Guide to the Richard C. Rivett papers
1943-1945
Collection number: HMC-0580.
Creator: Rivett, Richard C.
Title: Richard C. Rivett papers.
Dates: 1943-1945.
Volume of collection: 0.2 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Materials in the collection are in English.
Collection summary: Papers of a communications officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps who served in the Aleutians during World War II.
Biographical note:
Richard Cameron Rivett was from Sacramento, California. He enlisted in the armed services in 1942, becoming a communications officer with the United States Army Air Corps. Rivett’s main duty stations in Alaska were at Adak Army Airfield and Shemya Island. He was appointed as an aviation cadet in October 1942, promoted to the ranks of second lieutenant in March 1943, and first lieutenant in December 1943. Rivett attended the Technical School, AAFTTC, at Yale University; the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics in Orlando, Florida; and the Engineer Camouflage School Aviation No. I AAB, at March Field, California. He was assigned to the following units: 55th Fighter Control Squadron, Seattle, Washington; 412th AAF Base Unit, Seattle; 426d AAF Base Unit, Camp Pinedale, Fresno, California; AAF Overseas Replacement Depot, Kearns, Utah; Casual Squadron-C2, Fort Lawton, Seattle; Alaska Department Replacement Battalion, Fort Richardson; 11th Fighter Control Squadron, Adak; and Signal Headquarters, Aircraft Warning Service, XI Fighter Command, Shemya.
Collection description:
The collection consists of the World War II service papers of Richard C. Rivett. The collection contains: military orders, dating from March 1943-November 1945; 3 items of correspondence from March 1943 and November 1945; Rivett’s copy of his officer’s qualification card from April 1944; lists of signal equipment in use in fighter control installations in the Near Island Wing on Shemya from July 1945; personnel records; military receipts; and six black and white photographs. The orders document schools attended, promotions, duty assignments, transfers, leaves, and travel. The miscellaneous personnel records concern such issues as pay, foreign service, training, immunizations, and leaves. The photographs are official U.S. Army Air Forces photographs from Adak. They show a radar receiver and soldiers launching balloons, possibly to test radar equipment.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged by document type.
Alternative formats: Xerographic copies of the military orders were made. Additionally, there are black and white copy negatives of the prints in the collection.
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: Archives and Special Collections does not own copyright to the collection.
Preferred citation: Richard C. Rivett papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Acquisition note: The collection was purchased by the Archives from eBay in 2002.
Processing information: This collection was described by Jeffrey Sinnott in 2002. The guide to the collection was converted to current standard by Gwen Sieja in 2015.