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Archive: November 2021 (2 Posts)

Black and white photograph of lieutenant George Patton, in uniform with a pipe, standing outside of a tent.

Inside George S. Patton’s First War Diary

Posted by: Lewis Wyman

George S. Patton kept a personal journal during his involvement in the 1916 Mexican Expedition. While serving as aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing, he recorded many observations of the military campaign against Pancho Villa’s forces - everything from day to day activities, to the first use of airplanes by the U.S. Army in a combat roll and its last use of mounted cavalry. This is the first of many wartime diaries that Patton kept during his military career.

Posted in: Diaries, War and Society

Octave Chanute, black and white head and shoulders portrait photograph.

Flying Manuscripts

Posted by: Lewis Wyman

The Library of Congress Manuscript Division holds the papers of aviation pioneer Octave Chanute, which include correspondence between Chanute, George Spratt, and the Wright Brothers. These letters provide insights into their aeronautical experiments as they share ideas on wing design, lift, drag and other problems facing early experimenters.

Posted in: Aviation, Letters