Scope and Content Note
The papers of George William Goddard (1889-1987) span the years 1889-1984, with the majority of the items dating from 1940 through 1976. The collection documents Goddard's military service, his writings, research, and public speaking activities, and his pioneering advances in the field of aerial photographic reconnaissance. The papers consist of the following series: Chronological File, Writings File, Inventions File, Oral History Transcripts File, and Miscellany.
The Goddard Papers reflect the drive and enthusiasm of a man whose aspiration in life was the technological advancement of airborne photographic reconnaissance. Goddard's lifelong ambition began in 1919 with an assignment to McCook Field as officer-in-charge of aerial photographic research. Although he had joined the army with the sole intent of flying airplanes, Goddard quickly developed an intense interest in aerial photography. He spent the next thirty-four years advancing its technology and demonstrating its reconnaissance abilities to a rather skeptical army.
As the unofficial spokesman for airborne photographic reconnaissance, Goddard wrote articles for popular magazines, gave numerous slide lectures to professional and military groups, and obtained press coverage to promote the use of aerial photography in reconnaissance operations. These efforts, coupled with his belief that "a full-time push by one man in a given direction greatly exceeds in efficiency part-time opposition by many men," led to increased funding for Goddard's research and development laboratory at Wright Field, improved technology and new inventions, and ultimately, the military's recognition of the remarkable effectiveness of aerial photographic reconnaissance. The technology now standard in reconnaissance today--night and long-range photography, color emulsion, and other methods that enable reconnaissance to be accomplished by high-speed aircraft at all operational altitudes--is due to Goddard's ingenuity and determination.
The Chronological File, originally arranged by Goddard for use in his autobiographical writings, documents his personal, professional, and military experiences as a pioneer in the field of aerial photographic reconnaissance. The series contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other materials pertaining to Goddard's military assignments in the United States, Philippines, and Europe, the operations of aerial photographic sections under his command, promotions and awards, and activities after retirement. The Cuban Missile Crisis, in which Goddard played an important role, is represented by only a few newspaper articles. Correspondence, notes, printed materials, newspaper clippings, and articles provide a wealth of biographical information on Goddard and disclose the high regard in which he was held by military officials and civilians involved in aerial photographic reconnaissance.
The Writings File contains articles, transcripts, correspondence, and working papers relating to Goddard's books, papers, lectures, speeches, and other writing projects. This file also contains book reviews, correspondence, and notes pertaining to his autobiography, Overview: A Life-long Adventure in Aerial Photography, and correspondence concerning Goddard's suspicions that the Itek Corporation, the United States Air Force, and Doubleday Publishing Company conspired to halt sales of the book due to its unflattering portrayal of Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold. Another notable item is an article published by National Geographic Magazine in 1930 entitled, "The Unexplored Philippines from the Air." Illustrated with photographs taken by Goddard, the article describes his experiences in 1928 as commanding officer of the Sixth Photographic Section, charged with making a photographic mosaic map of the unexplored northeast corner of Luzon Island.
The Inventions File consists primarily of patent grants, reports, and diagrams relating to Goddard's patented inventions. Also included in this series are correspondence, notes, and printed materials pertaining to the stereoscopic strip camera. This camera, which was never patented, was developed by Goddard and his colleagues in 1942 at Wright Field and was used to make stereo strips of Cuban missile sites in 1962.
The Oral History Transcripts File contains transcripts of oral history interviews conducted by Goddard for use in his autobiographical writings. The interviewees were military officers and civilians interested or active in the science of aerial photographic reconnaissance during the years of Goddard's military service, including Benjamin Foulois, Elliott Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Also included are several interviews with Goddard conducted by others. Original tapes of most of the interviews have been transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division of the Library.
The final series in the collection, Miscellany, consists primarily of printed materials collected by Goddard. The file contains books, journals, and informational reports, mostly regarding the use of aerial photographic reconnaissance in World War II. Photographs of Goddard and of his family and friends, several stereograph cards, and a 3-D photograph with stereoscopic glasses are also included.