Name/Title
Letter From Elisha "Smokey" Stover to his Siblings Dated December 6, 1942Scope and Content
Letter written by Smokey Stover to his brother Ben and sister-in-law Rae dated December 6, 1942 while he was home on leave after returning from Guadalcanal. In this letter he tells of his travel plans, laments that his missed them in Arkansas by two days, recounts his visit home and tells them about his upcoming appearance on the Wrigley Radio program on CBS highlighting members of his squadron and their experience on Guadalcanal.Context
Elisha Terrill "Smokey" Stover was a F4F Wildcat pilot with VF-8 on the USS Hornet (CV-8) and VF-5 aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and later at Guadalcanal in 1942 where he downed 4 Japanese planes earning the Air Medal. Transferred aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) as a Fighter Director Officer in CIC in 1944, he appeared in scenes of "The Fighting Lady" and later returned to flight status with VF-5 when he was shot down over Truk Atoll in February 1944.Collection
Smokey Stover CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2023.63Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionUpdate Date
October 1, 2026
