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Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers

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

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

Revision history:
April 2017	Inventory added; Reorganized and processed collection; contents refoldered; stylistic changes (JNB)
August 2017	Containers and extent updated; stylistic changes (VSOM)

Biography

Melina Kristina Hudson (1972-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. A resident of Albany, New York, Melina was an American high school student studying abroad in England during fall 1988. Through an exchange program agreement with her high school, the Albany Academy for Girls, Melina studied abroad at the Exeter School in Exeter, England when she was 16. She was the first American girl to attend the Exeter School. Melina had originally been scheduled to fly home on December 22, but her travel plans were inexplicably changed. Melina left behind her parents, Paul and Eleanor; her three brothers, Stephen, Paul J., and William David; and her grandparents, William and Maybelle Hudson, and Jus and Melina Rossi.

Melina's father described her as being "full of life, beautiful and beloved." Her brother, Stephen, said Melina always spoke her mind and he described her as being individual and having an intense love for her family and friends. Melina's school notebook was found among the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 in Lockerbie, Scotland. On it she had written, "No one dies unless they are forgotten."

Paul Hudson, Melina's father, served as General Counsel to the New York State Crime Victims Board from 1977 to 1987 and is recognized as a legal expert on crime victims' rights and legislation. After Melina's death, Eleanor and Paul joined with other families of victims to create the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. (VPAF 103, Inc.), an organization devoted to ensuring similar acts of terrorism could never happen again. Paul served as a Chairman of the Steering Committee for VPAF 103, Inc.before leaving the group to create Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie, which was similarly devoted to revealing the full story of the Pan Am tragedy. He served as the Chairman for Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie, organizing and speaking at press conferences and during media segments about the Pan Am tragedy. In this role, Paul arranged several Congressional hearings and contributed to written and oral testimonies. He also discussed the Pan Am tragedy and its investigation with various U.S. government officials, such as President George H. W. Bush, Department of Transportation Secretary Samuel K. Skinner, agents of the FBI, and senators.

Scope and Content Note

The Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers contain information and materials related to Melina Hudson, killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The collection includes series for Clippings, Correspondence, Items from the disaster site at Lockerbie, Memorials, Personal belongings, Photographs, Publications, and Subject files.

Clippings includes articles about Melina Kristina Hudson, the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, Lockerbie, memorials, and related investigations and trials.

Correspondence is divided into two subseries. The first subseries includes condolences and letters to and from Eleanor and Paul Hudson. It includes correspondence with President George H.W. Bush, organizations, and various U.S. and international government officials. The second series includes the correspondence of Others regarding the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. It features correspondence of U.S. government officials and organizations.

Items from the disaster site at Lockerbie include airplane fragments of the Clipper Maid of the Seas and dirt from the Tundergarth Church yard in Lockerbie, Scotland.

Memorials contains materials related to services and memorials in Albany, New York, Lockerbie, Scotland, and New York City, honoring Melina Hudson and the other victims of the Pan Am 103 tragedy.

Personal belongings is divided into two subseries. The first subseries includes materials related to Melina Kristina Hudson, such as books and a magazine for Miss National Teen-Ager, and contains her personal effects. It also includes some of her vinyl records, which were retrieved from the Lockerbie site. They include Billy Joel's The Stranger, which features notes to Melina from friends, Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water, and Bobby McFarrin's Simple Pleasures. The second subseries contains materials belonging to Eleanor and Paul Hudson and includes items such as personal and Pan Am Flight 103 buttons and Paul's day planner.

Photographs contains photographs of the Hudson family on a trip to Rome, CAPBOR (a conference at which Paul spoke), and other Pan Am Flight 103 victims. All items are photographic prints unless otherwise noted.

Publications include materials about terrorism and airport security.

