Photos and Illustrations
Except in the Introduction, most of the photos, unless
otherwise noted, were taken by Parr. Captions in quotation
marks are taken mainly from Parr’s descriptions in his
(incomplete) list of his photos.
Introduction
- 1. Parr’s great-grandfather, William Hooper
(ca. 1792–1863). Artist/photographer unknown.
- 2. Margaret, Parr, and Mary Bowen Hooper in about 1900.
- 3. Parr’s maternal grandparents, Israel Miltiades and
Mary Bowen Parr (née Pope). This was taken at Fernwood,
their home in Green Spring, north of Baltimore, around
1900.
- 4. Parr’s father, Herbert Hooper, in the spring of 1882.
- 5. Parr’s mother, Margaret Parr Hooper, 1890.
- 6. Model of clipper ship built by Parr. It stands
next to a bell probably brought back from China on the Kate
Hooper.
- 7a. Cornell graduation. Parr is at the right in the
back row.
- 7b. Parr, Cornell graduation.
- 8a. Family and friends at Cornell graduation. Parr
is on the left, next to his father. His mother is second
from the right.
- 8b. Parr and his father.
- 9. The U.S.S. Jacob Jones, launched May 29, 1915.
(Source: Wikipedia).
- 10. Parr’s sister, Margaret Hooper, about 1915.
- 11. Parr’s brother-in-law, James Russell McQueen, about
1915.
- 12. “Sargent Harwell and the Squadron.” Taken at Ohio
State University, School of Military Aeronautics.
- 13. “The Squadron at Columbus Engine Lab.” Parr
stands seventh from the left, between Lynn Lemuel Stratton
and Reuben Paskill (arms crossed).
- 14. “Rox, Hoops, Red.” Charles Carvel “Rox” Fleet,
Parr “Hoops” Hooper, and Guy Samuel King “Red” Wheeler at
ground school at Ohio State University in the summer of 1917.
A similar photo has been handed down in Fleet’s family.
- 15. Squadron 7 at the Ohio State University School of
Military Aeronautics, August 15, 1917. Frank Hager
Haskett, photographer.
- 16. Squadron 8 at the Ohio State University School of
Military Aeronautics, August 13, 1917. Frank Hager
Haskett, photographer. Reproduced with permission of the
Ohio State University Archives.
- 17. Parr’s Uncle Fred (Frederick Reese) in a photo
probably taken around 1917.
- 18. The Herbert Hooper family in front of the house on
Bolton Street about 1915. Standing: Parr’s mother,
Margaret Parr Hooper, his sister Margaret, and his father,
Herbert Hooper. Parr and Mary Bowen Hooper
kneeling.
1. Somewhere in the North Atlantic: September
20–October 2, 1917
2. Oxford: October 3–November 2, 1917
- 1. The dining hall of Christ Church, Oxford. The
photograph was taken by Andrew Dickson White, co-founder
(with Ezra Cornell) of Parr’s alma mater. (Source:
Wikipedia; original at Cornell University Library,
A. D. White Architectural Photographs, Accession Number:
15/5/3090.00833)
- 2. “Swimming mates, Thames.” The men are
unidentified.
- 3. Oxford cadets. This publicity photo is included
in an appendix to “A History of the American Air Service in
Great Britain,” where it is captioned “First detachment of
American Flying cadets in England, marching to their
billets.” However, the man marching alongside on the far
left appears to be Elliott White Springs, which suggest this
is actually the second (“Italian”) detachment. Note the new
headgear, replacing the old campaign hats. The white bands
mark the men as cadets.
- 4. Cadets at Exeter College, Oxford. Publicity photo
(attributed on the back to the General Press Organization) in
Parr’s possession.
- 5a. “Stratton in shell, Thames below Iffley Lock.”
Lynn Lemuel Stratton, Oxford, October 1917.
- 5b. “Stratton in shell, Thames below Iffley Lock”
(detail).
- 6. “Stratton, Tea House, Thames.”
- 7. “Thames below Iffley Lock.”
- 8. Preparing to “swing the prop.” This photo,
credited on the back to the General Press Organization, was
among Parr’s possessions. The hatless cadet on the left
appears to be Elliott White Springs.
- 9. Map reading. This photo is taken from the “A
History of the Air Service in Great Britain,” where it is
captioned: “Air Pilots in the Making. Photo shows American
flying cadets learning ‘Bird’s-eye-map reading’ in British
school.” The balding, mustached man in the middle is
probably Fred Stillman; it may be Parr looking over his right
shoulder.
3. Grantham: November 4–19, 1917
4. Northolt: November 21–December 15, 1917
- 1. One of Parr’s shots of St. Wulfram’s parish church in
Grantham.
- 2. “Mr. Turner’s Home 18 N 17.” Stoke Rochford
Hall.
- 3. “Mr. Turner’s Home. Good time exposure of fog.”
Stoke Rochford Hall from the east.
- 4a. “Lt. Holland, my instructor. Dec.” The plane is
a Maurice Farman S.11 “Shorthorn.”
