Since I last wrote a post I have been staying busy with research. It truly is amazing how much fun yet difficult it can be combing through hundreds of documents looking for that one gem that has yet to be harvested by anyone.

Have you ever tried sitting in front of a computer for twelve plus hours a day slowly going through documents from the 1940s that have been digitized to enable a researcher to utilize what otherwise would be microfilm? Let me tell you unless you have perfect eyesight it is not easy in the least little bit. Often times the documents are so difficult to read it is possible to overlook a vital piece of information that could make your research really stand out from the rest. However, I would not trade it for anything. I love that glimpse into the past that viewing these documents has given me into a volatile time in our nation’s history…WWII.  I am also getting a better understanding of the animosity that was going on in our Armed Forces between certain commanders, and it is truly amazing that what is now part of our standard strategy was considered a non-starter for some of those leaders.

I still have about 5 DVDs worth of material to search through in hopes of finding something that will really stand out, I may find it and yet I may not. It is what is driving my research time that never seems to want to end.  Not only have been spending time digging through material provided by the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) but newspapers.com is an amazing treasure trove of material.

Have you ever tried searching through a newspaper archive collection? newspapers.com is probably one of my favorites, especially with the best-paid subscription because you are given access to newspapers that have not existed in probably 40 years or more.  I can not believe how many newspapers across the country printed the same article at the same time. One article I was looking at was printed in at least six different newspapers in different parts of the country.  The ones I find the most intriguing are the locally written ones about hometown boys off fighting in a war from which many would not return home. These are usually the ones that are only printed locally and not reprinted over and over again, giving the reader an insight into the subject’s personal life. The family and friends left behind, the loved ones praying for their son, husband, father’s safe return. The community pulling together to ensure that those left behind know that they are not alone. These are the ones that pull at the heartstrings, while they may not focus on the mission overseas, they give the reader an opportunity to watch the scenes unfolding from the homefront.

                 sample newspaper article title from the Bakersfield Californian paper out of Bakersfield, CA, April 2, 1943 (from newspapers.com)

This is just a sampling of some of the research I have been doing, and this week starts the real fun… I am starting to put together the first chapter of my thesis!! The good part is a huge portion of it has been written, thanks to a historiography assignment from last week.  However, there is still a great deal of it to write, including that wonderful bibliography that will probably have grown from a tentative 8 pages to most likely around 15-20 pages now with all the primary sources I have been pulling out of these documents and newspapers. So while part of me is dreading starting on this first chapter as it sets the tone for the thesis, I am excited at the same time because I know I am that much closer to finishing. I am excited to continue my exploration of the relationship between Chennault, Boyington and Doolittle and their leadership abilities, to explore the avenues that took them from just ordinary men on ordinary missions to Legends while examining the legacy they left for those who came after them.