Scope and Content Note
The papers of Robert A. Lavender span the years 1911-1976. The collection documents Lavender's extensive career as a naval officer and his legal work with the United States Navy. The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject or type of material.
The collection consists of material related to Lavender's approximately four decades in the United States Navy, focusing primarily on his early naval career, his work as radio officer and crew of the first transatlantic flight of the Navy-Curtiss (NC-3 and NC-4) flying boats. It also covers the investigation into Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel's role in the Pearl Harbor attack, for which Lavender provided legal counsel, and Lavender’s work with patent law. Material includes diaries, journals, and excerpts documenting the daily activities of Lavender's early tours of duty. Files on the Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel Pearl Harbor investigation consist of Lavender's comprehensive research on the Pearl Harbor attack, the congressional investigative report, and supplemental books. Also included are biographical material and a small amount of general correspondence.
The collection contains digitized personal film footage shot by Lavender between 1919 and 1970. The digital video files include footage from naval tours in Japan and China circa 1929, the NC-3 and NC-4 flying boats before the first transatlantic flight, and the South American cruise of the United States Navy Cruiser Division 7. Also included are home movies of Lavender's family, personal travels in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and the 1934 Rose Bowl Parade.