- 4b. William Ernest Bertram Holland.
- 5. Opening page of Parr’s letter of November 23, 1917.
His first use of R.F.C. letterhead.
- 6. Hangars. Northolt, December 15, 1917.
- 7. This is probably the mess hut. Northolt, December
15, 1917.
- 8. “Typical quarters.” Northolt, December 15,
1917.
- 9. “The type bus I learned on.” Rumpty (Maurice
Farman S.11) and two unidentified men. Northolt, December
15, 1917.
- 10. “Largest British bus. Note man.” Kennedy Giant
biplane. Northolt, December 1917.
- 11a. “My Canadian mate.” Bishop Wilson. Northolt,
December 15, 1917.
- 11b. Bishop Wilson.
- 12. “F.E.2–B.” Parr photographed this Farman
Experimental 2b (B462) at Northolt in December
1917.
- 13. “Sopwith Pup.” Parr took this photo of a Sopwith
Pup (B5313) with an unidentified man at Northolt in December
1917.
- 14. “One of the best.” Parr photographed this
Bristol Fighter (B1181) at Northolt in December
1917.
- 15. “Ambulance. Ever ready. 15 D 17 Northolt,
Eng.”
- 16a. “Kennedy & Gaines.” Parr took this photo on
January 3, 1918, at London Colney. Kennedy is unidentified.
The man in the goggles is probably Albert Belding Gaines,
Jr.
- 16b. This is probably Albert Belding Gaines, Jr.
- 17. Parr in Bristol Fighter C4834, Northolt, December
1917. Apparently just trying it on for size; his log book
indicates he never actually flew this type of machine.
- 18. Parr’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book, December
5–11, 1917.
- 19. Opening pages of Parr’s Brown Shipley pass
book.
5. London Colney: December 18, 1917–February 25, 1918
- 1. Hangars, London Colney.
- 2. “Chas. E. Brown, Jr, roommate.” Charles Edward
“Ted” Brown. London Colney, January 13, 1918.
- 3. “Avro London Colney Jan 1918.” Parr’s flying log
indicates he never flew this particular plane
(B4238).
- 4. “Parr & Avro. London Colney Jan 1918”
- 5a. “Lt. McEntegart, Avro. Stunt instructor.”
London Colney, January 7, 1918.
- 5b. Lt. Bernard McEntegart.
- 6a. “Piggot & Paskill in Avro London
Colney—Instructor and pupil.” Lt. Piggot (or Pigott) is
unidentified. The pupil is Reuben Lee Paskill. January 7,
1918.
- 6b. Lt. Piggot.
- 7. Presumably “one of our motor lurries.”
- 8a. “R.F.C. Huns & Lt. Raynor, Avro.” London
Colney, January 3, 1918. In a letter to his sister Grider
remarks that “you kind of get fed up with being a ‘Hun,’ as
they call the pupils” (Marse John Goes to War,
p. 86).
- 8b. “R.F.C. Huns & Lt. Raynor, Avro.” Detail.
Charles Brown is on the far right, with Reuben Paskill
next to him. I presume that Lt. Raynor is third from
left.
- 9. “S.E.5 crashed, Paskill.” January 7, 1918, London
Colney. Paskill, emerging from cockpit, had presumably
crawled in to have a look around; he would not have been
flying this type of plane at this point in his
training.
- 10. “B.E.2.C., Brown & Paskill.” London Colney,
January 13, 1918.
- 11. “Fry, Curtis, Brown, & Anderson.” London
Colney, January 3, 1918.
- 12. “Hollander & Avro.” Edward Frank Hollander,
a member of the second Oxford detachment. London Colney,
January 3, 1918.
- 13a. “Barry before Avro.” London Colney, January 3,
1918.
- 13b. Rutledge Bermingham Barry, a member of the first
Oxford detachment.
- 14. “Parr, sitting on stump, A cap.” London Colney,
January 13, 1918.
- 15. “Dud Mudge’s crash—the way one American landed on
his 1st solo. Flash light.”
- 16. “Rumptie crashed. The way an Englishman did it.”
Northolt, December 1917.
- 17a. Graduating nursing class of 1913 at Union
Protestant Infirmary in Baltimore. Parr’s sister Mary
always thought she looked best in profile.
- 17b. Parr’s sister, Mary Bowen Hooper, at her 1913
graduation from nursing school.
- 18. Page from Parr’s letter of January 26, 1918,
illustrating an Immelman.
- 19. The Whiting family at Mr. and Mrs. Whiting’s silver
wedding lunch at Long Acre, May 13, 1905. Seated, left to
right: Katherine, Madeleine, William Henry, Marian,
unidentified older woman with cap, unidentified young woman,
Muriel, Gerald. Maurice is standing behind his father; the
older gentleman standing is unidentified. Ralph stands
between Muriel and Gerald. Photo courtesy of Joe Fearon,
husband of Ralph’s daughter Mary.
- 20. Parr’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book, February
14–21, 1918.
