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Summary

This collection consists of the material relating to Eugene L. Walter Jr's World War II navigation service.

Biographical / Historical

Eugene L. Walter (d. 2003) was an aerial navigator in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Walter started his military career at the US Naval Academy in 1940 but had transferred to the Army Air Corps by 1943. In 1944, Walter was stationed in Clovis, NM, where he was trained in advanced navigation and in 1945 he was stationed in Tinian as part of the 58th Bomb Wing. Navigating the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Little Mike, Walter participated in seven combat missions with the following targets: Osaka, Tsu, Hachioji, Imabaria, Yawata, and Tokyo, Japan. In September of 1954, Walter's crew was transferred to the 313th Bomb Wing, 504th Bomb Group at Clark Field, Philippines. After his World War II service, Walter accepted a commission in the Medical Service Groups, USNR, where he was a bacteriologist/virologist in the Naval Medical Research Units. After resigning completely from the military, Walter was a research virologist at the National Institutes of Health.

Identifier

NASM.2023.0011

Creator

United States. Army Air Forces

Date

1940-1945, 1999

1999

Provenance

Lois S Montbertrand, Gift, 2022, NASM.2023.0011

Extent

0.25 Cubic feet (One slim letter box.)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the following items: "Preliminary LORAN Chart—Guam to Korea," a LORAN (long range navigation) map used by Walter during his combat missions; a Naci-Ho  Waterproof Survival Chart of the Marianas Island; copies of Walter's individual flight records, combat duty general orders and awards and citations; notes on his missions and the 58th Bomb Wing Reunion in 1999; and miscellaneous papers regarding unit histories.

Arrangement note

Arranged by type.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

Eugene L. Walter Jr. Navigator Collection, NASM.2023.0011, National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian

Topics

Aeronautics

World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Maps