George Detwiler Burges collection
Collection Overview
This collection consists of magazine and newspaper articles, military promotion papers, bombing raid reports, transfer orders, discharge papers, witness reports, military decorations, correspondence, photographs and other documents about George Detwiler Burges.
Dates
- Creation: 1929-1944
Creator
- Burges, George Detwiler, 1917-1944 (Person)
Language of Material
Materials in English
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical Note
George Detwiler Burges graduated from the College of Charleston in 1938 and was an accomplished athlete who excelled in basketball and swimming. He was a veteran of the first American bombings of the European continent. After a year of action and 51 bombing missions, he returned to the United States and spent about ten months training pilots. Later, he formed a bombing squadron of 12 Flying Fortresses. He was sent back to England and took part in the first United States and Royal Air Force bombing raids of France. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Army Air Medal, and the Purple Heart. He was killed in action over Manfredonia, Italy, when his plane collided with another B-17 aircraft in 1944.
Extent
3.0 linear feet (1 document box, 2 oversize flat boxes)
Abstract
George Detwiler Burges graduated from the College of Charleston in 1938. He served as a B-17 pilot during World War II and was killed in action in 1944. This collection consists of Burges' personal papers, letters, military records, photographs, newspaper and magazine articles, and military decorations including the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Collection Arrangement
Materials are described at the folder level.
Acquisitions Information
Donated by Julius Burges, Edward D. Buckley, and W. Rieppe Mehrtens in 2002 and 2004.
Processing Information
Originally processed by Special Collections staff, 2002. Edited and reprocessed for encoding by Martha McTear, November 2012.
Subject
- Burges, George Detwiler, 1917-1944 (Person)
- College of Charleston -- Alumni and alumnae (Organization)
- United States. Army Air Forces -- Biography (Organization)
Source
- Buckley, Edward D. (Donor, Person)
- Burges, Julius (Donor, Person)
- Mehrtens, W. Rieppe (Donor, Person)
Genre / Form
- Black-and-white photographs
- Certificates
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Diplomas
- Letters (correspondence)
- Magazines (periodicals)
- Medals
- Military records
- Orders (military records)
- Photocopies
- Pistols
Topical
- B-17 bomber
- Bomber pilots -- United States
- Distinguished Flying Cross (Medal)
- Fighter pilots -- United States -- Biography
- Military decorations -- United States
- Purple Heart
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Europe
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Medals
- Title
- Inventory of the George Detwiler Burges Collection, 1929-1944
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by: Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by: Gillian Cote
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)