Military History Commons^™

Raf Wings Over Florida: Memories Of World War Ii British Air Cadets, Willard Largent

Purdue University Press Books

In the early 1940s, prior to the United States' entry into World War II, through the joint efforts of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, British soldiers were sent to the United States for flight training. This collection gives first-person accounts of the men who learned the art of flying in a place far from their homeland, Florida. The stories provide a wonderful contrast between the two cultures and are told in the voices of British cadets, American cadets who trained with them, instructors, and other individuals who welcomed the British cadets into their homes and lives.

Ua3/4/8/6 Harriett Downing Oral History, Harriett Downing, Sue Lynn Mcdaniel

WKU Administration Documents

Harriet Downing interviewed by Sue Lynn McDaniel regarding student life during World War II and her experiences as wife of WKU's fourth president, Dero Downing.

Interview No. 1623, L.A. Gladstone

Combined Interviews

He describes professors that influenced him during these early years, as well as his adaptation to speaking English. He returned to El Paso in 1956 to practice medicine. He worked as an intern at Thomason Hospital for several years. He also discusses being interview by Steven Spielberg in association with the movie Schindler's List and a museum built in Hollywood to house the stories of Holocaust survivors. Dr. Gladstone also discusses his courtship with his wife during his med school years in Dallas, and life in the fraternity. After returning to El Paso, Dr. Gladstone served as physician for a …

Interview No. 1625, John Hick Johnstone, Lady Ruth Johnstone

Combined Interviews

In this interview, conducted primarily with Dr. John Hick Johnstone (b. 1909), he discusses his World War II experiences as a physician traveling with the Advance Command Corps; in addition, he speaks at length on El Paso’s mid-twentieth-century medical scene, including the state of the hospitals and the practices of the medical community. At the start of the interview, both John Hick and Lady Ruth share memories of their early years and courtship in Eldorado, Illinois. On their 1940 honeymoon the couple passed through El Paso where they encountered some trouble at the international border due to the narcotics in …

Robert M. Benson Family Papers, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Finding Aids

Spanning 1937-1969, materials consist of indentures, deeds, promissory notes, insurance maps, and other legal and financial records from the earliest years of Georgia Southern University, then known as First District Agricultural and Mechanical School; materials also include personal and professional correspondences from Charles E. Cone Realty Company to active and prospective tenants about owning land in Bulloch County, as well as a variety of local land plats, oversized maps, blueprints, and posters; additionally, there are photographs of prominent local figures and family members. A notable entry are newspapers detailing the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. A selection of World …

0681: Virginia Talbott Quay Papers, 1918-1984, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

This collection consists of several formats and topics of materials related to the activities of Virginia Talbott Quay, including a scrapbook of newspaper clippings dating between 1930 and 1950 about social and cultural events as well as the activities of lineage societies, including the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Other materials relate to her work with several lineage societies, including the U.S. Daughters of 1812 and Daughters of American Colonists. Also included in the collection are World War II materials such as a paper soldier cap, a pledge to sell bonds, and newspaper clippings. Other portions of the collection include …

Ua3/4/8/4 Radio Broadcast Transcript, Dero Downing, Dan Modlin, Jack Thacker, Edward R. Murrow

WKU Administration Documents

Dero Downing and Jack Thacker interviewed by Dan Modlin regarding the D-Day invasion. Includes recordings of Edward R. Murrow and an unidentified BBC correspondent from 1944.

Smithey, Talmadge A., 1910-1999 (Sc 1410), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 1410. Paper entitled "Experiences of a Prisoner of War in Japan and the Philippines" written by Talmadge A. Smithey for a class at the University of South Carolina. Smithey was a prisoner of war from April 18, 1941 until August 15, 1945.

The Resurgence Of The Wehrmacht On The Western Front In The Fall Of 1944, Aaron S. Hamilton

History Theses & Dissertations

The resurgence of the Wehrmacht on the western front in the fall of 1944 was the product of the German Army High Command's attempt to overcome the severe effects of attrition by institutionalizing fanaticism and generating extreme self-sacrifice among its soldiers. The nature, form, and purpose of the Wehrmacht's resurgence in the west has never been fully explained and only examined in the context of operational histories. The Ardennes offensive has traditionally been used in the operational histories of the Allied campaign in Europe to demonstrate the Wehrmacht's physical ability to reorganize weapons, equipment and personnel effectively. The counter offensive, …

World War Ii: On The Home Front - M. Francis Coulson Interview, Jenny Sonnenberg

Adams County History

Americans love anniversaries. The fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War has afforded citizens an opportunity to remember with pride the great men and events of a war that saved the world from totalitarian tyranny. Happily, memories of World War II have not been restricted to recalling battlefield heroics or diplomatic intrigues. Across the United States, public libraries and local historical societies have commemorated the Home Front during the war years with exhibits that recapture the texture of life on farms, factories, in classrooms, and at home during what Studs Terkel has labeled "the Good War." These …

Mutersbaugh, Bert Marsh, Jr., 1933-2023 (Sc 1323), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 1323. Presentation entitled "Send Money...," given by Mutersbaugh, based upon World War II letters written by his brother-in-law Douglas Bales, Eminence, Missouri, while stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and in Europe. Includes correspondence and other related data.

