Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Robert Eldred Taylor Papers, Ms1994-033, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Robert Eldred Taylor Papers were donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1994.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Robert Eldred Taylor Papers was completed in May 2024 as part of the project, "Piercing the Veil: Creating Access to the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration at Virginia Tech," funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) in 2024.

Biographical Note

Robert Eldred Taylor was born to Ralph E. Taylor and Mary H. Lawton on August 6, 1920, in Larned, Kansas. During World War II, in 1942, Taylor was disqualified from Aviation Cadet Training due to color blindness, and entered the enlisted reserve corps. Upon finishing his flight training in February 1943, he was assigned inactive status to Pan American World Airways in Miami, Florida, to fly in the Latin American Division. In 1945, Taylor had to go in front of the selective service board again for possible duty.

Between 1940 and 1950, Taylor married Oueda Bordewich (1922-1982), and according to the 1950 census, he worked at a Ford Motor Agency in Larned. According to his findagrave entry, he married Mary Price in in 1982 after the death of his first wife. Tayor died on July 20, 1994.

External sources:

U. S. Federal Census, 1940-1950.

"Robert Eldred Taylor," Findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74648540/robert-eldred-taylor , accessed on Nov. 13, 2024.

"Robert Eldred Taylor Jr" in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/records?recordId=49127429&collectionId=60901 , accessed on Nov. 13, 2024.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of the selective service records of Robert Eldred Taylor of Larned, Kansas, during World War II. This includes materials such as Taylor's Aviation Cadet Training Rejection, an honorable discharge certificate, and a later letter explaining that he may be eligible for army duty. Other materials include a flight chart of Central America and a certificate of recognition for completion of the Gulf Sea Frontier Transport Pilot Course.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Air pilots
• Archives of American Aerospace Exploration (AAAE)
• Science and Technology
• World War, 1939-1945

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Robert Eldred Taylor Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).