Geer (Andrew) papers M2257

Malgorzata Schaefer

Department of Special Collections and University Archives

December 2017

Green Library

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford 94305-6064

specialcollections@stanford.edu

URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc

Note

This is a listing of materials rather than a true finding aid.

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Title: Andrew C. Geer papers

creator: Geer, Andrew Clare

Identifier/Call Number: M2257

Physical Description: 10.6 Linear Feet 12 MB, 2 half boxes, 4 flat boxes

Date (inclusive): c. 1913-1969

Biographical / Historical

Andrew C. Geer first served in North Africa with the American Field Service, and then in the United States Marine Corps in both WWII and Korea, eventually being promoted to Captain. He wrote books and published stories in various magazines. His most acclaimed published books were The New Breed: the story of the U. S. Marines in Korea; The Sea Chase, a drama set in WWII which was made into a movie starring John Wayne and Lana Turner; and Reckless: Pride of the Marines, about a decorated war horse who won two purple hearts.

Scope and Contents

The collection contains 10 typed manuscripts of Andrew Geer's books, issues of magazines where his stories were published, and many newspaper clippings about his work. The photographs show him in the military, as a civilian, as an author, and in private life. The large quantity of personal letters includes those to his wife both prior to and after their marriage. The collection includes photographs and a scrapbook about Sergeant Reckless, the beloved decorated war horse of the USMC, as well as Geer's manuscript of his published book called Reckless. The collection includes the manuscript and storyboard of Geer's book turned movie, The Seachase, starring a stellar cast including Johm Wayne and Lana Turner.

Materials in the collection consist of correspondence, manuscripts, printed material, scrapbooks, photographs and physical artifacts such as serving medals composed by and belonging to Andrew C. Geer.

General

Andrew C. Geer (1905-1957) was a Marine Corps officer and author.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Robert W. Taggart; 2017. Accession MSS 2017-248.

Conditions Governing Use

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Andrew C. Geer papers (M2257). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research; material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Authors, American -- 20th century.

United States. Marine Corps. Marine Division, 1st -- History

United States. Marine Corps. Marine Regiment, 5th -- History

American Field Service -- History

Geer, Andrew Clare

Sergeant Reckless, (Horse), approximately 1948-1968

Series 1. Personal Information and Documents

half-box 1, Folder 1

Biographical information, including letter to Jane which includes memories from childhood and life perspectives

half-box 1, Folder 2

Documents, including birth register, appointment to Captain, special recognition, certificates and awards including Award of Gold Star, and correspondence relating to these and to transfer - recommendation by headquarters, United States Passport, British Red Cross Certificate of Identity

half-box 1, Folder 3

Contracts, motion picture rights, and publishing rights

half-box 1, Folder 4, flat-box 10

Letters, published remarks and photographs relating to death (also see flat box 10, folder 3)

flat-box 10, Folder 4

Documents: Resolution in Memoriam for Board of Supervisors to adjourn its meeting; Baptism certificate; appointment to Lieutenant Colonel on the United States Marine Corps Reserve

half-box 1, Folder 5

Letter from Assistant Deputy Minister for Deputy Minister La Fleche, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, Canada, detailing activity of Canadian Mounted Rifles regiments 1939-02

half-box 1, Folder 5

Report of Section One, 1st CC, AFS to Colonel Ralph Richmond, Ghq, Cairo 1942-04

half-box 1, Folder 5

Letter to Major William Ingram, summarizing military experience 1943-05

Box 18

Bronze Star Medal; War Medal 1939-45; The Africa Star; The 1939-45 Star; British 8th Army badge; dog tags; desk name plate of Capt. A. Geer made from a piece of the USS Oklahoma sunk Dec 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor; sports emblems on a chain

Series 2. Manuscripts, Fiction

Box 2, Folder 1-2

Hard is the Stone

Box 2, Folder 3-4

The Turn of the Furrow

Box 2, Folder 5

The Fight to the Sea

Box 3, Folder 1-2

To Walk Alone

Box 3, Folder 3-5

Hard Is the Stone

Box 4, Folder 1-2

Merchant Marine

Box 4, Folder 3-4

Merchant Marine with annotations

Box 4, Folder 5

High Rolls the Tide

Box 5, Folder 1-2

The Sea Chase

Box 5, Folder 3

The Sea Chase - preliminary scene block

Box 5, Folder 4

The Sea Chase - storyboard

Box 6, Folder 1-2

Reckless

Box 6, Folder 3-4

Reckless - publisher's galley sheets

Series 3. Published Stories

half-box 7

Fiction published in magazines: The American Magazine, Annual Scoop, Catholic Digest, The Link, Leatherneck, Redbook Magazine, The Villagers

flat-box 8

Fiction published in magazines: American Weekly, Collier's, Saturday Evening Post, Town & Country

