Operation: Knoxville
The Richard Eager book finds a permanent home in the University of Tennessee veteran archives
The placement of my father's book in military museums and university archives is one of our key publishing goals. While time-consuming, this project has proven enlightening.
The process begins with identifying key professionals who curate military history collections across the United States and United Kingdom. After initial contact, we send a "Museum Edition" - a hardcover version printed on fine paper - to each museum or library. The acceptance process often extends over weeks of follow-up communication.
Colonel Evans' book now resides in the archives of several prestigious institutions: the Imperial War Museum in London, 390th Memorial Museum, WWII Museum Rhode Island, The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Strategic Air Command, Museum of Flight Library in Seattle, Royal Air Force Cranwell, Gilder Lehrman Historical Institute, East Tennessee Historical Society, University of Tennessee, and the National Museum of the US Air Force.
Among these, the University of Tennessee library held special significance as my father's alma mater. He studied there for three years until duty called - the US Army Air Corps summoned him to defend freedom in WWII. Though Colonel Evans never formally graduated, he earned what I consider a Ph.D. in the “school of life”.
This past August, our trip to Knoxville proved remarkably successful. John and I visited with most of my Evans cousins living in and around the city - children of my father's three brothers who all served and survived WWII as two pilots and a navigator. We had a wonderful time catching up with each other.
We achieved a primary mission by meeting with the head of "Special Collections" at the University of Tennessee. I presented the Museum Edition to the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, where it will join their Tennessee Veterans accounts. We also visited the East Tennessee Historical Society to thank their Calvin M. McClung archivist, whose valuable assistance in 2017 helped uncover many historical photographs now featured in my father's book.
Colonel Evans would have been very proud to know his book was enthusiastically accepted by the University of Tennessee.
Barbara Evans Kinnear
Further Articles
Barbara (“Bobbie”) Evans Kinnear, daughter of Colonel Richard Ernest Evans, joins historian and author, James Holland, on his podcast, “We Have Ways of Making You Talk”