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Robert Eldred Taylor Papers

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-1994-033

Scope and Content

This collection consists of the selective service records of Robert Eldred Taylor of Larned, Kansas, during World War II. This includes materials such as Taylor's Aviation Cadet Training Rejection, an honorable discharge certificate, and a later letter explaining that he may be eligible for army duty. Other materials include a flight chart of Central America and a certificate of recognition for completion of the Gulf Sea Frontier Transport Pilot Course.

Dates

  • 1942 - 1948

Creator

Language of Materials

The materials in the collection are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Biographical Note

Robert Eldred Taylor was born to Ralph E. Taylor and Mary H. Lawton on August 6, 1920, in Larned, Kansas. During World War II, in 1942, Taylor was disqualified from Aviation Cadet Training due to color blindness, and entered the enlisted reserve corps. Upon finishing his flight training in February 1943, he was assigned inactive status to Pan American World Airways in Miami, Florida, to fly in the Latin American Division. In 1945, Taylor had to go in front of the selective service board again for possible duty.

Between 1940 and 1950, Taylor married Oueda Bordewich (1922-1982), and according to the 1950 census, he worked at a Ford Motor Agency in Larned. According to his findagrave entry, he married Mary Price in in 1982 after the death of his first wife. Tayor died on July 20, 1994.

External sources:

U. S. Federal Census, 1940-1950.

"Robert Eldred Taylor," Findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74648540/robert-eldred-taylor, accessed on Nov. 13, 2024.

"Robert Eldred Taylor Jr" in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/records?recordId=49127429&collectionId=60901, accessed on Nov. 13, 2024.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Abstract

This collection consists of the selective service records of Robert Eldred Taylor (1920-1994) of Larned, Kansas, during World War II. This includes materials such as Taylor's Aviation Cadet Training Rejection, an honorable discharge certificate, and a later letter explaining that he may be eligible for army duty. Other materials include a flight chart of Central America and a certificate of recognition for completion of the Gulf Sea Frontier Transport Pilot Course.

Source of Acquisition

The Robert Eldred Taylor Papers were donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1994.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Robert Eldred Taylor Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Robert Eldred Taylor Papers was completed in May 2024 as part of the project, "Piercing the Veil: Creating Access to the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration at Virginia Tech," funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) in 2024.

Title
Robert Eldred Taylor Papers, 1942-1948
Status
Completed
Author
Kat Zinn, Archivist
Date
(CC0 1.0)
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Sponsor
The processing, arrangement, and description of this collection was created as part of the project, "Piercing the Veil: Creating Access to the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration at Virginia Tech," funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) from 2022 to 2024.

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308