Walter J. Binder Papers, 1917-1919 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Chuck Hill and Malcolm Tabor

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Collection Overview

Title: Walter J. Binder Papers, 1917-1919

Primary Creator: Binder, Walter J. (1898-1959)

Extent: 0.22 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 04/09/2004

Subjects: World War, 1914-1918.

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection consists primarily of photographs that Walter J. Binder took or acquired while serving in WWI. Binder served with the 487th Aero Squadron of the Army Air Service, Allied Expeditionary Forces. Printed material is comprised of official forms of enlistment and discharge as well as notes on postcards and the backs of photographs. Some photographs are captioned (presumably by Binder) but otherwise there is little to identify the location or contents of photographs. All other information given on these photographs is from research conducted by the staff of the University Archives, and is subject to change or correction as needed.

Biographical Note

Walter J. Binder was born in Covington, KY in 1898 to Frank and Matilda Binder. He was raised in Newport, KY (across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, OH) in a 2nd generation German family. His father, Frank, was a typesetter for the Cincinnati Enquirer for more than 50 years. Walter was the 2nd of three children, the 1910 Federal census shows him, age 12, living with his parents and a younger sister, Alice, age 4. Walter graduated from Newport High School in 1915 and attended the University of Wisconsin until he joined the U.S. Army in 1917. While at college, he worked three jobs to support himself.

After joining the Army, Walter J. Binder was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Service. He served with the 487th Aero Squadron, Air Service of the Army (ASA), to May 23rd 1919. He trained at Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX, before moving with the squadron to Romorantin, France in early 1918. He was promoted to 1st Sgt. on March 1, 1918. He was the official staff photographer but wrote to his father (in a letter that was partially printed in the newspaper) that "I just finished pitching a load of hay. Can you imagine me, a perfectly citified chap, wielding a pitchfork along with the alfalfa farmers from Kansas and Missouri? Of course, they do the same work with far less effort but I kept up and did my bit." He was honorably discharged at Camp Sherman, OH, on May 23, 1919.

When Walter returned to Newport, KY, in 1919, he started a small business in a converted carriage house manufacturing envelopes. He produced the envelopes during the day and delivered them in the evening via streetcar. In 1924 he married Helen Kyle and moved to Ft. Thomas, KY. They had two daughters, Mary Jean and Joyce. Mary Jean Giltner (nee Binder) is the donor of this collection. Between 1919 and 1941, he built his small business into a large company known as the Specialty Envelope Co. This company eventually merged with Western Paper Goods in the early 1940s. Walter served as President of Western paper Goods until his sudden death in 1959.

Subject/Index Terms

World War, 1914-1918.

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Giltner, Mary Jean

Related Publications: Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917-1919, Vol. 19

Finding Aid Revision History: Processed in 2004 by Chuck Hill, revised in 2007 by Malcolm Tabor.

Other Note: Photographs were initially numbered with the accession number; however, a decision was made to change to collection number. The database was changed, but the numbers written on the images were not changed.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[All]

Box 1

Barcode: 31234014042004

Folder 1: France

Various views of France including civilians and war damage.