0645: Beecher R. Burnett Letters, 1943, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

This collection is composed of letters written daily, sometimes multiple times a day, from Beecher Ray Burnett to his wife Anita between September 3 and October 5, 1943 from Burnett while he was being trained as part of the 47th Army Air Force Training Detachment in Huntington and other cities in West Virginia. Topics mentioned in the letter include what he was learning and doing in training, social events, and personal matters.

0632: Dolores Imogene Dowling Papers, 1942-1994, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

Huntington, West Virginia, civic leader; Second World War veteran. Papers consist primarily of Dowling’s scrapbooks and memorabilia related to her service as an army nurse with the 1st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.) unit; included are photocopies of certificates and letters related to her civic activities and election to the Huntington Hall of Fame.

Partnership Of Necessity: The Anglo-American Intelligence Relationship From 1921 To 1942, H. Douglas Brooks Iii

History Theses & Dissertations

Throughout the period between the two world wars, Great Britain and the United States were embroiled in an imperialistic rivalry focused heavily in East Asia. The strong sense of competition and mistrust between the navies of the two nations hindered the development of close cooperation as war became imminent in the late 1930s. This state of affairs encompassed every aspect of naval operations, including signal intelligence whose officials sought to forge a working relationship beneficial to both countries in the opening days of the Second world War. Old prejudices and outdated perceptions of national interest were difficult to overcome even …

Out Of The Air: The Role Of Communications Intelligence In The Strategic Bombing Campaign Against The German Oil Industry And Transportation System In World War Ii, Darrell Nolen

History Theses & Dissertations

During World War II communications intelligence (ULTRA) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Allied strategic bombing campaign against the German oil industry and transportation system. In the case of the oil campaign communications intelligence provided confirmation of serious damage inflicted on the German war economy. This conformed nicely to the prewar American doctrine of precision daylight bombardment of critical nodes of an enemy industrial system. The intention of this policy was to cause the collapse of the enemy's military capability. The campaign against the German transportation system did not fit into this doctrinal framework as precisely; consequently, it …

Interview With Thomas Wolf, December 29, 1994 & August 9, 1995, Thomas Wolf, Michael J. Birkner, David Hedrick

Oral Histories

Thomas Wolf was interviewed on December 29, 1994 & August 9, 1995 by Michael J. Birkner & David Hedrick about his service in World War II and involvement in the Nixon administration. He discusses his role in the Air Force Counterintelligence Corps during World War II, and his work with several government agencies, such as the Citizens of Eisenhower and the Office of Economic Opportunity. Wolf also describes the Watergate Scandal and his participation in the trial.

Length of Interview: 92 Minutes (Part 1), 47 Minutes (Part 2)

Collection Note: This oral history was selected from the Oral History Collection …

Allied Communications Intelligence And The Monsoon Group, 1943-1945, Christopher G. Stuart

History Theses & Dissertations

The critical weakness of trade between Germany and Japan during the Second World War was exposed in 1943, when, after all other methods had failed, the Axis powers resorted to submarines as their main means of transportation. The Allied powers succeeded in disrupting the submarines, which the Germans called the Monsoon group. The Allies used communications intelligence to disrupt the Monsoon group in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Recently released United States Armed Forces LTRA decrypts, MAGIC messages and their summaries, and Selected Research Histories (SRH) provide the previously top secret details.

Ultra Underseas: Signal Intelligence And The Submarine War Against Japan, 1941-1945, Robert B. Watts

History Theses & Dissertations

During the Second World War the United States conducted a highly effective undersea war against Japan which relied on signal intelligence to direct the submarine force. Although submarines were naval assets, the sophisticated signal intelligence operation supporting them was composed of both army and navy organizations that considered a wide variety of factors in directing submarines against enemy economic and military power. While signal intelligence was used to direct submarines against targets of opportunity, the primary advantage of signal intelligence lay in the ability to provide a long-term strategic picture of the enemy. Through inter-service coordination, signal intelligence allowed for …

Attacks On U.S. Submarines By Friendly Forces In World War Ii, Britt C. Skogstad

History Theses & Dissertations

This study analyzes cases in which U.S. submarines were attacked by friendly forces during World War II and identifies the causes of those incidents. Each case is interpreted in the context of the warfare doctrine, tactics, training, and procedures current at the time of the incident. The study determined that friendly attacks were primarily caused by the physical limitations of visually identifying a submarine. Contributing to the problem were inadequate recognition signal systems, poor communications, the latitude given to on-scene commanders to disregard safety procedures, the general attitude that any submarine detected was a threat, a sense of urgency to …

Brizendine, Thomas Swearer, 1919-2016 (Sc 1397), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 1397. World War II letters, 1941-1945, of Brizendine to his family in Greenville, Kentucky, concerning his military service with the United States Marine Corps in the South Pacific area. Includes associated items.

