OLIVER W. HUGHES:

An Inventory of His Thule Air Base Construction Photograph Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society

Sound and Visual Collection

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Hughes, Oliver W. (Oliver Winfield), 1917-2010, photographer.
Title:Thule Air Base construction photograph collection.
Dates:1951.
Abstract:Images taken by Oliver Winfield Hughes who worked on the construction of the Thule Air Base in Greenland in 1951. Images document workers, living quarters, construction, machinery and equipment, landscape views, and airplanes.
Quantity:50 negatives: black and white; 3 x 7 in. and smaller and 2 photographs: transparencies, color: 2 x 2 in. (slide format).
Location:I.468: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Oliver Winfield Hughes was born January 6, 1917, in Hudson Township, Wisconsin to Almon J. and Ruby (Benoy) Hughes. Hughes graduated from Roberts High School in Roberts, Wisconsin and served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. Following the war, he was a furniture maker and was employed by the University of Minnesota as a senior construction supervisor for twenty years.

The Thule Air Base was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers beginning in the summer of 1951 under the code name Operation Blue Jay. Its construction was part of a larger U.S. initiative to contain the spread of Soviet ideology and to protect the U.S. from a Soviet military strike, which included the construction of a ring of air bases surrounding the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1958. Thule was originally established as a Northeast Air Command and then as a Strategic Air Command installation that could support nuclear bombers and could serve as a missile testing site. Today, Thule Air Base serves as an Air Force Space Command station.


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Hughes, Oliver W. (Oliver Winfield), Thule Air Base Construction Photograph Collection. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: AV2016.27

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 008646700


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Location
I.468.1Two men outside foreman's barracks, Thule Air Force Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.2 on one sheet.
Two men outside foreman's barracks, Thule Air Force Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.2Group of men at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.1 on one sheet.
Group of men at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.3Man seated in a building at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.4 on one sheet.
Man seated in a building at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.4Man standing next to an outbuilding at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.3 on one sheet.
Man standing next to an outbuilding at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.5Bunk at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.6 on one sheet.
Bunk at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.6Interior of quonset hut, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.5 on one sheet.
Interior of quonset hut, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.7Bunk at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.8 on one sheet.
Bunk at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.8Bunk at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.7 on one sheet.
Bunk at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.9Quonset huts, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 3 in.
Quonset huts, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.10Snowy view, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.11 on one sheet.
Snowy view, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.11Man standing outside of quonset hut, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.10 on one sheet.
Man standing outside of quonset hut, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.12Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 7 in.
With I.468.13 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.13Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 7 in.
With I.468.12 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.14Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 7 in.
With I.468.15 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.15Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 7 in.
With I.468.14 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.16Man standing near treeline, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Man standing near treeline, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.17Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.18Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.19 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.19Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.18 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.20Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.21 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.21Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.20 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.22Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.23 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.23Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.22 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.24Snowy landscape near Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.25 on one sheet.
Snowy landscape near Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.25Snowy landscape near Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.24 on one sheet.
Snowy landscape near Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.26Men at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.27 on one sheet.
Men at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.27Machinery at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.26 on one sheet.
Machinery at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.28Construction, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.29 on one sheet.
Construction, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.29Construction, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.28 on one sheet.
Construction, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.30Ships in restricted area, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.31 on one sheet.
Ships in restricted area, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.31Equipment, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.30 on one sheet.
Equipment, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.32Men at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.33 on one sheet.
Men at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.33Containers, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.32 on one sheet.
Containers, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.34Man in snowcat, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Man in snowcat, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.35Construction site, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.36 on one sheet.
Construction site, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.36Man at construction site, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.35 on one sheet.
Man at construction site, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.37Men at work during construction of Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Men at work during construction of Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.38Crane, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Crane, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.39Portrait of a man at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Portrait of a man at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.40Portrait of a man at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Portrait of a man at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.41Portrait of a man at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 2 in.
Portrait of a man at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.42Man in doorway of quonset hut, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 photograph: transparency, color; 2 x 2 in. (slide format)
Man in doorway of quonset hut, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.43Man at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.44 on one sheet.
Man at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.44Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.43 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.45Man at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 photograph: transparency, color; 2 x 2 in. (slide format)
Man at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.46Man at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.47 on one sheet.
Man at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.47Two men at Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.46 on one sheet.
Two men at Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.48Group of men next to Air Force plane, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 2 x 3 in.
Group of men next to Air Force plane, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.49Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.50 on one sheet.
Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.50U.S. Air Force plane, Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.49 on one sheet.
U.S. Air Force plane, Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.51Parachute drop near Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 3 x 5 in.
With I.468.52 on one sheet.
Parachute drop near Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image
Location
I.468.52Parachute drop near Thule Air Base, Greenland, 1951. 1 negative: black and white; 5 x 3 in.
With I.468.51 on one sheet.
Parachute drop near Thule Air Base, GreenlandDigital image

Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Military bases, American -- Greenland -- Photographs.
Organizations:
United States -- Air Force -- Photographs.
United States -- Army -- Corps of Engineers -- Military construction operations.
Places:
Thule Air Base (Greenland) -- Photographs.
Document Types:
Color transparencies.
Negatives.
Slide (photographs)

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