Summary

Creator:

Noggle, Anne, 1922-2005

Abstract:

Anne Noggle (1922-2005), aviator, photographer, author, and educator, traveled to Moscow from 1990-1992 to conduct more than seventy interviews and to photograph former Soviet airwomen who served during World War II as pilots, gunners, bombardiers, navigators, and flight crews. The 36 black-and-white portraits in this collection show the women seated and standing, most in a studio setting; they are in civilian clothing and many are wearing their wartime medals and military insignia. The gelatin silver photographs were printed by Noggle and measure 20x24 (8), 16x20 (6), and 11x14 (22) inches. Almost all appear in her book A Dance with Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II, published in 1994, also held by the library. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Extent:

2.0 Linear Feet
2 boxes
36 prints
11x14; 16x20; 20x24 inches

Language:

English

Collection ID:

RL.11896

Background

Scope and Content:

Collection consists of 36 black-and-white photographic portraits taken by photographer Anne Noggle of former Soviet airwomen who served during World War II as combat pilots, gunners, bombardiers, navigators, and flight crews. The women are seated and standing, most in a studio setting; they are dressed in civilian clothing and many are wearing their wartime medals and military insignia. The gelatin silver photographs were printed by Noggle and are sized 20x24 (8), 16x20 (6), and 11x14 (22) inches. Almost all the images appear in her book A Dance with Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II, published in 1994, and also held by the library.

From the Texas A&M Press website for the book: "The women who tell their stories here began the war mostly as inexperienced girls — many of them teenagers. In support of their homeland, they volunteered to serve as bomber and fighter pilots, navigator-bombardiers, gunners, and support crews. Flying against the Luftwaffe, they saw many of their friends — as well as many of their foes — fall to earth in flames. Their three combat Air Force regiments fought as many as one thousand missions during the war... equally courageous were the women's efforts to show the Red Army that they were entirely adequate to the great role they sought. For even though Stalin had decreed equality for both sexes, the women had to grapple initially with deep distrust from male pilots and Red Army officers, against whom they eventually prevailed."

Biographical / Historical:

Anne Noggle (1922-2005) made lengthy visits to Moscow from 1990-1992 to conduct more than seventy interviews and to photograph former Soviet airwomen. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Noggle was a captain in the U.S. Air Force, a former curator of photography, and adjunct professor of art at the University of New Mexico, and recipient of three National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Grants and a Guggenheim Fellowship. She died in New Mexico in 2005. [Source: Texas A&M University Press website, viewed April 2, 2021]

Acquisition Information:

The Anne Noggle photographs of Soviet airwomen were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2021.

Processing information:

Processed and described by Paula Jeannet, April 2021. Accession(s) represented in this collection guide: 2021-0033.

Rules or Conventions:

dcrmg

Subjects

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Subjects:

Air Pilots, military -- Portraits
Older women -- Portraits
Portrait photography
Women -- Portraits
Women air pilots -- Soviet Union -- Photographs
Women soldiers -- Soviet Union -- Portraits
World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Female

Formats:

Black-and-white photographs
Gelatin silver prints
Portraits

Names:

Archive of Documentary Arts (Duke University)
Soviet Union. Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily
Noggle, Anne, 1922-2005

Places:

Soviet Union -- History -- 1939-1945