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Thomas Britton Schultz 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: 2015 March

Biography

Photograph of Thomas Britton Schultz

Thomas Britton Schultz (1968-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. A junior at Ohio Wesleyan University, he was enrolled in Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA) in London. Tom was pursuing a double major in history, politics, and government, and planned on attending law school. He was posthumously awarded his bachelor's degree from Ohio Wesleyan.

Tom was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and a two-year letter holder in track and cross country. Professor Michael Good remembered "he was the kind of student you pray for. He was a sponge. Every experience or piece of information you could give him, he would absorb." He was survived by his parents, John and Jane Schultz, as well as his paternal and maternal grandmothers and two uncles. He was buried alongside his younger brother, Andrew, who died in 1978. Tom's mother, Jane, was instrumental in advocating for the construction of a permanent memorial to the victims of Pan Am Flight 103. Her contributions to this work resulted in the dedication of the Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery in November 1995.

Scope and Content Note

The Thomas Britton Schultz Family Papers contains materials related to Tom Schultz, one of the 35 Syracuse University study abroad students killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Also included are materials related to various memorials for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103. The collection is divided into the following series:

Audiovisual material consists of media related to Tom, his family, and news coverage and memorials following the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

Clippings contains newspaper clippings and articles related to Tom and the tragedy, as well as clippings from the 25th Anniversary of the bombing.

Correspondence includes condolences and letters of sympathy sent to the Schultz family. This series also contains correspondence between Tom's mother, Jane Schultz, and two U.S. presidents, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Memorials consists of church service programs, obituaries, prayer cards, and other materials that serve to memorialize Tom and the other victims of Pan Am Flight 103. Also included in this series are many materials related to the dedication of the Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs contains photographs from the dedication of the Memorial Cairn and various photographs of Tom, from both his semester abroad in London and earlier in his life. Photographs of the Memoria Cairn dedication were scanned while on loan from Jane Schultz.

Subject files includes yearbooks, booklets, awards, and other materials related to Tom and his family. There are three yearbooks in this series, one from Tom's high school and the other two from Ohio Wesleyan University and Syracuse University, both containing memorial messages for Tom. There are also plaques and awards documenting the achievements and recognitions of Tom and his family, some awarded posthumously.

Writings contains two items: a magazine article about Jane Schultz's experience as an advocate following the bombing and her relationship with her son, and a personal statement written by Tom.

Alternative Formats

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing the materials.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Access to audiovisual material requires advance notice to produce a use copy.

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

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Thomas Britton Schultz Family Papers. Related collections include:

On Eagles' Wings Collection

Sarah Susannah Buchanan Philipps Family Papers

Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection

Remembrance Quilt Collection

Tom Foster Papers

Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection

Memorial Cairn at Arlington National Cemetery Records

Selected Search Terms

Names

Schultz family.
Schultz, Thomas Britton.
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

Audiocassettes.
Award plaques.
Awards.
Certificates.
Clippings files.
Commemorative plaques.
Correspondence.
DVDs.
Photographs.
School yearbooks.
Sound recordings.
VHS.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Thomas Britton Schultz Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of John and Jane Schultz between 2006 and 2022.

Processing Information

Materials were placed in acid-free folders and boxes. Delicate items were separated with archival foam for protection.

Arrangement

Materials are arranged alphabetically within series.

Table of Contents

Audiovisual material

Clippings

Correspondence

Memorials

Photographs

Subject files

Writings

Inventory