Summary Information
Paul W. Chase Papers and Photographs
1917-1969
WVM Mss 129
0.7 linear ft. (2 archives boxes and 1 oversize folder) of papers, 0.2 linear ft. (13 folders) of photographs.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)
Papers and photographs of Paul W. Chase, a pilot in the 8th Aero Squadron of the Army Signal Corps during World War I. The bulk of the collection consists of the letters that Paul wrote to his parents, his fiancée, and his sister during his stateside training and his World War I military service in France. The letters describe the major events of Chase's service as a pilot such as his observation flights, shooting down a German plane, and the Armistice celebration, as well as the accommodations, food, and recreation available to Chase and his squadron both at stateside training facilities and in Europe. Also included are his wartime diary, military records, several issues of the 8th Aero Squadron Association bulletin, a wartime poem written by Chase, and numerous postcards depicting European vistas that Chase picked up during the war and sent home with written comments to his family. The photographs include many shots of Chase in and around his airplane, shots of the 8th Aero Squadron during stateside training, aerial photos taken in Europe, and some scenic shots of wartime Europe. Materials pertaining to Chase's sister, Ruth, a stateside nurse during World War I, can also be found in this collection.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss00129 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Paul Weaver Chase was born in Magnolia, Wisconsin on January 5, 1890. He attended the high school in nearby Evansville, from which he graduated in 1909. Upon his graduation, Chase spent a year studying at Evansville Seminary and then worked for one year as a railroad station agent. In 1911 he enrolled in the school of agriculture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; he graduated with a bachelor's degree in soil sciences in 1915. Moving to Mountain Lake, Minnesota, Chase began teaching agriculture at a local school. In late 1917 he joined the army and began attending the School of Military Aeronautics at Berkeley, California. He received flight training at Rockwell Field (San Diego, California), Fort Sill (Oklahoma), Camp Dick (Texas), and Taliaferio Field (Texas). In July 1918 Chase was sent to France as part of the 8th Aero Squadron. He served as the pilot of a two-man plane, flying with an observer/gunner. Chase and his squadron took aerial photographs of German forces and helped direct artillery. Rising to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Chase and his partner were credited with downing a German fighter. Following the war, Chase returned home and was officially discharged in May 1919. He married his fiancée Bessie Thomas in July 1919, and the two would have three children. Chase resumed teaching in Minnesota in late 1919; he served as the superintendent of schools in Warroad, Minnesota from 1927 to 1945. He then returned to Wisconsin, where he taught agriculture courses for ten more years. Chase retired in 1957 and passed away in Madison, Wisconsin on February 3, 1969, the same year he was honored as a 50-year member of the American Legion.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Paul W. Chase are divided into three series: Correspondence, Papers and Photographs.
Correspondence (1917-1919) is the largest series in this collection. It consists entirely of the letters that Chase wrote to his parents (Frank and Estelle), fiancée (Bessie), and sister (Ruth), respectively. Most of the letters describe the non-martial, everyday life in the military: food, shelter, and recreational activities. Clearly cognizant of the Army censors, Chase avoided writing specifics about military operations. He does, however, document the activities of a World War I pilot. A September 1918 letter to Bessie described the mission in which his co-pilot shot down a German plane. A letter written in November 1918 gives an excellent description of how Chase and his squadron mates helped direct American artillery fire from the air. On November 13, 1918 he wrote his parents a letter describing the emotional Armistice celebrations in France. Overall, the letters give a sense of a young man who is proud to be serving his country but is still anxious to go home and reunite with his loved ones. Chase wrote in a letter to Bessie, “If I could get back home with a whole skin and the feeling that I had done my bit and best it would be one happy day for me.” In a June 1918 letter to Bessie, Chase explained that due to a lack of space he had to destroy all of the letters that his loved ones sent him, thus accounting for the lack of their responses in this collection.
Papers (1917-1969) consists almost entirely of Chase's war-related documents. His wartime diary is particularly valuable, as it describes the everyday experiences of a World War I pilot in Europe. The diary begins with the Chase's voyage across the Atlantic, it describes his training with the new Liberty engine, notes when his squadron mates were shot down, and describes the action that he did see against the Germans. A scrapbook in this series contains copies of aeronautical charts and diagrams from Chase's training and copy prints of German airplanes, as well as original photographs of the 8th Aero Squadron; Chase, his co-pilot and their plane; and some of the observation photos that they took over Germany. His pilot's book details his stateside training flights as well as his missions in Europe. The orders document Chase's transfers to various stateside bases and, finally, to Europe; the military identification materials include an A.E.F. ID card, a pilot's card, and an FBI Civil fingerprint card. Also included are his military records, which detail the specifics of his service, and many certificates that document achievements and promotions. Materials pertaining to Chase's sister, Ruth, can also be found in this series. Ruth served as a stateside nurse during World War II.
Photographs (1918-1919) include many wartime shots of Chase near his airplane. Also included are group shots of the 8th Aero Squadron, some scenic shots of wartime Europe, some shots of the 1919 Decoration Day parade in Evansville, Wisconsin, and some practice observation flight photos taken during Chase's stateside training. Some photos of Chase's sister Ruth, who served as a nurse at the UW Hospital during World War I, are also in this series.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Harriet Chase, Lawrenceville, NJ and Margaret Chase, Madison, WI, 2002. Accession Number: Mss2002.28.
Processed by Russell Horton in 2002.
Contents List
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Series: Correspondence
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Subseries: From Paul W. Chase
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Box
1
Folder
1-14
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To Bessie Thomas (fiancée), 1917-1919
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Box
1
Folder
15-22
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To Frank and Estelle Chase (parents), 1918-1919
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Box
1
Folder
23
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To Ruth Chase (sister), 1918
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Series: Papers
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Subseries: 8th Aero Squadron
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Bulletins, 1936
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Christmas menu, 1918
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Roster, circa 1918
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Subseries: Military ephemera
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Postcards (marked), 1918-1919
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Box
2
Folder
5
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Scrapbook, 1918-1919
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Subseries: Personal records (military)
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Box
2
Folder
6
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Certificates of achievement, 1917, 1919, 1969
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Identification materials, 1918-1919
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Ov
2
Folder
10
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Promotion certificates, 1918
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Subseries: Miscellaneous
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Box
2
Folder
8
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American Legion awards, 1939-1969
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Box
2
Folder
9
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Diary, 1918-1919
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Orders, 1918-1919
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Box
2
Folder
11
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Pilot's book, 1917-1919
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Box
2
Folder
12
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Poem “Out slipping the Hun,” circa 1918
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Box
2
Folder
13
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Ruth G. Chase nursing materials, 1942, undated
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Series: Photographs
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Ph
2
Folder
3
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Paul W. Chase [6]
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PhOv
33
Folder
2-7
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Paul W. Chase [6] , 1918-1919
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PhOv
33
Folder
8-13
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Ruth G. Chase [6] , 1918-1919
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