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Walter H. Gardner collection

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_COLL MSS 57

Scope and Contents

This five box collection contains nearly sixty rare publications about World War II and various government reports relative to US government projects after of war. Some of the publications in this collection are connected to Gardner's research. These publications consist of United States Strategic Bombing Survey reports published during 1944-1947. The United States Strategic Bombing Survey organization was established in 1944 by the Secretary of War and examined and amassed statistical and documentary material on World War II bombing sites in Germany and Japan. Most of the reports in this collection concern the effects of the United States' bombardment of cities and industrial sites in Japan, containing numerous graphic photographs and illustrations. These reports yield detailed information on the effects of bombing raids on the Japanese civilian population, economy, electrical power structure, food supply, and other similar topics.

box 1 primarily contains reports and memoranda regarding the construction of a special hangar at Eglin Field, Florida for testing aircraft under controlled climatic conditions. This box also contains a government publication entitled Guide to Japan, and a publication on a thermal spring in Japan, published partly in Japanese.

boxes 2-5 contain nearly sixty publications by the United States Strategic Bombing Survey organization. Booklets 1 and 2 concern the European Theater, but the remaining 57 publications concern the war in the Pacific. These booklets have been organized by the division that conducted the bombing surveys. United States Strategic Bombing Survey has also been abbreviated as USSBS.

Following the inventory of this collection, a reference index of subjects and locations has been provided for the aid researchers.

Dates

  • 1944-1947

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Restrictions

Open to public research.

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Permission to publish material from the Walter H. Gardner collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

Walter H. Gardner was born in Logan, Utah in the 1910s. After graduating from the common schools of the area, Gardner studied soil physics at Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) and graduated in 1939 with a B.S. With the advent of World War II, Gardner served as a member of the Army Air Forces Corporation, eventually working for the US Military in Japan studying the general effects of war on the soil and the radioactive contamination of soil near Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After completing his work in the Pacific Gardner returned to Utah and continued his studies. In 1948 he received his M.S. and in 1950 his Ph.D in physics. Thereafter, Gardner taught at numerous universities in the West.

Agronomy News, in August of 1984, published the following profile of Gardner:

WALTER H. GARDNER, professor emeritus, Washington State University, assumed the office of president of the Pacific Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Gardner is also presently serving as past president of the Soil Science Society of America. He is widely known for his research and writing in soil physics and soil-water-plant relations. His time-lapse motion picture, "Water Movement in Soil," is used worldwide as a teaching aid. (p.5)

When Gardner retired in the 1980s, he returned to Logan where he has since resided.

Extent

5 boxes (2 linear ft.)

Abstract

Reports of the United States Strategic Bombing survey regarding documentation of effects of aerial bombardment of cities and industrial sites, chiefly in Japan during World War II. Manuals demonstrating the operation and maintenance of pilot-less aircraft, type JB-2 "buzz" bombs. Reports and memoranda regarding the construction of a special hangar at Eglin Field, Florida for testing aircraft under controlled climatic conditions.

Arrangement

Arranged in numeric sequence according to box and folder or book number.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The materials in this collection were donated by Walter H. Gardner in two batches, one in 1980 and one in 2004.

Related Materials

Western Society of Soil Science Records COLL MSS 267

Title
Guide to the Walter H. Gardner collection 1944-1947
Author
Finding aid created by Special Collections and Archives.
Date
©2008
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Revision Statements

  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)