Project Mogul in NARA…

Thanks to a response I received from Jason Atkinson at History Hub, I’ve managed to find Project Mogul R&D files at NARA – though these aren’t (yet) online, they do at least exist, which is a good starting point.

Oh, and I thought I’d include a quick log here of the other NARA files I’ve managed to find. Feel free to ignore this, it’s mainly for my own benefit. 😉

For Bureau of Aeronautics records (Record Group 72), I also found its LTA (Lighter-Than-Air) file (1916 – 1945), containing records that “were collected by a variety of individuals and organizations, including Charles P. Burgess, an expert in airship design within the Lighter Than Air Design Branch“. The downside is that it is “78 linear feet, 7 linear inches” long (comprising “63 Letter Archives Box, Standard; 70 Legal Archives Box, Standard; 2 Custom Box A1”).

I also found a file for “Balloons, Darex Sounding” – I was looking for this because David DeVorkin (p.286) mentions “the modified Dewey and Almy Darex J-2000 and Darex J-1100 balloon production samples”, which were being tested in 1947.

There’s also “Balloon Envelopes” in RG 342 (no additional information given, but it’s one of the R&D topics I’m specifically interested in).

Project Helios (which was run by NATEC at Lakehurst) has a list online of changes to project personnel from 3rd May 1947 to 2nd July 1947. This starts with Robert E. Bass, and then adds [name, id, rating]:

• BASTEDO Raymond W – 513 24 90 – AR1
• BLANCHARD Earl H – 206 25 96 – AERM1
• CLARK John E Jr – 250 56 41 – AR3
• COVELLA Robert L – 798 21 68 – AERM3
• EWING Jerry D – 224 77 19 – AERM3
• GLICKMAN William F – 238 80 71 – AR2
• HART Francis J – 201 62 62 AR3
• IAIN Sebastian (n) – 382 80 61 – AR1
• MAC MILLIAN Henry J – 224 49 51 – CAR
• WODZIENSKI Edward (n) – 202 56 04 – AMM1

All certified correct by W. A. Cockell, Capt, USN

Then 25 Aug 1947:

• CHAMBLISS Herbert – P26657599 – CETM
• BASS Robt E – 2742805 – CAERM

(Both moved to Ottumwa, Iowa)

Project Helios disestablished: Auth ChNavRes cer 12523 dated 23 May 1947 and suPers ltr.
Pers 21452-jah ser 16719 dated 25 June 1947.

Certified to be correct: W. A. Cockell, Capt. USN (11 Jul 1947)

There’s also this Project Helios record: A15-2 Project Helios SP Event. (I have no idea what this is, alas).

As far as Fort Dix goes, I found some files in RG 342 (though I don’t hold out a lot of hope for these):

• Fort Dix – Materiel Command Test Station
• 686 Fort Dix – 1 January 1947 to
  • (686 = Army air bases and aviation fields)
• 600.1 Fort Dix – 1 January 1947 to
  • (600.1 = “Building and grounds — Construction and installation”?)
• Fort Dix Army Air Base
• 333 Fort Dix – 1 January 1947 to 31 Dec 47
  • (333 = Inspections and investigations by inspectors general and other officers, and reports.)