The Solomon Mullin World War II Collection consists of materials from Solomon 's service as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress navigator and instructor in the 385th Bomb Group for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The documents, which date from 1942 to 1999, include textual and visual materials.
A large component of the textual documents is related to Mullin’s training as a navigator and bombardier for the USAAF from 1942 to 1943. The materials are comprised of printed study guides, exams, charts, flight logs, diagrams with Mullin’s annotations, as well as handwritten notes covering gunnery, ballistics, and aircraft machine gun designs. There is also a course packet on close cooperation between the Army Air Forces and Ground Forces with Solomon's handwritten notes, course outline, and maps.
Additionally, there are other textual documents that date from 1944 to 1999, which include a graduation announcement from the Army Air Forces Navigational School, San Marcos, Texas, for the class of 1944, as well as both Mullin’s and his wife’s war ration books. There is a brochure regarding the 385th Bomb Group, certificates, military orders, and official correspondence regarding Mullin’s Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and Distinguished Flying Cross awards. Lastly, there is correspondence between Mullin and the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division associated with his donation of “flak maps” in 1999.
Included with the collection is a scrapbook created by Mullin that charts his experience starting in 1942, with his training at the Army Air Forces Technical School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the Harlingen Army Gunnery School in Harlingen, Texas. The materials then follow Mullin’s service until the end of the war in 1945. The scrapbook contains clippings, printed ephemera, travel approval forms, certificates, his diploma from Harlingen Army Gunnery School, official correspondence regarding his awards, and 122 mostly 4x5” black-and-white photographic prints. The prints depict Mullin and other service men, such as Joe McKee, preparing to leave by train for Sioux Falls. There are pictures of the men posing in uniform with their companions, interior views of the barracks, as well as candid images of other service men. There are also formal military photographs of Mullin. Some of the photographs include captions.
In addition to the photographic prints from the scrapbook, the visual materials also include 363 predominantly 3x4” and 4x5” black-and-white photographs, 4 3x5” Kodachrome prints, and 80 negatives. These images, taken by Mullin, illustrate his service during World War II, as well as personal elements of his life. The photographs feature candid scenes of service men at leisure in the barracks, and many informal individual and group portraits. There are images of B-17 aircraft in formation while in flight, aerial views of targets, and pilots seated within the aircraft. The other piece of the collection is related to Mullin’s civilian home life. There are photographs of Mullin’s family, their farm, friends, scenic views, parties, baseball games, as well as a series of photographs and negatives that appear to be taken through the viewfinder of a microscope. In addition, there are postcards from his travels.
Lastly, part of the collection consists of Mullin’s military flight plans, charts, and ordnance maps from when he was serving in Europe, from 1943-1945. The maps are annotated by Mullin, charting his missions and courses to destinations.
A large component of the textual documents is related to Mullin’s training as a navigator and bombardier for the USAAF from 1942 to 1943. The materials are comprised of printed study guides, exams, charts, flight logs, diagrams with Mullin’s annotations, as well as handwritten notes covering gunnery, ballistics, and aircraft machine gun designs. There is also a course packet on close cooperation between the Army Air Forces and Ground Forces with Solomon's handwritten notes, course outline, and maps.
Additionally, there are other textual documents that date from 1944 to 1999, which include a graduation announcement from the Army Air Forces Navigational School, San Marcos, Texas, for the class of 1944, as well as both Mullin’s and his wife’s war ration books. There is a brochure regarding the 385th Bomb Group, certificates, military orders, and official correspondence regarding Mullin’s Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and Distinguished Flying Cross awards. Lastly, there is correspondence between Mullin and the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division associated with his donation of “flak maps” in 1999.
Included with the collection is a scrapbook created by Mullin that charts his experience starting in 1942, with his training at the Army Air Forces Technical School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the Harlingen Army Gunnery School in Harlingen, Texas. The materials then follow Mullin’s service until the end of the war in 1945. The scrapbook contains clippings, printed ephemera, travel approval forms, certificates, his diploma from Harlingen Army Gunnery School, official correspondence regarding his awards, and 122 mostly 4x5” black-and-white photographic prints. The prints depict Mullin and other service men, such as Joe McKee, preparing to leave by train for Sioux Falls. There are pictures of the men posing in uniform with their companions, interior views of the barracks, as well as candid images of other service men. There are also formal military photographs of Mullin. Some of the photographs include captions.
In addition to the photographic prints from the scrapbook, the visual materials also include 363 predominantly 3x4” and 4x5” black-and-white photographs, 4 3x5” Kodachrome prints, and 80 negatives. These images, taken by Mullin, illustrate his service during World War II, as well as personal elements of his life. The photographs feature candid scenes of service men at leisure in the barracks, and many informal individual and group portraits. There are images of B-17 aircraft in formation while in flight, aerial views of targets, and pilots seated within the aircraft. The other piece of the collection is related to Mullin’s civilian home life. There are photographs of Mullin’s family, their farm, friends, scenic views, parties, baseball games, as well as a series of photographs and negatives that appear to be taken through the viewfinder of a microscope. In addition, there are postcards from his travels.
Lastly, part of the collection consists of Mullin’s military flight plans, charts, and ordnance maps from when he was serving in Europe, from 1943-1945. The maps are annotated by Mullin, charting his missions and courses to destinations.