Subject files is divided into five subseries. The first subseries is Events, which includes information about other airplane crashes and terrorist attacks, as well as agendas and promotional materials for a symposium on terrorism and airport security. Government and trial contains government resolutions, press releases, statements and testimonies of victims' family members, and trial transcripts related to the Pan Am tragedy. The third subseries, Media, includes broadcast transcripts of interviews about airline security and terrorism, as well as media contacts. The People and organizations subseries contains individual case studies, notes, promotional materials, and press releases related to various people and organizations. The final subseries, Posters, contains oversize posters related to Pan Am Flight 103 and poster board collages created in remembrance of the Pan Am Flight 103 victims.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that some materials have been restricted for preservation purposes. Folders containing restricted materials are indicated in the inventory below. Please contact the archivist for further information about accessing these materials.

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

Banners, meeting minutes, membership information, publications, papers, and posters related to the victims' family groups Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. (VPAF 103, Inc.) and Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie, were added to the respective collections, Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection and Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie Collection. Full statements and testimonies, trial transcripts, and publications related to the Pan Am bombing were added to the Publications Collection.

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers. Related collections include:

Matthew Cox Papers

Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie Collection

On Eagles' Wings Collection

Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collection

Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection

Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection

Theodora Cohen Family Collection

Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection

Selected Search Terms

Names

Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie.
Hudson, Melina Kristina.
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.
Trials.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Paul Hudson donated the Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers in 2011.

Processing Information

The Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers are fully processed and are housed in acid-free folders and archival boxes.

Arrangement

The Melina Kristina Hudson Family Papers are arranged by subseries and alphabetically or chronologically within each series.

