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Location of Archival Materials

Captain Raymond F. Tyler, Naval Aviator (LTA), USN

An Inventory of His Papers at the Navy Department Library


Image of Captain Raymond F. Tyler, Naval Aviatior, (LTA), USN.

 

Table of Contents

Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Detailed Description of the Collection

Restrictions

Index Terms

Administrative Information

 

   

Overview of the Collection

Repository: Navy Department Library
Creator: Raymond F. Tyler
Title: Raymond F. Tyler Collection
Dates: 1918-1946 (inclusive)
Dates: 1927-1943 (bulk)
Quantity: 2 & 1/2 full size archival boxes
Abstract: The collection consists of a variety of materials on airships and airship operations including technical manuals, reports, and memoranda. Also included is a small amount of material on the German airship Hindenburg. The collection also contains a complete set of Captain Tyler's flight logs covering the years 1919 to 1946.
Language: The records are in English.

 

Biographical Note

Raymond Farrington Tyler was born in Middlebury, Connecticut on 8 March 1894. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve Force on 27 May 1917 and was commissioned Ensign on 29 May 1918. Ensign Tyler received free balloon training at NAS Winged Foot Lake, Akron, Ohio, and the spring and summer of 1919 and received instruction in kite balloons at NAS Pensacola, Florida, in the fall of 1919. He joined the Atlantic Fleet Kite Balloon Detachment in January 1920 and operated with this unit until 24 June 1920.

Ensign Tyler reported to NAS Pensacola, Florida , on 15 July 1920 for duty under instruction in dirigibles and was designated Naval Aviator No. 2905 (dirigible) on 14 December 1920. After serving two years, one month and eight days in the Naval Reserve, on 1 July 1920, Tyler received his commission as a Lieutenant (jg) in the United States Navy. He continued on duty at NAS Pensacola until 29 August 1921 and reported for duty at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, on 29 August 1921. He was assigned to the USS Wright for Kite Balloon duty on 17 October and served with that ship until January 1923 when he reported for duty at NAS Lakehurst.

Tyler served as a watch officer onboard the USS Shenandoah in 1923 and returned to Lakehurst in 1924 for duty as a non-rigid airship pilot and instructor. He reported onboard the USS Los Angeles as watch officer on 19 January 1925 and served in that capacity until May 1927 when he was detached and assigned once again to NAS Lakehurst as a non-rigid airship pilot and instructor. Lt Tyler was designated Naval Aviator No. 3376 (Airship) on 27 June 1927. He served onboard the USS Los Angeles again between 30 September 1929 and 10 June 1932 and was then assigned sea duty onboard the USS Richmond until September 1934 when he returned to Lakehurst.

Lieutenant Comamander Tyler flew to Europe onboard the Hindenburg in the fall of 1936 as an observer and then participated in the Gorden Bennett Balloon Races held in Warsaw, Poland in November. He returned to Lakehurst and was assigned mooring officer in March 1937. He was serving in that position when the Hindenburg crashed on 6 May 1937.

Lieutenant Commander Tyler was assigned command of Lighter-Than-Air Squadron Five on 16 December 1941. He was promoted to commander on 20 August 1942 and assumed command of Airship Group One in January 1943. He was promoted to captain on 20 June 1943 and was in command of Airship Wing One when World War II ended. Captain Tyler was placed on the retired list on 2 January 1947.

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Scope and Contents

The bulk of the collection consists of a variety of materials on airships and airship operations including technical manuals, reports, and memoranda documenting the activities at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey in the 1930s and during the early part of World War II. There is also a small amount of material concerning the events surrounding the crash of the German airship Hindenburg in 1937 (Tyler was mooring officer at the time). Included in the collection is a complete set of Captain Tyler's flight logs covering the years 1919 to 1946.

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Arrangement

The collection is organized by subject matter in chronological order.

 

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Service Record and Official Biographies

 

- Service Record (partial) and other documents relating to Tyler's service in the United States Navy.

 

Personal Correspondence 1937-1945

 

- Of particular interest is Tyler's interest in hunting and related recreational activities.
The letters include correspondence with Morton L. Deyo, the future admiral.

 

Airship Histories

 

- "History of Airship Group One," Fleet Airship Wing Thirty Intelligence Bulletin No. 4

- Extracts from The Airship Its Design, History, Operation, and Future, by Christopher Sprigg.

- "Blimps in Our Nation's Defense," by Lieutenant Commander R. R. Tyler, USN, 3 June 1941.

- "Non-rigid Airmanship 1941", by Lieutenant Commander R. F. Tyler, USN, 16 July 1941.

 

Submarine Hunting

 

"Notes on Submarine Hunting" compiled by Captain J.G. Struthers, RAF, March-April, 1918 [pamphlet reprinted by Airship Training School, United States Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey].

 

Airship Operations 1927-1935

 

- Memoranda and reports and airship operations conducted at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey

- Typewritten reports of USS Los Angeles flight to, and participation in the Fleet Problem conducted in the Caribbean during February 1931.

- USS Richmond, logbook entry for 12 February 1935. Original carbon recounting events surrounding the rescue of personnel from the USS Macon.