Item 1: Binder, Walter J., 1918: US soldier in front of a wayside cross (probably Walter J. Binder)
Item 2: Binder, Walter J., 1918: Walter J. Binder posed in dress uniform in chateau grounds
Item 3: US Soldiers Playing Cards, 1918: Walter J. Binder is probably the 1st soldier at the left.
Item 4: Binder, Walter J.; Chateau de Moulin, 1918 Jun: Chateau de Moulin exterior
Item 5: French Citizens, 1918: French women washing at riverside
Item 6: War Damaged Buildings, 1918
Item 7: Binder, Walter J.; Chateau de Moulin, 1918: Chateau de Moulin exterior (closer view than 0004)
Item 8: US Soldiers at Mess, 1918: Walter J. Binder in foreground.
Item 9: Binder, Walter J., 1918: Walter J. Binder with German grave cross
Item 10: War Damaged Buildings, 1918: War damaged town with ruined buildings and dirt road in foreground
Item 11: Ships at sea, 1918: Possibly transport in foreground, transport or cargo ship in background, tugboat or minesweeper farther off.
Item 12: War Damaged Buildings, 1918: US soldier in steel helmet on war damaged street
Item 13: War Damaged Buildings, 1918: US soldier on pile of rubble in a war damaged town
Item 14: War Damaged Buildings, 1918: War damaged town with ruined building overgrown with weeds on a dirt street
Item 15: French Citizens, 1918 Jun 23: French women in donkey cart on a paved road "A very common type of cart."
Item 16: French Citizens, 1918: French man on horse drawn cart
Item 17: War Damaged Buildings, 1918: Unidentified truck with ruined town in the background. There is a signpost in this photograph with a saddled horse tied to it that reads "Essey Pannes Beney" and indicates direction.
Item 18: Church, 1918: Church with scaffolding on bell tower
Item 19: French Citizens, 1918: Women and children washing clothes at river
Item 20: French Citizens, 1918 Jun 23: French woman standing beside a rural house "One of the older houses. Rather numerous - from two to five hundred years old."
Item 21: French Chateau, 1918 Apr: Chateau near Pruniers, Residence of Le Major
Item 22: Saint-Paul de Vence; France, 1918: US officers and possibly an ANZAC officer posing in an alley at Saint-Paul de Vence with a civilian in a white hat and two dogs (different place than 0023)
Item 23: Saint-Paul de Vence, 1918: US officers and possibly an ANZAC officer posing in an alley at Saint-Paul de Vence with a civilian in a white hat and two dogs (different place than 0022)
Item 24: Nice, France, 1918: US officers and possibly an ANZAC at a seaside cafe
Item 25: France, 1918: Path beside tree-lined canal somewhere in France
Item 26: Nice, France, 1918: Street and intersection with a few pedestrians in Nice, with the seaside casino in the background
Item 27: Nice, France, 1918: Casino on the jete at Nice along the "Promenade des anglais"
Item 28: US officers in front of a building with a sign reading "La Buissonniere", 1918
Item 29: Unidentified chateau in France, 1918
Item 30: Unidentified house within a wall in France, 1918
Item 31: Paris; France; Jardin des Tuiliers, 1918: Waterfront park, probably the Jardin des Tuiliers in Paris (near the Place de la Concorde), with people along the far bank and a train or tram in the background under the trees
Item 32: Place de la Concorde; Paris; France, 1918: Exhibition of captured German war materiel in the Place de la Concorde, Paris, with two late-war Albatross or possible Fokker fighter planes and Maxim machine gun on sled mount
Item 33: Place de la Concorde; Paris; France, 1918: Exhibition of captured German war materiel in the Place de la Concorde, Paris, with front ends of several different aircraft and a vast assortment of artillery and field pieces spread all over the square. Visible pieces are German 77mm light field guns,
Item 45: L'Arc du Triumph, 1918: With a sign that reads, in part, "Societe Centrale" (a French bank) and "SOUSCRIVEZ" (Subscribe)
Item 46: Gazebo prominently displaying American flag, 1918
Item 66: Weapons, 1918: French 400mm rail gun, at rest with French soldier leaning against the rail car
Item 67: Weapons, 1918: French 400mm rail gun, at rest and covered with camouflage net
Item 68: Weapons, 1918: French 400mm rail gun, side view with raised barrel
Item 69: Weapons, 1918: French 400mm rail gun, shot from the front with raised barrel
Item 70: Nieuport 12, 1918: Nieuport 12 two seater trainer overturned, No. 871
Item 71: Nieuport 12, 1918: Nieuport 12 two seater trainer overturned, No. 871, soldier posed at front
Item 72: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon being filled, view from the right front with French non-commissioned officer in foreground
Item 73: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon being filled, view from the front left with soldier on ladder
Item 74: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon being pulled from cover
Item 75: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon being carried by soldiers in open ground in preparation for raising.
Item 76: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon being raised
Item 77: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon rising with basket visible
Item 78: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon aflame in mid-air
Item 79: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon in flames on the ground
Item 80: Caquot observation balloon, 1918: Caquot observation balloon in flames on the ground with soldiers walking to crash site
Item 81: US Soldiers Posing in Front of Two Wagons, 1918: Soldier at left appears to have an the insignia for "Enlisted Men, Signal Corps" on his right sleeve.

