Guide to the Albert and Patricia Aiken papers
1940-1945, 1991
Collection number: HMC-0700.
Creator:
Aiken, Albert S.
Aiken, Patricia.
Title: Albert and Patricia Aiken papers.
Dates: 1940-1945, 1991.
Volume of collection: 0.5 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Materials in this collection are in English.
Collection summary: Scrapbook, photographs, and an account of life on the home front during World War II.
Biographical note:
Albert Aiken was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1917. He attended the University of Maryland at College Park, learning to fly at both the College Park and Schrom airports. In 1940, he enlisted as a flying cadet in the US Army Air Corps. After graduating from flight schools at Randolph Field in San Antonio and the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas in 1941, he was assigned to a pursuit squadron of P-40 fighters, serving in the Aleutians for two years. For his service in World War II, Aiken was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal. In 1946, he taught aviation at the Air University in Montgomery, Alabama, flew surplus aircraft to Chile as a member of the US Air Force, and served three years in Japan as commanding officer of the 39th Fighter Squadron. Aiken also served at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., in Portugal, and at Andrews Air Force Base, where he retired as chief of operations at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He died in Annapolis, Maryland in 2000.
Patricia Aiken (née O’Brien) was born in 1922 in Marcus, Iowa. She attended Iowa parochial schools, University of Maryland, University of Alabama, Creighton University, and Adelphi College. She served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1975-1978, and was the first President of the Women’s Political Caucus of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Patricia Aiken died in 2014.
Collection description:
The collection consists of papers and a scrapbook by Albert and Patricia Aiken. The collection contains: seven letters Albert wrote to Patricia while serving in Alaska; part of an account by Patricia regarding her experiences on the home front during World War II; and a World War II era scrapbook of news clippings. The collection also contains photographs, which were removed from the scrapbook. Subjects of the photographs include: fellow soldiers, aircraft, landing fields, buildings, and tents. The photographs were taken in Amchitka, Adak, and Cold Bay.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged by record type.
Alternative formats: A xerographic copy of the scrapbook, indicating the original order of materials, is available in the collection.
Digitized copies: Selected photographs from this collection have been digitized and can be viewed on Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: The Archives does not hold copyright to materials in this collection.
Preferred citation: Albert and Patricia Aiken papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Separated materials: Publications have been removed from the collection and some added to the Consortium Library’s Rare Books collection. Please ask an archivist for further information.
Related materials: For more materials related to World War II, please see the World War II in Alaska topic guide.
Custodial history: The collection was given to John Cloe of the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson History Office by Patricia Aiken between 1987 and 2004.
Acquisition note: The collection was transferred to Archives and Special Collections in 2004 by John Cloe.
Processing information: This collection was described and photographs removed from the scrapbook for preservation purposes by Jeffery Sinnott in 2004. The guide was converted to current standards by Amanda Coffey, and further description provided by Veronica Denison, in 2016.