         Airship Operations 1937-1945

                    - Memoranda and reports concerning airship operations conduced from NAS Lakehurst,

                      many written by Tyler.

 

Gordon Bennett Balloon Races, Warsaw Poland, 14-15 November 1935

 

- Official Program

- Legitymacja Laisser - Passer Nr. 11 [Entrants Pass]

 

German Airship Hindenburg

 

- Lieutenant R. F. Tyler to CNO, "Report of Observation on Flights Nos. 44 and 45 on German Airship Hindenburg," dated 23 October 1936.

- Extracts from the the log of the Hindenburg enroute from Lakehurst, New Jersey, to Frankfort, Germany, 30 September 1936 to 3 October 1936.

- Commanding Officer United States Naval Air Station Lakehurst to Lieutenant R.F. Tyler, USN, assigning Tyler as mooring officer, dated 19 March 1937.

- Lt R. F. Tyler to Commanding Officer [NAS Lakehurst], memo on: "Informal Board of Investigation to Inquire into Actions of Navy and Civilian Ground Crew and Other Persons at Time of Loss of Hindenburg Worthy of Special Commendatst, many written by Tyler.

 

Essay on Airship Operation by Anton C. Heinen

 

- "Disturbing and Challenging Thought," twenty-three page typewritten essay on airship operation prepared by Captain Anton F. Heinen.

- Cover letter to commanding officer, NAS Lakehurst dated 29 November 1941

- Notes from unknown sources commenting on Heinen's essay.

 

Reports and Manuals on Airship Operations

           - Extended flight of airship XN-1, Report on (27Oct46 to 03 Nov46)

 

- Ice Formation on Aircraft, Memorandum for all Aviators (Airship) dated 19 February 1937.

- Non Rigid Airship Manual of Tactical Employment, 1941

- Squalls and Thunderstorms/Report of a Flight by ZNP K-8 Though Cold Front Thunderstorm on 6 July 1942. [Memorandum, August 1942]

- Report on Thunderstorm, memorandum by R. F. Tyler dated 1 September 1942.

- Operational Bulletin on M-type Non Rigid Airship, Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, 1 October 1943.

- Pilot's Operational manual for Electrically Controlled Propellers Model ZNP-M Airship, dated 11 October 1943.

- The Airship in Search and Rescue, Lakehurst, dated July 1945.

- M-Airship Hydraulic Notes, Inspector of Naval Aircraft, Akron, Ohio [no date].

 

Technical Manuals, Fleet Airships Atlantic

 

- Navigator's Manual, 1 October 1945.

- Pilot's Instruction, 1 November 1944.

- Fleet Airship Wing One Instruction, 1944.

- Fleet Airship Wing One Salvage Manual, 1945.

- Administrative Manual, Commander, Fleet Airships, Atlantic.

 

Map of United States Navy Airship Bases

 

Oversized map showing U S Navy airship bases and squadron locations throughout North and South America.

 

Conduct and Appearance Memoranda

 

- Conduct and Appearance Memorandum dated 23 March 1941, by G. M. Mills.

- Conduct and Appearance Memorandum dated 21 April 1943, by R. F. Tyer.

 

Miscellaneous Articles and Newsletter

 

- "Bloodhounds of the Air," by Ensign R. G. Pearson, USNR [Reprint from Shell Progress].

- "Why No Blimps," by Commander T. G. W. Steale, USN [reprint from United States Naval Institute Proceedings, February 1939].

- Wingfoot Lighter-Than-Air Society Bulletin, Vol 9, No 4 (February 1962).

 

Flight Logs and Handbook

 

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 5/28/19 to 7/18/22.

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 7/18/22 to 2/21/25.

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 2/21/25 to 5/23/28.

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 6/8/28 to 3/31/31.

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 4/15/31 o 8/27/36.

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 9/9/36 to 11/9/39.

- Aviator's Flight Log Book 12/12/39 to 1/11/46.

- USS Los Angeles Handbook, by Lieutenant Wm. Nelson (CC) USN, 1925, 1st edition [small ring binder].

 

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Use

Manuscripts are unavailable for loan and must be consulted in the library. Photocopying of manuscripts is generally prohibited, though the use of digital cameras by researchers to reproduce non-copyrighted materials is permitted. Permission to photocopy a limited number of pages may be granted by the reference staff, contingent upon the physical state of items. All photocopying of materials shall be done by the reference staff, or under their close supervision. The use of personal scanners by non-library staff personnel must be approved by the reference staff on a document-by-document basis (Reference: Naval History and Heritage Command Instruction [NAVHISTCENTINST] 5070.1C.).

 

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

 

 

Personal name:

 

 

Deyo, Morton L.
Heinen, Anton F.
Tyler, Raymond C.

 

Subject:

 

Air Pilots, Military -- United States
Airships

 

Corporate Subject:

 

Hindenburg (Airship)
United States Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey

 

 

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Historical Manuscripts, Navy Department Library, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington DC, Raymond C. Tyler Collection.

Processing Information

The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Thomas Wildenberg in February, 2008.

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Published: Thu Feb 08 09:11:39 EST 2024