Fine Books and Manuscripts

Gardiner, Frank William. American Aviator's Personal Flight Log Book. Washington D.C. Navy Department- Chief of Naval Operations, May 1944/Sept. 1945. Brown cloth stamped in black. 12mo. Monthly flying log of ARM3c Frank William Gardiner detailing training and combat missions between May 1944 and September 1945. Gardiner was stationed at Tinian when the two atomic bombs (Fat Man and Little Boy) were deployed from there. These missions are noted as being flown in the Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon and occurred in the Pacific Theatre of War. Noted are patrol missions, many designated as “Rocket,” sub-hunting, various notations of bombing activity and “GOING BACK TO THE STATES!”. Also included is a propaganda leaflet in Japanese with a photo of a B-29 formation that would have been dropped in profusion over Japan to worn the citizenry of their impending doom. Further accompanying the material is a small black and white photograph of an airborne PV2, presumably Gardiner’s, which bears the ink inscription on the back reading “Good old PV237092” (Gardiner’s logbook entry of his craft is noted as PV237092). Red crew name stamp to front paste down. Flight assignment designation strip laid-down to ffep. Very light soiling to rear panel. A fine copy of a wartime log.