Folder 2: Postcards

Item 34: Jeanne d'Arc, 1918 Jul 21: A copy of a painting, July 21, 1918
Item 35: Orleans, France, 1918 Jul 21: Orleans - La Rue de la Republique, La Banque de France. "Orleans, France, Republic Street and the Bank of France."
Item 36: Orleans, France, 1918 Jul 21: Orleans, Caserne Coligny, faubourg Bannier. "Coligne Barracks at the outskirts of Bannier (a suburb of Orleans)."
Item 37: Paysage du Barry; France, 1918 Oct 02: Paysage du Berry - Carrefour de la Croix de Mission de Bagneux. "Crossroads of the Cross of the Bayeaux Mission. These crucifixes are quite common at country roads."
Item 38: Villefranche-sur-Cher, France, 1918 Jun 09: Villefranche-sur-Cher - Quartier de la Croix "Notice the well just behind the cross. Incident of the old woman and her pail and bucket."
Item 39: Villefranche-sur-Cher, France, 1918 Jun 09: Villefranche-sur-Cher - L'Eglise "12th century church. Built by the owner of the castle (Photo herewith)."
Item 40: WWI, 1918 Oct 02: En Sologne, Charbonnier en Foret "A forest charcoal burner. Note the home-made tools."
Item 41: Romorantin, France, 1918 Oct 02: Romorantin - Bateau -Lavoir "The public wash-boat. Here all the women bring their laundry and wash it in the river. A power laundry, or the use of soap, doesn't seem to be known in this part of the country at all. Notice the man fishing in 20 inches of water for 5 in. chubs. Quite ordinary."
Item 42: Romorantin, France, 1918 Oct 02: Romorantin - Au Marche, Marchande "A market woman showing her wares. Notice the inevitable bottle of pinard."
Item 43: Romorantin, France, 1918 Oct 02: Romorantin - Rue Delavarenne "A view of the main street of Romorantin, showing about how many people are usually out. Of course, on Wednesdays (market day) and Sundays (since our arrival the streets are crowded."
Item 44: Romorantin, France, 1918 Oct 02: Romorantin - L'Avenue de la Gare "This is a front view of the station. It is almost time for the noon train, otherwise there would not be near so many people around."
Item 125: Ham, France, 1918ca: Les Ruines de Ham (The Ruins of Ham)
Item 126: Chauny, France, 1918ca: Chauny - Dynamite par les Allemands (Dynamited by the Germans)

