Myers Collection Now Open!

The Richard Russell Library is pleased to announce that the Henry Tift Myers, Sr. Papers are now open for research. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Tift Myers, Sr., a native of Tifton, Georgia, was the first Presidential pilot, and transported Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman around the world. He captained of a trio of legendary airplanes— “The Guess Where II,” “The Sacred Cow” and “The Independence”—that were forerunners to the modern Air Force One. He also piloted several members of Congress, high ranking military officers, visiting royalty, and other VIPs and guests of the United States government. Among his notable passengers were Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Mexican President Miguel Alemán, King George II of Greece, and Winston Churchill. He captained the 1943 global war front flight that carried Senator Richard B. Russell and the Special Senate Subcommittee to inspect military installations. Myers was also the holder of a number of air speed and flight distance records.

The Henry Tift Myers, Sr. Papers document both his personal and professional life from 1931 to 1968, with an emphasis on his service as the first Presidential pilot during World War II. The collection contains a number of fascinating items, including Myers’ wartime flight logs, navigation charts, photographs from the then-newly liberated Paris, and drawings of “The Independence.”

The Russell Library is open for research from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. For further information on the Henry Tift Myers, Sr. Papers, please contact russlib@uga.edu or (706) 542-5788. Or, visit us online at http://www.libs.uga.edu/russell/.

Post by Katherine Shirley, Head of Arrangement & Description, Russell Library