Title
Letter From Elisha "Smokey" Stover to his Brother Benjamin Dated November 9, 1941
Description
10 page letter from Elisha "Smokey" Stover written to his brother Ben over a period of two weeks dated November 9, 1941 while he was in the hospital and during training at Norfolk Naval Air Station prior to going aboard the USS Hornet (CV-8). In the letter he describes an outing in the woods with friends, his contracting poison ivy during the trek and how it forced him into the base hospital. He goes on to describe the challenges of practicing carrier landings at the airfield, gunnery training, improvements to the F4F Wildcat, his housemates at Virginia Beach, his visit to New Orleans and his purchase of a new portable radio. He closes with news about the death of a family friend and asks he brother whether he has set a date for his wedding.
Collection
Smokey Stover Collection
Context
Elisha Terrill "Smokey" Stover was a F4F Wildcat pilot with VF-8 on the USS Hornet (CV-8) and VF-5 aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and later at Guadalcanal in 1942 where he downed 4 Japanese planes earning the Air Medal. Transferred aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) as a Fighter Director Officer in CIC in 1944, he appeared in scenes of "The Fighting Lady" and later returned to flight status with VF-5 when he was shot down over Truk Atoll on February 16, 1944.
Accession #
2023.63
