The Personal Collection of Colonel Claude S. Buchanan

Mission Memory:
The Claude S. Buchanan Collection

Scope and Contents
This special digital collection consists of 47 objects related to the life of Winter Park resident Colonel Claude S. Buchanan, taking the formats of photographic prints, original blueprints, color postcards, military patches, military badges, military medals, personal diaries, and other forms of rare ephemera.
The Claude S. Buchanan Photographic Collection, 1917-1949, consists of 15 photographic prints captured from Claude S. Buchanan's personal life and military career with the United States Army Air Force. Claude S. Buchanan's wife, Ruth Eldora Buchanan, née Parrent, and their daughter, Ruth Charlotte Buchanan Miller, appear in these photographic prints alongside Claude. Due to some of these photographs' dates remaining unknown or having been simply estimated, they are not arranged in chronological order.
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Objects:
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The McCook Field Photographic Collection, 1919-1920, consists of a rare set of 12 photographic prints taken on McCook Field, a highly experimental airfield and testing site located in Dayton, Ohio. Some of these artifact images are housed in the expansive Ray Wagner Collection, which the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives has digitally archived in their online repository. Notably featured in this collection are unusual images of the elusive De Havilland DH-9 biplane, on which Colonel Claude S. Buchanan designed its signature gunsight. Due to the unknown nature or estimated dates of these photographs, they are not arranged in chronological order.
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Objects:
The Orlando Postcard Collection, 1935-1942, consists of 17 postcards belonging to Claude S. Buchanan and his daughter, Ruth Charlotte Buchanan Miller. The postcards, all published and printed by the Curt Teich Company, were distributed by the Orange News Company in Orlando, Florida, by tourists and locals alike. Many of these postcards have been digitally archived by UCF's prestigious RICHES initiative as part of their expansive Postcard Collection.
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Objects:
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Postcard Depicting Downtown Orlando, Fla., from Lake Eola Park
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Boating Center on Lake Ivanhoe, Orlando, Fla., "The City Beautiful"
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Bird's-Eye View of Tropical Lake Eola Park and Band Shell, Orlando, Fla. "The City Beautiful"
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Postcard Depicting The Illuminated Fountain on Lake Ivanhoe, Orlando, Fla., "The City Beautiful"
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Postcard Depicting Post Chapel, Orlando Air Base, Orlando, Fla.
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Postcard Depicting the Skyline Across Lake Eola in Orlando, Fla.
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Episcopal St. Luke's Cathedral, Orlando, Fla. "The City Beautiful"
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Palms and Flowers in Beautiful Eola Park, Orlando, Fla. "The City Beautiful"
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Albertson Public Library, Orlando, Fla. "The City Beautiful"
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Lancaster Park Residence Section, Orlando, Fla., "The City Beautiful"
The Patch, Badge, and Medal Collection, 1941-1941, consists of three patches belonging to Claude S. Buchanan. These objects were likely items Claude had received during his service as awards, mementos, and crucial parts of his daily uniform. A considerable number of these objects appear to be attached to Claude's service at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, thus dated to the year 1941 after he became a Major with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).
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Objects:
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The Mission Memory Document Collection, 1944-1954, consists of certificates, identification materials, newspaper articles, and other paper-based articles belonging to Claude S. Buchanan and family and relating to the viewer evidence of their personal and career affiliations. Claude amassed this collection during his service and beyond, each object speaking to a location where he was stationed. Some objects in this collection go as far to offer a glimpse into his exclusive fraternity ties while stationed in Pendleton, Oregon, and Detroit, Michigan, providing evidence of paid dues at particular lodge locations.
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Objects:
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Pendleton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Certification Card and Authenticity Letter
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Officer's Dependent Pass for Mrs. Ruth P. Buchanan, Wife of Claude Buchanan
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"Hamilton Scramble" Newspaper Issue Commemorating Claude S. Buchanan's Retirement
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DATES
created: 1919-1951
CREATOR
Miller Boye, Sarah (Person)
CONDITIONS GOVERNING ACCESS
The entire collection is open for research.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING USAGE
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
BIOGRAPHICAL OR HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Mission Memory is an archival preservation project centered on the Claude Sharp Buchanan Collection, which includes diaries, letters, photographs, and scrapbooks from the early 20th century. The project combines digitization, rehousing, and metadata creation to safeguard fragile materials while making them accessible for research, public history projects, and future generations.
FULL EXTENT
64 digitized files, 229 MB.
LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS
English


Additional Description
ABSTRACT
Collector, historian, and author, Sarah Miller Boye, inherited this collection of diaries, letters, photographs, and scrapbooks belonging to her late great-grandfather, Claude Sharp Buchanan, focusing on his family life. military service, and personal passions. Although this collection is considered comprehensive both nationally and internationally, it also more specifically consists of materials that pertain to Central Florida history during America's post-World War II Reconstruction era.
METHOD OF ACQUISITION
Materials were digitally donated in August/September of 2025 and permission was granted by the copyright holder to digitize, process, and display these objects as part of the Fall 2025 Public History Internship program.
PROCESSING INFORMATION
Processed by Elio Singer, Dianelys Nunez, and Aiyana Gross; finding aid created by Elio Singer. Digital exhibit created and materials added by Elio Singer in Fall 2025.
SUBJECTS

TITLE
Mission Memory: The Claude S. Buchanan Collection
AUTHOR
Sarah Miller Boye & Elio Singer
DATE
09/07/2025
DESCRIPTION RULES
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
LANGUAGE OF DESCRIPTION
English
SCRIPT OF DESCRIPTION
Latin
LANGUAGE OF DESCRIPTION NOTE
English
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
Repository
Details
From the private collection of
Sarah Miller Boye.
Email: sarah.boye@ucf.edu
Personal website: https://www.sarahmboye.com
Digital curator and designer,
Elio M. Singer
Email: el299095@ucf.edu
