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Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection

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

Summary

Creator: Pan American World Airways, Inc.
Title: Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection
Dates: December 1988-January 1990; Undated
Size: 2 boxes, 1 linear foot
Abstract: The Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection contains materials related to the company's interactions with families and representatives of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. These materials consist of correspondence and memoranda, as well as files from the office of former Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Pan American World Airways, Inc., Thomas G. Plaskett.
Language: English
Repository: Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/pan-am-103

Historical Note

Pan American World Airways, Inc.

Pan Am Logo

Pan American World Airways, Inc. (Pan Am) was the largest international air carrier in the United States from its founding in 1927 until its collapse in 1991. Identified by its blue globe logo and the use of "Clipper" in the names of its aircraft, Pan Am was a cultural icon of the 20th century. In 1970, the company became the first to purchase Boeing 747s for its fleet, and named one of the first of these new planes "Clipper Maid of the Seas." This plane was flying route 103 on December 21, 1988 when it was destroyed by a terrorist bomb concealed in the baggage area. All 243 passengers, as well as the 16-member crew were killed. The crash of the plane's fuselage in Lockerbie, Scotland resulted in the deaths of an additional 11 people.

The bombing of Pan Am 103 provided the impetus for the Federal Aviation Administration's investigation into Pan Am's security systems. In September 1989 the airline was fined a total of $690,000 for 19 different FAA security violations. The tragedy of Flight 103, in addition to myriad other issues pertaining to security and public perception, exacerbated the decline in Pan Am's profits. On January 8, 1991, Pan Am declared bankruptcy. The company was purchased by Delta Airlines, but remained unable to regain profitability. Pan American World Airways, Inc. ceased operations in December of 1991.

Thomas G. Plaskett

Plaskett served as the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Pan American World Airways, Inc. from 1988 through 1991.

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Scope and Content Note

The Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection contains papers related to the company's interactions with family members, friends, and representatives of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. These materials consist of correspondence and memoranda, as well as files from the office of former Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Pan American World Airways, Inc., Thomas G. Plaskett. The collection is divided into two series, Pan American World Airways Files and Thomas G. Plaskett Files, each of which contains several subseries.

The Pan American World Airways Files series contains subseries for Clippings, Individuals, and Subject Files. The Individuals subseries primarily consists of Pan Am's internal documentation related to travel arrangements for the next of kin and representatives of victims of Flight 103 for attendance at memorial services and legal proceedings.

The Thomas G. Plaskett Files series comprises subseries for Clippings, Correspondence, and Victims. The Victims sub series contains selected correspondence and memoranda with the family members of victims of Flight 103.

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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.

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Selected Search Terms

Names

Plaskett, Thomas G.
Pan American World Airways, Inc.
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

Correspondence.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

The Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection comprises two accessions. Materials in the Pan American World Airways Files series were deposited by an anonymous donor in 2013, while items contained in the Thomas G. Plaskett Files series were donated by Toni Sikorcin in 2014.

Processing Information

The Pan American World Airways, Inc. Collection is fully processed.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Vanessa L. St.Oegger-Menn
Date: February 2015
Revision history:

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Arrangement

Files are arranged alphabetically within each subseries, while items are arranged chronologically within their respective folders.

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Inventory

Pan American World Airways Files
Clippings
Box 1 Clippings March-May 1989; Undated
Individuals
Box 1 Akerstrom, John David Undated
Box 1 Atkinson, William Undated
Box 1 Bissett, Kenneth J. March 1989; Undated
Box 1 Bright, Nicholas Undated
Box 1 Butler, Steven Lee May 1989; Undated
Box 1 Caffarone, Hernán Luis and Fabiana Benvenuto de March 1989; Undated
Box 1 Davis, Shannon Undated
Box 1 Dix, Peter Thomas Stanley February-August 1989; Undated
Box 1 Flick, Clayton Lee May 1989; Undated
Box 1 Hawkins, Anthony Lacey August 1989; Undated
Box 1 Ivell, Elizabeth Sophie Undated
Box 1 Jermyn, Kathleen Mary Undated
Box 1 Johnson, Mary Lincoln Undated
Box 1 Lowenstein, Alexander May 1989; Undated
Box 1 MacAlolooy, Lilibeth Tobila Undated
Box 1 McLaughlin, Bernard Joseph Undated
Box 1 McPherson, Richard (Syracuse University football coach) August 1989; Undated
Box 1 Mosey, Helga Rachael March-April 1989; Undated
Box 1 Phillips, Frederick Sandford "Sandy" September-October 1989; Undated
Box 1 Rubin, Arnaud David August 1989; Undated
Box 1 Schultz, Thomas Britton Undated
Box 1 Shastri, Mridula Undated
Box 1 Sigal, Irving Stanley Undated
Box 1 Skabo, Irja S. December 1989
Box 1 Smith, James Alvin April-October 1989; Undated
Box 1 van Tienhoven, Tomas Floro May-December 1989; Undated
Box 1 Vejdany, Asaad Eidi March 1989; Undated
Box 1 Vrenios, Nicholas Andreas Undated
Box 1 Wagner, Raymond Ronald Undated
Subject Files
Box 1 Letter to the Editor from Kathryn A. Ford, Ph.D. 1989
Box 1 Other Materials March 1989; Undated
Box 1 Passenger List Undated
Thomas G. Plaskett Files
Clippings
Box 2 Clippings 1988-1989
Correspondence
Box 2 Blaus, Eddie (Christmas in July for Lockerbie) February-October 1989
Box 2 Condolence Letter from Pan Am Airways to Families of Flight Crew December 22, 1988
Box 2 Condolence Letters to Pan Am Airways, Inc. 1989
Box 2 MacIntosh, Neil (Dumfries Reg. Council) December 1989
Box 2 News Coverage 1989
Box 2 Price, Charles H., III (U.S. Ambassador to U.K.) February 1989
Box 2 Syracuse University January 1989
Subject Files
Box 2 Next of Kin Lists ca.1988-1989
Box 2 Pan Am Airways Memorial Services January 1989
Victim Files
Box 2 Ahern, John Family February 1989
Box 2 Ammerman, Thomas Family January-February 1989
Box 2 Bright, Nicholas Family May 1989
Box 2 Coyle, Patricia Family February 1989
Box 2 Gabor, Ibolya February-May 1989
Box 2 Giebler, William, Jr. Family February 1989
Box 2 Hudson, Malina Family January-April 1989
Box 2 MacAlolooy, Lilibeth March 1989
Box 2 MacQuarrie, James Family December 1988
Box 2 McCollum, Robert Family May-June 1989
Box 2 Mulroy Family December 1988
Box 2 Pitt, James Family December 1988
Box 2 Posen, Pamela Family January-February 1989
Box 2 Reina, Jocelyn Family January 1989
Box 2 Smith, Ingrid Family April 1989-March 1990
Box 2 Stow, James Family January 1989; Undated
Box 2 Stratis, Elia Family February 1989
Box 2 Tobin, Mark Family May-June 1989
Box 2 Velimirovich, Milutin Family December 1988-February 1989
Box 2 Wagner, Raymond Family December 1988-July 1989

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