Folder 3: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France

Item 47: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 May 17: DH-4 being inspected by US soldiers, labeled on the front "Romorantin."
Item 48: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: DH-4 with pilot Lt. H.C. Boricon (one of the first pilots at the Production Center to fly the DH-4 with a Liberty motor) and an unidentified US soldier or pilot posed in front of the right-hand wings.
Item 49: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Four wing sections of a DH-4 partially in shipping crate
Item 50: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: DH-4 assembled fuselage without wings or tail section, crew apparently engaged in fine tuning landing struts
Item 51: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 Aug 31: Hangar full of DH-4 fuselages in process of assembly (mostly complete). It shows a French female worker in left lower corner and is labeled 'Fuselage assembly - View B, Day Plant 1.A'.
Item 52: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers assembling the fuselages of a DH-4 in the Production Center. This view is showing the method of aligning the ship.
Item 53: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers work on engine and props for DH-4 in the Production Center. This view shows the motor assembly operation.
Item 54: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: DH-4 "I am Ship No. 1000" upon assembly in France (probably on Flying Field No. 1 at the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin, France. See a published photograph of this aircraft's fuselage in America prior to shipment see: The Official Picto
Item 55: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: DH-4 taking off. The caption in Gorrell's History of the AEF Air Service... says "Trial Flight"
Item 56: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: DH-4 wrecked with tail in the air, appears to have run into a ditch, as fuselage has no tears from bullets in it and aircraft appears undamaged other than its precarious position (probably on Flying Field No.1 at the Air Service Production Center No. 2, R
Item 57: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France; LVG C.V., 1918: Captured German observation aircraft LVG C.V. It has a half-moon with an eye painted on the fuselage
Item 58: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Wings of captured German aircraft on railway flatcar for shipment
Item 59: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France; Nieuport 24, 1918: Nieuport 24 displaying fuselage art of US soldiers on a battlefield
Item 60: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France; Nieuport 24, 1918: Nieuport 24 with fuselage art of a US soldier on horseback firing at a wolf
Item 61: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France; Fokker D.VII, 1918 Sep 11: Fokker D.VII aircraft labeled "Captured Fokker plane"
Item 62: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Large wooden crates that contain DH-4 fuselages with Liberty motors and shown her still loaded on French railroad flatcars (see Gorrell's History of the AEF Air Service...)
Item 63: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 Nov: Spare Parts Warehouse No. 1 at the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin, France showing a US soldiers standing among wooden crates filled with Liberty motors just before the armistice. The warehouse was 48' X 504' and was built with English steel and had corrugated iron walls and roof. The caption for this image in Gorrell's History of the AEF Air Service... reads, in part, "Perhaps the Boche saw this picture."
Item 64: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US officer and US soldiers testing altimeters for the DH-4 in the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin, France (see Gorrell's History of the AEF Air Service...)
Item 65: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers assembling a DH-4 in the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin, France. This view shows assembly of the landing gear (see Gorrell's History of the AEF Air Service)
Item 90: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers at work in a mostly bare field.
Item 91: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers carrying trusses for the construction of Plant 2-A at Air Service Production Center No. 2 (the material for the trusses was fabricated and shipped complete from the United States)
Item 92: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US officers posing in open field.
Item 93: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 Jan 20: US officers (Major Robert J. Bates and Capt. William A. Campbell) posed in front of the barracks erected at Air Service Production Center No. 2
Item 94: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US officers posing in a field with construction work in background.
Item 95: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers in a field digging.
Item 96: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers at a lumber yard or wood shop surrounded by cut timber for use in construction.
Item 97: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers at rest and in leisure poses in front of the completed barracks at Air Service Production Center No. 2
Item 98: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Air Service Production Center No. 2 post headquarters with small footbridge, flagpole and staff car
Item 99: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Interior of the assembly hall at Air Service Production Center No. 2, displaying flags of England, France, Japan, Belgium, and America as well as paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling (possibly as decoration for Chinese laborers)
Item 100: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers of the 493rd Aero Construction Squadron posing at the side and on top of a barracks building at Air Service Production Center No. 2
Item 101: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers graves at Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin, France (headstones are mostly illegible headstones but the 1st one in the foreground appears to be Pvt. Edwin C. Halsey and the 2nd one may be Pvt. William D. Blair)
Item 102: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Base Hospital No. 94, Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin, France, interior, operating room
Item 103: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Base Hospital No. 94, interior, beds and wards curtained off
Item 104: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Base Hospital No. 94, interior, US soldiers in hospital beds and on crutches
Item 105: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers standing guard over a coffin draped with an American flag
Item 115: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: US soldiers at work on what appears to be the post headquarters at Air Service Production Center No. 2
Item 116: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 May 14: Plant 2-A at Air Service Production Center No. 2 upon completion.