Table of Contents

Clippings

Correspondence

Items returned from the disaster site at Lockerbie

Memorials

Personal belongings

Photographs

Publications

Subject files

Inventory

	Subject files
		Events
Box 11			Albany Law School – Symposium on Terrorism and Security Aboard International Airlines 1992
Box 11			Trans World Airlines [TWA] Flight 800 1996
Box 11			Union de Transports Aériens [UTA] Flight 772 1989
		Government and trial
Box 11			Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 1991-1997
Box 11			Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] 1989-1992
Box 11			Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] 1989-1992
Box 11			Hearing and markup regarding the Korean Airlines Flight KAL-858 bombing 1988
Box 11			H.R. 5200, Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990 1990
Box 11			Incomplete government bills and testimonies 1989-2001
Box 11			Incomplete trial transcripts related to Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie tragedy 1989-2000 (2 folders)
Box 11			Italian embassy 1988-1989
Box 12			Montreal Aviation Protocols 1989-1992
Box 12			National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] 1988
Box 12			New York City Council Proclamation Ceremony for “National Victims Rights Week” and “Victims’ Rights Day” April 1992
Box 12			New York State Assembly, 3315, Act Creating the NYS Office of Crime Victims Services 5 February 1991
Box 12			New York State Senate Assembly, S. 2976, Act to Amend Several and Merge Criminal Procedure Laws and Criminal Justice Agencies 28 February 1991
Box 12			New York State Legislative Resolution Memorializing Congress to Initiate an Investigation of the Pan Am Flight 103 Tragedy 18 April 1989
Box 12			Outline of Proposed Legal Action Against U.S. Government Regarding Policy about Civilian Aircraft Threats circa 1989
Box 12			Outline of Reparations from Libya for Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Bombing circa 2001
Box 12			Pan Am Flight 103 chronology 1990
			President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism [PCAST]
Box 18				Correspondence 1989-1990
Box 18				General information 1988-1997
Box 18				Testimonies and statements 1990 (2 folders)
Box 18				Transcripts circa 1990 (3 folders)
Box 19				Transcripts circa 1990 (3 folders)
Box 12			Scotland office 1988
Box 12			Statements and testimonies from Pan Am Flight 103 victims’ family members 1989-1991
Box 12			United Nations [U.N.] and U.S. Mission to the United Nations 1991-1992
Box 12			United Nations [U.N.] Provisional Meeting Record 21 January 1992
Box 12			U.S. Department of Justice 1989
Box 12			U.S. Department of State 1989-1990
Box 13			U.S. Department of Transportation 1988-1992
Box 13			U.S. Government 1989-1992
Box 13			U.S. Senators and Pan Am Flight 103 investigation 1989-1990 (2 folders)
Box 13			Warsaw Convention 1975
Box 13			White House 1986-1991
		Media
Box 13			ABC News, Nightline broadcast transcript – “U.S. Vulnerability to Air Terrorism” interview 16 February 1989
Box 13			Criminal Crime Reporter transcript – interview with Leonard Orland March 1989
Box 13			McLaughlin Group broadcast transcript – interview with Secretary of State Skinner, 12 May 1989
Box 13			Reporters and media contacts 1988-1990 (2 folders)
		People and organizations
Box 14			Airport Operators International Council 1989
Box 14			American Transport Association [ATA] 1990-1992
Box 14			Attorney and organization contacts 1989
Box 14			Aviation Consumer Action Project [ACAP] 1989-circa 2001
Box 14			Canady, Valerie 1988
Box 14			Center for Security Policy 1992
Box 14			Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and other victim compensation applications 1988 - 1992
Box 14			Cummock, John – case chronology 1989
Box 14			de Larracoechea, Marina – Pan Am Flight 103 investigation notes 1989
Box 14			Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council Lockerbie Community Support circa 1989
Box 14			HALT: An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform 1988
Box 14			Dr. Raymond H. Hamden’s research on the political psychology of terrorists, hostages, and fundamentalists 1985-1989
Box 14			Hudson, Eleanor 1989
Box 14			Hudson family – Ohio contacts of Melina Hudson family circa 1991
Box 14			Hudson, Paul 1989-1992
Box 15			Hudson, Paul - notes 1989-1991
Box 15			Hudson, Stephen - notes on the Washington, DC vigil circa 1989
Box 15			Independent Union of Flight Attendants 1988-1989
Box 15			International Aircraft Design Group 1992-1993
Box 15			International Rally of Endeavors to Improve [IREI] Air Safety 1992
Box 15			Kettner, Thomas circa 1989
Box 15			KPI Ltd. report on Pan Am World Airways, Inc. 1986
Box 15			Legal referral service circa 1992
Box 15			Lidov, Dr. Hart G.W. circa 1989
Box 15			Lockerbie Air Disaster Trust 1989-1991
Box 15			Miller, Joseph K. – dedication ceremony 1990
Box 15			O’Mara, Tom 1989-1990
Box 15			Pangia, Michael 1990
Box 15			Plaskett, Thomas – CEO of Pan American World Airways 1989-1991
Box 15			Reina, John 1989
Box 15			Root, John circa 1989
Oversize 2			Scott, Betsy – watercolor painting reproductions of Melina Kristina Hudson 1989
Box 15			S.O.S. Attentats 1991-1992
Box 15			Stephanie Roper Committee and Foundation, Inc. 1992
Box 15			Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States [VFW] 1989
		Posters
Oversize Tube 1			Administrative notice about December 1988 threat circa 1989
Oversize 2			Air Line Pilots Association, Air Transport Association, and U.S. State Department reward advertisement 1990
Oversize Tube 1			“Hope” circa 1989
Oversize Tube 1			“Justice, Security, and Warning” circa 1989
Oversize 2			Pan American World Airways advertisement 1989
Oversize 3			“Passengers of Pan Am 103 Rest in Peace” collage circa 1989  Passengers of Pan Am 103 Rest in Peace collage with closed eulogy for Melina Hudson  Passengers of Pan Am 103 Rest in Peace collage with opened eulogy for Melina Hudson
				RESTRICTED: The contents of this box are restricted for preservation purposes.
Box 10			“Remember Us” Pan Am Flight 103 victims collage circa 1989  Remember Us collage
				RESTRICTED: The contents of this box are restricted for preservation purposes.
Box 10			“Remember Us” Pan Am Flight 103 victims collage - loose photographs circa 1989
Oversize Tube 1			“Why Weren’t They Told?” circa 1989