6. North on leave: February 24–February 29, 1918
7. London Colney: March 2–March 17, 1918
8. Turnberry: March 20–March 29, 1918
9. Ayr: March 31–April 26, 1918
- 1. Frank Read. Parr took this photo of his friend at
the monument to Lt. Col. James Hunter Blair on Craigengower
Hill, April 3, 1918.
- 2. Parr at the Blair monument, April 3, 1918.
Presumably taken by Frank Read.
- 3. Francis “Frank” Kinloch Read. Undated; probably
taken at Ayr in April 1918.
- 4. Looking north across Wellington Square, Ayr. At
the east end of the square is a statue to James George Smith
Neill, who died at Lucknow; just visible beyond this statue
is another, to Sir James Fergusson.
- 5. The Auld Brig, Ayr.
- 6. Aerodrome, Ayr School of Aerial Fighting, April 1918.
The second plane from the right is a Bristol M. 1C
monoplane. To the right is, I believe, an SE5, to the left,
a Spad.
- 7. A Bristol M.1C monoplane and unidentified men at
Ayr
- 8. WAACs drilling, Ayr, April 1918.
- 9. One result of “the Philly ordeal.”
- 10. Thomas “Tommy” John Herbert. Probably taken in
the course of Parr’s bike ride with him to the Heads of Ayr,
April 4, 1918.
- 11. Parr. Probably taken by Tommy Herbert at the
Heads of Ayr, April 4, 1918.
- 12. This is probably Carleton House, where Parr and
other cadets stayed in Ayr.
- 13. Looking north to Culzean Castle.
- 14. Culzean Castle from the west.
- 15. Culzean Castle, view from south east.
- 16. Water fowl on Culzean estate.
- 17. Waterfowl, lake, Culzean estate.
- 18. Brig o’ Doon, Alloway, south of Ayr, April
1918.
- 19. Leaflet and snowflakes.
- 20. Parr “by Wheelock.” He is probably standing
outside Carleton House; this background appears in a number
of his photos of people from this period. Note the wings
over the breast pocket and lieutenant’s bar on his shoulder;
this and the next photo were evidently taken after Parr
received his commission Easter morning and before Wheelock’s
accident on April 23.
- 21. “Touching. The embryonic ship builder in khaki
dreams of peace. Taken by Wheelock.”
- 22. The captured Albatros that Parr flew on April 17,
1918.
- 23. Captured Albatros. This photo, published in the
January 4, 1917, number of the magazine Flight, shows how it
looked before it was repainted by the British. A June 28,
1917, article in the same magazine shows the plane
refurbished and gives an extended description of it.
- 24. Gerald Joseph Constable Maxwell and a Spad VII, Ayr,
April 1918.
- 25. Maxwell (facing camera) and Bristol M.1C C4954, Ayr,
April, 1918.
- 26. “How do you expect me to smile and look unnatural?”
This is one of the studio photos Parr had taken at Ayr in
April, 1918, shortly after he had received his commission as
a first lieutenant.
- 27. Lt. Parr Hooper, Ayr, April 1918.
- 28. Alison McIntyre (tentative identification).
10. Touring Scotland: April 28–May 4, 1918
11. Lympne, London, & en route: May 4–May 12, 1918
12. Beauvois: May 14–May 31, 1918
- 1. Pilots of No. 32 Squadron. This photo was taken
by Ministry of Information photographer David McLellan and
can be found at the Imperial War Museum in London (catalogue
number Q 12041). The IWM description reads: “Pilots of
No. 32 Squadron. An American, Canadian, New Zealander,
Englishman and South African, respectively; Green, Lawson,
Leese, McBean, Hooper. Humieres aerodrome, near St. Pol, 15
May 1918.” I believe the identification of the men, left to
right, is correct, although the nationalities have been
incorrectly assigned. Humières was about a mile northwest of
Beauvois. Parr’s nose looks slightly crooked. Perhaps the
effects of the crash mentioned in his letter of February 18,
1918, are visible here (although not in other post-crash
photos).
- 2. Pilots of No. 32 Squadron. Another photo by David
McLellan of the same men (IWM catalogue number Q 12042).
This was slightly cropped and used as a publicity
photo.
- 3. David McLellan’s publicity photo used as a post card.
I am grateful to Rainer Absmeier for providing me with
this scan of the post card in his possession. The photo was
reproduced in Thayer’s America’s First Eagles (captioned
“British and American Pilots on the Western Front”) and more
recently in Franks’s American Aces of World War I and Franks
and Dempsey’s SE 5/5a Aces of World War I. In the last two,
only the pilot on the right is identified (as “Lt. C. [sic]
Hooper of the USAS”).
- 4. Parr’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book, May 14–18,
1918.
13. Fouquerolles: June, 1918
- 1a. Tent mates. Parr washing in front of conical
tent, with his tent mate, George Frederick Charles Caswell,
in the snazzy pyjamas.
- 1b. George Frederick Charles Caswell, Fouquerolles, June
1918.
- 2. Parr’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book, June 2–6,
1918.
- 3. Parr’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book, June 7–9,
1918.
- 4. Parr’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book, June 9,
1918.