Folder 4: Kelley Field, San Antonio, TX

Item 82: Mess Line at Kelly Field, 1917
Item 83: A wet day in Kelly Field, 1917: Showing rows of tents with men and an airplane on a muddy road.
Item 84: Kelly Field Barracks San Antonio Texas, 1917
Item 85: Texas Cactus near Kelly Field San Antonio, 1917
Item 86: Tarantula found in Kelly Field So. San Antonio Texas, 1917
Item 87: Kelly Field Kitchen, 1917
Item 88: Binder, Walter J., 1918: Soldiers washing and hanging clothes to dry on trucks (Walter J. Binder is probably the soldier hanging clothes - 2nd from left)
Item 89: Binder, Walter J.; Kelly Field; San Antonio, TX, 1917: Soldiers posing next to train with Camp Kelly written on the side (Walter J. Binder is probably the 6th soldier from the left - standing)

Folder 5: Soldiers and Officers

Item 106: Binder, Walter J., 1917: Walter J. Binder posed while studying at the University of Wisconsin
Item 107: Binder, Walter J., 1917: Walter J. Binder in pilot's gear in front of a truck
Item 108: Binder, Walter J., 1918: Walter J. Binder washing clothes in a bucket with cigar in his mouth
Item 109: Binder, Walter J., 1918: Walter J. Binder in captured German leather helmet with spike
Item 110: Scroedl, S.H., Lt., 1918: Lt. O.H. Schroedl, Post Adjutant, Air Service Production Center No. 2, posed standing outside in dress uniform
Item 111: Unidentified Unit on Parade, 1918
Item 112: Binder, Walter J., 1917ca: Walter J. Binder portrait in uniform while seated in tent
Item 113: Pershing, John J., General; Joffre, Joseph, Marshal, 1918ca: US General John J. Pershing speaking with French Marshal Joseph Joffre
Item 114: Bates, Robert J., Maj., 1918 May: Major Robert J. Bates, Commanding Officer, Air Service Production Center No. 2 (18 Jan - 30 May 1918), posed standing outside with walking stick and in dress uniform

Folder 6: Chinese Laborers

Item 117: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Chinese laborers and US soldiers posing in and around partially completed ditch that may be part of some type of defensive works or a portion of what would become facilities for Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin
Item 118: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Chinese laborers posing in loose parade order in front of the completed or nearly completed barracks at the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin
Item 119: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Chinese laborers posed digging with picks & shovels beside the completed or nearly completed barracks at the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin
Item 120: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Chinese laborers and a US soldier posed with logging tools among felled trees at the Air Service Production Center No. 2, Romorantin
Item 121: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 May: Chinese laborers standing shoulder to shoulder in a pose that the photographer has labeled "A study in Oriental expressions, May 1918."
Item 122: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 Apr: Chinese laborers posed standing on a dirt road and labeled on the back by the photographer "Types, April 1918"
Item 123: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918 Jun 23: US soldiers and French soldiers posed seated in an office. Labeled on the back by the photographer "The Chinese Office. Left to Right. "Baldwin - checker; Mon pere - a priest-soldier who represents the French interests; Provost - clerk; Bernardi - cle
Item 124: Air Service Production Center No. 2; Romorantin, France, 1918: Chinese laborers, US soldiers and French soldiers posed standing and seated in a semi-circle with the US, French and Chinese flags

Folder 7: Binder, Walter J., 1918

Certificate of appointment for non-commissioned officer (N.C.O.). This certificate appoints Walter J. Binder to the rank of Sergeant 1st Class on March 1, 1918

Folder 8: Binder, Walter J., 1919

Honorable Discharge Certificate for Walter J. Binder (Front)

Folder 9: Binder, Walter J., 1919

Sheet of paper that initially came with the leather case that held a discharge certificate. It reads 'Keep your discharge clean. A discharge from the service is a lifetime honor'

Folder 10: Research File

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