0541: Huntington Jaycees Scrapbook, 1945-1946, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

This collection is composed of a scrapbook created by the Huntington, West Virginia Junior Chamber of Commerce, or Jaycees, in application for the Geissenbier Award, an award of excellence distributed for exemplary community works. The scrapbook features the work conducted by the Jaycees on behalf of the war effort during World War II in Huntington, and includes photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, ephemera, and some hand drawn illustrations for the various areas in which the Jaycees did work.

0540: Adams Family Papers, 1942-1950, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

This collection consists of materials related to the life of the Adams family in World War II, including ration books for sugar, mileage, and other standard ration books, as well as ration supplement applications for Frances B. Adams’s work with the YWCA providing social services. Also included is a certificate and newspaper clipping about Frances’s work and a clipping from a newspaper with a form for a declaration of goods to apply for a subsequent ration book.

Sheffield, Brent (Sc 1427), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 1427. Paper written by WKU student Brent Sheffield for a history class, based on an interview with his father Richard Sheffield, which relates his and his family's involvement in World War II.

Antisubmarine Warfare In The Fifth Naval District During World War Ii: The Defenses Of The Chesapeake Bay, James R. Powell

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis investigates how the United States Navy, with assistance from the Army and Coast Guard, utilized the various aspects of antisubmarine warfare to protect, the Chesapeake Bay and the maritime trade within the Fifth Naval District from the menace of Germany's U-boats during World War II. The details of how these efforts began and were carried out are described.

This thesis complements the other histories of antisubmarine warfare during World War II, which have not emphasized the defenses established for the Chesapeake Bay and the Fifth Naval District. The strenuous, and successful efforts by America's armed forces and the …

Signal Intelligence And Macarthur's Use Of Military Intelligence (G-2) During The Second World War, James Walter Zobel

History Theses & Dissertations

Though signal intelligence significantly benefited MacArthur 's conduct of military operations during the Second World War, each of his campaigns from July 1942 to August 1945 was marred by his reliance on inaccurate intelligence provided by his G-2 organization. An examination of the production and use of intelligence during MacArthur's campaigns displays these mixed aspects of his use of intelligence. Historical analysis shows MacArthur made effective use of signal intelligence, and despite instances of his reliance on inaccurate estimates the result was never disastrous. A detailed view of MacArthur's use of intelligence can be found in the records of his …

Interview With Leo Center, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections Oral History Collection

Leo Center interviewed by Esther Mallard and Jay Fraser, July 24, 1990. Find this collection in the University Libraries' catalog!

Three American Resistance Leaders In The Philippine Islands During World War Ii, Brian W. Mclean

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis compares the effectiveness of three Americans who led major guerrilla groups against the Japanese in the Philippine Islands during World War II. It is limited to Wendell Fertig on Mindanao, James Cushing on Cebu, and Russell Volckmann on Luzon. Previous works addressed only individual leaders; this thesis compares different leaders.

The thesis concludes that although differences did exist in how each individual officer rose to command, all three were effective in leading resistance efforts against the Japanese. The greatest differences among them were the amount of support they received from MacArthur's General Headquarters Southwest Pacific Area (GHQ SWPA) …

Telling The Story Of The Early Black Aviators, Philip S. Hart

Trotter Review

The story of America’s early black aviators from the 1920s and 1930s has been one of the neglected themes in American aviation history. My interest in this topic began with research into family history. My mother’s uncle, J. Herman Banning, was a pioneer black aviator during this nation’s Golden Age of Aviation. I remember my mother, aunt, and grandmother talking about J. Herman Banning back when I was little, and in my teenage years I tried to find out more than I had learned from these family stories and photographs, but it was difficult for me to locate any information …

Commentary: Blacks In U.S. History, Wornie L. Reed

Trotter Review

During Black History Month many people paused to discuss and reflect on the presence and the contributions of African-Americans in the history of the United States. During February two years ago we had a visit from a white Navy veteran from nearby Quincy, Massachusetts, who had his own black history story — although he did not express it as such.

The Polish Resistance Movement In Second World War, Chester M. Nowak

Bridgewater Review

The European Resistance Movement provides us with one of the more engaging and captivating stories of the Second World War, and the Polish Resistance Movement has a central place in that story. Yet, the history and the struggles of the Polish Resistance are not well known. Few people are aware, therefore, of the Polish Underground’s reports about the German extermination of Jews and about German preparations for the invasion of the Soviet Union; the penetration of the German rocket center at Peenemunde by Polish agents, or the fact that Poles delivered into Allied hands the plans and actual parts of …