Anas Tommy Economy (born Anastasios Economou) served in the Aviation Section, US Army Signal Corps. This collection consists of a photo album documenting the years from 1917 to 1920 when he was stationed at Love Field, Texas with the 868th Aero Squadron at the Aviation Repair Depot.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a photo album documenting the years from 1917 to 1920 when Anas Tommy Economy (Anastasios Economou) was stationed at Love Field, Texas with the 868th Aero Squadron at the Aviation Repair Depot. The album measures approximately 15.5 by 11.25 inches and features a black leather-type cover and a string-tie binding. The album contains approximately 155 black and white photographs of varying sizes and includes some caption information and personal recollections by Economy. The photographs show daily life at Love Field; aircraft maintenance operations; various aircraft crashes; aerial photographs of the Dallas, Texas area; and photographs of Economy and his family. Aircraft shown in the photographs include the Martin (Glenn L.) (MB-1) GMB-M Night Bomber; Dayton Wright DH-4; Thomas-Morse MB-3; Curtiss JN (Jenny); and the Caproni Ca.3. The collection also contains a disc with scans of the entire album and a disc with a detailed biography of Anas Tommy Economy.
Note: Blank pages have not been digitally reproduced in slideshow. Any gaps in numbering are due to their omission.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Anas Tommy Economy (born Anastasios Economou) emigrated from Greece to the United States in 1912 at the age of eight. Economy attended Detroit Technical college for a year and later obtained a degree by correspondence in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University. Economy worked for the Great Northern Railway and Dodge Brothers Company before enlisting in the Aviation Section, US Army Signal Corps in 1917 where he was stationed at Love Field, Texas with the 868th Aero Squadron at the Aviation Repair Depot. During his time at Love Field, Economy was promoted to sergeant first class. Economy remained at Love Field until he was transferred to San Antonio Intermediate Air Depot in 1921. Economy was injured in a large hangar fire at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma and retired from the military in 1947 at the rank of colonel while still under treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. During his military service, Economy was the recipient of the American Defense Service Medal; the American Theater Service Medal; the American Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal. Anas Tommy Economy died in 1987 at the age of 89.
Provenance:
Constantina Economou, Gift, 2014, NASM.2015.0003
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This scrapbook consists of photographs of Tait and his fellow cadets, plane maneuvers, gun camera photos, and newspaper clippings. Included in the collection but separate from the scrapbook are pages from a memoranda/address book, a brief memoir written by Tait in the early 1980s, and several official army certificates such as his training diplomas and his honorable discharge certificate. There is also a large comical watercolor of a pilot in a plane entitled the "Spirit of 1918" and signed at the bottom by 31 people.
Biographical / Historical:
During the summer of 1917, Trevor S. Tait postponed his studies at Yale University in order to volunteer for service with the new branch of the military, the U.S. Air Service. He received his initial pilot training at the newly opened ground school at Cornell University in November 1917. After graduating in February 1918, he was ordered to Camp Dick at Dallas, Texas, and then Love Field, also near Dallas. In October, 1918, he was commissioned, given pursuit classification, and ordered to Carlstrom Field at Arcadia, Florida. After graduating as a pursuit pilot in November, 1918, he was sent to Dorr Field, near Arcadia, for aerial gunnery training. Upon graduation, World War I having already ended, he was provided with an emergency discharge so that he could begin his freshman year at Yale.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Kevin S. Tait, Gift, 2001, 2001-0040, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests