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 Summary

This collection is a 200 page scrapbook, filled with photographs, certificates, newspaper clippings, and ephermera relating to Harold George Peterson's aviation exploits.

 Biographical / Historical

Harold George Peterson was a prominent aviator of his time. Peterson was a squadron officer for the 50th Observation Squadron at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas during World War I. He went on to start an aviation field and pilot school, 'The Harold G. Peterson Aircraft Company,' located at White Bear, MN. He is most famous, however, for being forced to land at Folimir, Mexico on August 10, 1917. There, Lt. Peterson and his passenger, Paul Davis, were captured by a band of roving bandits and held for a {dollar}15,000 ransom, which was to be paid by the U.S. Government. Peterson escaped across the boarder after a ransom of only 7,500 was paid.

 Identifier

NASM.1989.0127

Creator

Peterson, Harold George

Date

1917-1942

bulk 1917-1920

Provenance

Charles Apfelbaum, Purchase, 1989, NASM.1989.0127

Extent

0.5 Cubic feet ((1 flatbox))

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection is a 200 page scrapbook, filled with about 800 photographs, plus certificates, newspaper clippings about his exploits, and other miscellaneous ephemera. The photographs include shots of Curtiss JN-4s on the ground, and air-to-air shots in formation, as well as other WWI era airplanes, both American and European, including a shot of the Albatross DVa 'Stropp.' Other photographs feature aerial shots of Paris, Mexico, and Hawaii, as well as a few engine photographs.

Arrangement note

One item, no arrangement.

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

Lieutenant Harold G. Peterson Scrapbook, NASM.1989.0127, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics, Military

Aeronautics

Air pilots

World War, 1914-1918

Curtiss JN-4 Jenny Family

Albatros D.Va (L24)

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Photographs

Clippings

Ephemera

Certificates