Paul J. Halloran papers, 1895-1972 (bulk 1918-1971)

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Halloran, Paul J.
Title
Paul J. Halloran papers
Dates
1895-1972 (bulk 1918-1971) (inclusive)
Quantity
cubic ft. (26 boxes)
Collection Number
04832
Summary
Papers of United States naval rear admiral Paul J. Halloran, who oversaw construction of Pacific airbases used for bombing raids on Japan in WWII. The collection includes naval records, photographs, and 16 mm films.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

Box 26 (Service Files - Pacific Theater, Disciplinary Files) is closed until 2030. There are no access restriction on boxes 1-25 for research purposes.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Paul J. Halloran (d. 1971) was a prominent naval officer and civil engineer during the twentieth century. Born in Norwood, Massachusetts and educated at Dartmouth College, Halloran joined the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps as a lieutenant in 1921 and served a number of engineering assignments in the United States and abroad during the 1920s and 1930s, including stints at Charleston Naval Shipyard, South Carolina, Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, Haiti, New York, Quantico, and American Samoa. During World War II, Halloran supervised the construction of naval facilities at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia (1939-1941) and Newport Naval Station, Rhode Island (1941-1943). From 1943 to 1945, he served in the Pacific Theater and commanded the U.S. Navy's Sixth Seabee Brigade, which built the airbases on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands. The Tinian airbase was used for numerous bombing raids on Japan, including the dropping of atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the war, Halloran served as public works officer of the Fifth Naval District in Norfolk, Virginia, and then retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of rear admiral in 1948. From 1948 to 1958, he was vice president of Foley Brothers Construction in Pleasantville, New York, and passed away in 1971.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Paul J. Halloran papers contain naval records from Halloran’s service (which include correspondence, reports, government documents, and blue prints). There are also a large number of photographs and thirty 16-mm films from Halloran’s time in the navy, with the majority stemming from his work on the Norfolk naval base and his time in the Pacific Theater. The collection also contains civilian business records, personal correspondence and photographs, and files relating to Halloran’s hobbies (including architecture, home improvement, art, and music).

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Alternative Forms Available

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:8180/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~127~127.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Paul J. Halloran papers have been divided into seven series. Naval records have been grouped by stationed location when possible.

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Paul J. Halloran at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

This material was received from David G. Halloran in 1973.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Matthew Francis in January 2010.

Select material from the collection was digitized by Kathy Gerlach in April 2014.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Naval RecordsReturn to Top

Box 26 (Service Files - Pacific Theater, Disciplinary Files) is closed until 2030.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1, 2
Service Files - Charleston, South Carolina
1924-1925
1, 2
Service Files - Chicago, Illinois (Naval Station Great Lakes)
1926
1, 2
Service Files - Haiti
1926-1929
1, 2
Service Files - New York, New York
1932-1934
1, 2
Service Files - Quantico, Virginia
1934-1937
1, 2
Service Files - American Samoa
1937-1939
1-3
Service Files - Norfolk (1)
1939-1942
4
Service Files - Newport, Rhode Island
1942-1943
4, 5
Service Files - Pacific Theater (Primarily Saipan and Tinian)
1944-1945
26
Service Files - Pacific Theater - Disciplinary Files (CLOSED UNTIL 2030)
1944-1945
6
Service Files - Norfolk (2)
1946-1948
6
General Files - Halloran's Notes
1940-1946
6
General Files - Organization
1934
6
General Files - Orders
1945-1948
6
General Files - Personnel and References
1944-1951
7
General Files - Promotion Messages and Congratulations
1924-1948
7
General Files - Travel
1944-1945
7
General Files - Miscellaneous
1943-1944
7
Blueprints, Mechanical Drawings, and Maps - Charleston, Chicago, Haiti, NY, Quantico, American Samoa, Norfolk (1), and Newport
1924-1943
22
Blueprints, Mechanical Drawings, and Maps - New York
1931-1934
23
Blueprints, Mechanical Drawings, and Maps - Pacific Theater
1944-1945
23
Blueprints, Mechanical Drawings, and Maps - Miscellaneous
undated
23
Calculators (Hand-Made)
1943, undated

Series II. Business FilesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
8
Foley Brothers - Chile
1948-1949
8
Foley Brothers - Ruth, Nevada
1952-1954
8
Foley Brothers - General
1948-1954
8
Foley Brothers - Blueprints
1948-1954
8
Oran Hall Construction
undated
8
Terminal Steel
1959-1963
8
Miscellaneous Files
circa 1920s-1950s

Series III. Personal FilesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
9
Correspondence
1895-1971 (scattered)
10
Education - Dartmouth/Thayer School of Engineering
1918-1950
10-11
Hobbies - Architecture, Engineering, Home Improvement
circa 1920s-1960s
11, 24
Hobbies - Art
circa 1930s-1940s
11, 24
Hobbies - Music
circa 1940s
12
Hobbies - Travel
1938-1939
12
"In Memory of a Construction Stiff," by Richard Halloran
1972
12
"American Travelogue," by Mina Ward Lenihan
circa 1951

Series IV. Printed MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
12
Dartmouth/Thayer School of Engineering
1920-1969
12
Foley Brothers
circa 1940s
12, 13, 24
Naval - Pacific Theater and Construction
circa 1930s-1940s

Series V. ScrapbooksReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
14
Paul Halloran, Binders I - VI
1908-1969
14
Pacific Theater
1944-1945

Series VI. PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
15
Bound Photographs - Charleston, Chicago, Haiti, New York, Quantico, American Samoa, and Norfolk (1)
1924-1942
15
Bound Photographs - Charleston and New York
1924-1925, 1931-1934
15
Bound Photographs - New York
1931-1934
15, 16
Bound Photographs - Norfolk (1)
1939-1942
16
Bound Photographs - Newport and Norfolk (2)
1942-1943, 1946-1948
16, 17
Bound Photographs - Pacific Theater
1944-1945
17
Bound Photographs - Miscellaneous Naval
undated
17
Bound Photographs - Personal
undated
17, 18, 25
Unorganized Photographs - Naval
circa 1924-1948
18
Unorganized Photographs - Personal/Miscellaneous
undated
18
Photograph Photocopies - Naval
circa 1924-1948
18
Negatives - Naval
circa 1924-1948

Series VII. Audio-Visual MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
19
Film Index Cards
1938-1945
19
Outlines/Lectures for Films
1938-1945
19
Audio Tape Cartridge - Unidentified
undated
21 1939-1942
20 1944-1945

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Air bases, American--Mariana Islands--20th century.
  • Civil engineering--Mariana Islands--20th century.
  • Civil engineering--United States--20th century.
  • Civil engineers--Mariana Islands--20th century.
  • Civil engineers--United States--20th century.
  • Navy-yards and naval stations--United States--20th century.
  • World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, American.

Corporate Names

  • United States--Navy--Civil Engineer Corps.
  • United States--Navy--Officers.
  • United States--Navy--Seabees.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Blueprints.
  • Motion pictures.
  • Photographs.