango. Many of the photographs show Leigh with his signalman paddles.
Military items in the collection include Leigh’s identity cards, military records, military publication The Eaglet with his personal annotations, and ephemera. The military ephemera includes menus, certificates, and a guide to aircraft landing signals. There are three oversize fabric maps produced by NACI. Two of the maps are double-sided navigational charts, one showing the Hawaiian, Palmyra, and Christmas Islands, and one showing Ellice and Gilbert Island. The third map is a current map for the Marshall Islands. All three undated and labeled as “restricted.”
There is a personal log book in the collection which Leigh used to track his travels and work assignments, but the log was not used in an official capacity. The newspaper clippings announce his enlistment and his engagement. The personal correspondence contains letters and telegrams sent to family members while Leigh was serving in the Navy. Non-military ephemera consists of napkins and advertisements for bars and restaurants.
There are 28 photographs present, including three oversize photographs, and one oversize photograph that is mounted and annotated. The photographs in the collection show Leigh, fellow servicemen, aircraft, and the USS Chenango. Many of the photographs show Leigh with his signalman paddles.
Military items in the collection include Leigh’s identity cards, military records, military publication The Eaglet with his personal annotations, and ephemera. The military ephemera includes menus, certificates, and a guide to aircraft landing signals. There are three oversize fabric maps produced by NACI. Two of the maps are double-sided navigational charts, one showing the Hawaiian, Palmyra, and Christmas Islands, and one showing Ellice and Gilbert Island. The third map is a current map for the Marshall Islands. All three undated and labeled as “restricted.”
There is a personal log book in the collection which Leigh used to track his travels and work assignments, but the log was not used in an official capacity. The newspaper clippings announce his enlistment and his engagement. The personal correspondence contains letters and telegrams sent to family members while Leigh was serving in the Navy. Non-military ephemera consists of napkins and advertisements for bars and restaurants.
Dates
- 1942-1946
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
0.26 Cubic Feet (1 half-width legal size document box and 1 oversize folder)
Overview
The collection contains items relating to Frank C. Leigh's time serving with the United States Navy as a signalman, specifically on the USS Chenango during World War II.
Biographical Note: Frank C. Leigh
Frank C. Leigh served with the U.S. Navy as a signalman on the USS Chenango.
Leigh was born on December 9, 1920 in Seattle, Washington. He attended the University of Washington for two years, but then entered the Navy in 1942. Leigh served during the duration of World War II and achieved the rank of Lieutenant before receiving an Honorable Discharge in 1955. He had completed his Aviation Cadet Training in Corpus Christi, Texas and qualified as a Naval Aviator but instead served as a signalman aboard an aircraft carrier.
After the war he joined the Universal Index Tab Co. and eventually became Vice President and then Chairman of the Board. He married Barbara Sarver in 1963 and had two sons and two daughters. He died on December 16, 1986.
Biographical note derived from collection and online sources.
After the war he joined the Universal Index Tab Co. and eventually became Vice President and then Chairman of the Board. He married Barbara Sarver in 1963 and had two sons and two daughters. He died on December 16, 1986.
Biographical note derived from collection and online sources.
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.
Separated Materials
The following items have been separated from the archival component of this collection and transferred to the Library:
The following items have been separated from the archival component of this collection and transferred to to objects storage:
- Overseas edition for the Armed Forces of The New Yorker, October 13, 1945
- The History of U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School, St. Mary’s California. St. Mary’s College, California. Circa 1940s.
- 2 issues of Naval Aviation News, January 1, 1945 and January 15, 1945.
- Slipstream yearbook
The following items have been separated from the archival component of this collection and transferred to to objects storage:
- signal flag
- military pins and ribbons
- flight scarf
- document case
- Air pilots, Military
- Aircraft carriers
- Airplanes, Military
- Chenango (Ship)
- Douglas SBD Dauntless Family
- Leigh, Frank C., 1920-1986
- Marshall Islands
- Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (Tex.)
- North American AT-6 Texan Family
- Signals and signaling
- United States. Naval Reserve
- United States. Navy
- United States. Navy. Naval Air Corps
- Vultee SNV-1 Valiant
- World War, 1939-1945
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Pacific Area
- aeronautical charts
- certificates
- clippings (information artifacts)
- correspondence
- identity cards
- logs (records)
- maps (documents)
- military records
- napkins (culinary textile)
- navigation charts
- newsletters
- photographic prints
- printed ephemera
- Title
- Guide to the Frank C. Leigh World War II Collection
- Status
- Completed - Level 3
- Author
- H. Kolesar
- Date
- 2019
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Edition statement
- 1st edition
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