Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

John Hager Randolph Jr. Papers, ca. 1942-1945. Accession 51038. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Sarah Gayle Randolph, Irvington, Virginia, 12 September 2013.

Biographical Information

John Hager "Jack" Randolph Jr. was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on 27 July 1921, the son of John Hager Randolph and Grace Lee Randolph. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1942 before entering the Army and serving as a bomber pilot, first in World War II and later during the Korean War. He held the positions of president and chairman of the board of the Virginia Federal Savings and Loan Association, and president of the United States Savings and Loan League, and served on the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. He married first Rebecca Holmes Meem, and had two daughters with her; and second, Sarah Gayle Hunter. He lived in Richmond for many years before retiring to Topping, Middlesex County, Virginia. Jack Randolph died on 5 October 2003.

Scope and Content

Papers, ca. 1942-1945 and undated, of John Hager "Jack" Randolph Jr. (1921-2003) of Richmond, Virginia, include undated letters, circa 1942, from Randolph to his parents while finishing up his schooling at the Virginia Military Institute, with comments on his social life, graduation, and impending entry into the Army for World War II service. The bulk of the letters were written in 1945, while Randolph was in the Pacific Theater serving as a bomber pilot with the 19th Bombardment Group, 28th Squadron, and include descriptions of daily life, speculation on when the war with Japan would conclude, and updates on his stay in the hospital for a severe "Charley horse." Of particular note are Randolph's frequent comments on the bombing missions in which he participated--at times written from the plane on the return trip--evaluating the success of each mission, noting the danger and exhaustion he and his comrades experienced, and expressing his hope that their efforts would lead to the total defeat of the Japanese. Also includes clippings from Richmond-area newspapers reporting on Allied B-29 "Superfortress" bomber missions aimed at Japanese targets, in which Randolph took part.

Index Terms

Persons:

• Randolph, John Hager, 1921-2003

Family Names:

• Randolph family

Corporate Names:

• United States. Army Air Forces. Bombardment Group, 19th.
• Virginia Military Institute--History--World War, 1939-1945.

Subjects:

• Bomber pilots--History--World War, 1939-1945.
• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Japan--Personal narratives, American.

Geographical Names:

• United States--History--World War, 1939-1945.
• Virginia--History--World War, 1939-1945.