Dates
- 1942-1945, 1999
- Majority of material found within 1942-1945
Creator
- Mullin, Solomon, 1917-2015 (Person)
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
1.25 Cubic Feet (1 5" legal size document box, 1 2" letter size document box, 2 30x40" oversize folders)
Overview
Solomon Mullin served as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombardier and instructor in the 385th Bomb Group for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The collection is comprised of textual and photographic materials related to his military service. The documents date from 1942 to 1999, although the bulk of the collection dates from 1942-1945.
Biographical Note: Solomon Mullin
Solomon Mullin served as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombardier and instructor in the 385th Bomb Group for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.
Solomon Mullin was born on February 10, 1917, in Detroit, Michigan to Jennie Shmilavitz and Samual Mullin. He graduated from Northern High School and attended Wayne State University prior to entering the military.
Mullin enlisted in the United States Army on June 5, 1942. After enlisting, Mullin was sent to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to complete a course in radio mechanics at the Army Air Forces Technical School. He was then transferred to Harlingen Army Gunnery School, Harlingen, Texas where he graduated as valedictorian in 1942. He was trained in aerial warfare, the operation of a consolidated tail turret, aircraft machine gun ballistics, and aerial gunnery. While stationed in Texas, Mullin often traveled to Mexico.
From 1943 to 1945, Mullin was stationed in the Eighth Air Force Bomber Station in Great Ashfield, Suffolk, England. During the war he flew 22 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe. Mullin’s highest rank was as First Lieutenant, and in 1945 he was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, as well as a Distinguished Flying Cross.
Harriette Glickman and Mullin were married on February 16, 1941, in Detroit. They had two daughters together. Solomon Mullin passed away on January 11, 2015.
Biographical note derived from donor information and records on Ancestry.com.
Solomon Mullin was born on February 10, 1917, in Detroit, Michigan to Jennie Shmilavitz and Samual Mullin. He graduated from Northern High School and attended Wayne State University prior to entering the military.
Mullin enlisted in the United States Army on June 5, 1942. After enlisting, Mullin was sent to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to complete a course in radio mechanics at the Army Air Forces Technical School. He was then transferred to Harlingen Army Gunnery School, Harlingen, Texas where he graduated as valedictorian in 1942. He was trained in aerial warfare, the operation of a consolidated tail turret, aircraft machine gun ballistics, and aerial gunnery. While stationed in Texas, Mullin often traveled to Mexico.
From 1943 to 1945, Mullin was stationed in the Eighth Air Force Bomber Station in Great Ashfield, Suffolk, England. During the war he flew 22 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe. Mullin’s highest rank was as First Lieutenant, and in 1945 he was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, as well as a Distinguished Flying Cross.
Harriette Glickman and Mullin were married on February 16, 1941, in Detroit. They had two daughters together. Solomon Mullin passed away on January 11, 2015.
Biographical note derived from donor information and records on Ancestry.com.
Separated Materials
The following books have been separated from the archival component of this collection and are kept in the
Library:
Objects storage:
Please contact us for more details.
Library:
- Third Air Division Strikes, May 21, 1945.
- Army Talks: Background to the Pacific, vol. 4, no. 3, May 29, 1945.
- Introducing Joe Flight Gremlin! Air Forces Manual, no. 26, Sep. 1944.
Objects storage:
- 2 military dog tags
- wooden footlocker
- leather navigator's case containing pens, pencils, and various small tools
- B-17 commemorative tray
- vial of push pins for marking positions on navigational maps
Please contact us for more details.
Processing Information
This collection has been fully processed.
Included with the collection is a scrapbook that was compiled by Mullin. To address preservation needs of the materials, the Processing Archivist dismantled the albums, though organization of the pages and images has been retained. Photographs that were coming off any scrapbook pages were sleeved and placed in the existing order.
A large portion of the photographs in the collection arrived tightly curled. The Processing Archivist humidified the materials to prepare them for sleeving and long-term storage.
Included with the collection is a scrapbook that was compiled by Mullin. To address preservation needs of the materials, the Processing Archivist dismantled the albums, though organization of the pages and images has been retained. Photographs that were coming off any scrapbook pages were sleeved and placed in the existing order.
A large portion of the photographs in the collection arrived tightly curled. The Processing Archivist humidified the materials to prepare them for sleeving and long-term storage.
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Family
- Bombardiers
- Bombing, Aerial
- Fighter planes
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Mexico
- Military camps
- Military education
- Mullin, Solomon, 1917-2015
- Nose art
- United States. Army Air Forces
- United States. Army Air Forces. Air Force, 8th
- United States. Army Air Forces. Bombardment Group (H), 385th
- World War, 1939-1945
- certificates
- correspondence
- diplomas
- maps (documents)
- military maps
- navigation charts
- negatives (photographs)
- orders (military records)
- photograph albums
- photographic prints
- printed ephemera
- ration books
- scrapbooks
Creator
- Mullin, Solomon, 1917-2015 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Solomon Mullin World War II Collection
- Status
- Completed - Level 3
- Author
- Charise Dinges
- Date
- 11/2023
- 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