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Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers

An inventory of the papers at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: Vanessa L. St.Oegger-Menn
Date: March 2015



Biography

Photograph of Robert Gerard Fortune

Robert "Bob" Fortune (1948-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. Bob was the youngest of William and Alice Fortune's four sons. He attended St. Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey, and served in the United States Army from 1970-1972. Bob was returning home from a business trip to spend Christmas with his wife, Deirdre, and their children, Ann and James. He was traveling on Flight 103 with his friend, Elia Stratis. Bob was remembered as a devoted family man, who cherished his wife and children deeply. When his passport was recovered from Lockerbie, a photograph of Deirdre, Ann, and James taken just before his trip abroad was tucked inside. He had wanted to carry this image of his loved ones with him.


Scope and Content Note

The Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers contain clippings, photographs, correspondence, personal items, and other materials related to Robert Gerard Fortune, killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

The Clippings series contains various news articles related to the disaster collected by Deirdre Fortune. These materials are arranged chronologically.

The Correspondence series consists of Deirdre Fortune's incoming and outgoing correspondence with individuals and organizations from the years following the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. Included are personal letters to Georgia Nucci, the mother of Pan Am 103 victim Christopher Andrew Jones, and Francis Duggan, advisor to the Pan Am 103 families. Correspondence with agencies and organizations includes letters to the Strathclyde Police regarding the return of Robert Fortune's personal effects, and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in reference to the trial of Abdel Basset al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah at Camp van Zeist.

The Mass cards series contains mass cards from various churches and religious organizations.

The Personal Effects series contains one item, a belt belonging to Robert Fortune.

The Subject Files series consists of information pertaining to various aspects of the legacy of Pan Am 103 and the Fortune family. Included is information on Libya and the trial at Camp van Zeist, as well as eulogies and remembrances of Robert Fortune.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions for this collection.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.


Related Material

Materials related to the organizational administration of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. have been moved to the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection. Selected publications and trial documents have been placed in the Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collection. Memorial cairn material has been separated to create the Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery Records.

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers. Related collections include:

Donald T. Bogie Papers

Francis J. Duggan Collection

Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery Records

Christopher Andrew Jones Family Papers

Patricia Ann Klein Family Collection

On Eagles' Wings Collection

Thomas Britton Schultz Family Papers

Elia G. Stratis Family Papers

Pan Am 103 College of Law Collection

Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection


Selected Search Terms

Names

Fortune family.
Fortune, Robert Gerard.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

Types of Material

Clippings files.
Correspondence.
Photographs.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Deirdre Fortune donated the Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers in 2011.

Processing Information

The Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers are fully processed. Materials originally contained in three-ring binders have been removed and placed in acid free folders for preservation purposes.


Arrangement

The Robert Gerard Fortune Family Papers are arranged alphabetically within each series or subseries, with the exception of the Clippings series, which is arranged chronologically.


Table of Contents

Clippings

Correspondence

Mass cards

Personal effects

Subject files


Inventory