Series 4. Scrapbooks

flat-box 9

The Story of "Sergeant Reckless" Arranged and Edited by Andrew Geer, limited edition, 1 of 6 copies

flat-box 9

The Story of "Sergeant Reckless" arranged and edited by Andrew Geer, limited edition, 1 of 6 copies

flat-box 9, Folder 1

Photographs and newspaper clippings of Sergeant Reckless (loose)

flat-box 9

The New Breed - articles and clippings from newspapers and magazines praising the book

flat-box 10

The Sea Chase - articles and clippings from newspapers and magazines praising the book

Material Specific Details: Album is fragile and many clippings have come loose.

flat-box 10, Folder 1

The Sea Chase - articles and clippings from newspapers and magazines praising the book, as well as promotional materials

Series 5. Photographs

Box 11, Folder 1

Photograph of Andy Geer and John Wayne, The Sea Chase

flat-box 10, Folder 4

Large family photograph, mounted

Box 11, Folder 1

"Casualty in Korea," photograph that won $2000 frist prize in the color division of the $25,000 Photography magazine contest for 1952

Box 11, Folder 1

Shots from filming The Sea Chase

Box 11, Folder 1

Letter from cartoon creator of Snuffy Smith to Major General Wm C. Clement

Box 11, Folder 1

Various photos of Andy Geer as an adult (16 total)

Box 11, Folder 4

3 large photographs of Andy Geer with his wife, smaller ones with females, early family portraits, and small photographs of people some of whom are mentioned in his letters (Marmin, Myra); some photographs have notations

Box 11, Folder 4

Scenes in the field, military, various people and other

Box 11, Folder 5

Black and white photographs of a man, one of a couple (March 1935) and a group photo in the snow; various from 1943-1944; one from December 14, 1950 of Yudanm-ni; Far East from 1950-51

Box 11, Folder 6

Andy Geer with wife and others at a banquet table August 8, 1951; Major Andy Geer with E. W. Le Baron and others February 8, 1952; Major Andy Geer at speaker's table with Edmund Grainer, Faye Reeder, Ed Stodel and also showing General Keller Rockey and William Saal; Andy Geer at a banquet table in Hong Kong

Box 11, Folder 7

Andy Geer August - October 1953; in uniform with 2 men photographed by the San Francisco Examiner November 1957; various others both in uniform and not

Box 11, Folder 8

Photograph of Andy Geer, holding his hat, and the maroon frame it was in

Box 11, Folder 9

Loose photographs that were inside the album depicting travel through Tahiti, Fiji and the Tongan Islands

Box 11

Photo album depicting travel through Tahiti, Fiji, and the Tongan Islands, with some descriptions

Series 6. Correspondence and Personal Letters

Material Specific Details: The letters have been foldered very roughly, both by author of the letter and the year.

Box 12, Folder 1-2

Personal letters from Edith 1926

Box 12, Folder 3

Letters from various people 1926

Box 12, Folder 4

Personal letters from mother 1932

Box 12, Folder 5

Personal letters, many from Vera 1932-1934

Box 12, Folder 6

Personal letters from Fergie 1933-1934

Box 12, Folder 7

Personal letters, many from Cotesty 1933-1934

Box 12, Folder 8

Personal letters from Judy 1934

Box 13, Folder 1-3

Personal letters from Julie 1932

Box 13, Folder 4

Personal letters to Julie 1932

Box 13, Folder 5

Personal letters from friends and family 1933-1934

Box 14, Folder 1

Personal letters, many from Myra Kuehl 1933-1935

Box 14, Folder 2-5

Letters from various people 1932-1935

Box 15, Folder 1-4

Letters from various people 1932-1935

Box 15, Folder 5

Financial correspondence: loans, life insurance

Box 15, Folder 6

Letters (2) to George (1945); a letter from Reese (1957); memo to Evan Thomas from Fitz with note to Andy (1948)

Box 5, Folder 5

Letters about The Sea Chase

Box 5, Folder 6

Letters about The New Breed; promotional brochure for Canton Barrier

Box 16, Folder 1-5

Letters to and from Jane Roselle, later Jane Geer, bulk 1934-1935, 1944-1945

Series 7. Jane Geer: Photographs, Letters, and Ephemera

Box 17, Folder 1-3

Photographs from albums and from boxes

Processing Information

Photographs are not organized.

Box 17, Folder 4

Photographs, mostly of Jane and Andy Geer

Box 17, Folder 5-6

Photographs, mostly of Andy Geer, from Jane's boxes

Box 17, Folder 7

Personal letters

Box 17, Folder 8

Newspaper clippings, many about Andy Geer

Box 17, Folder 9

Ephemera, including cards, post cards of Guatemala, 2 poems (typed), receipts, roster with names and addresses, hotel logos, negative showing a couple

Box 17, Folder 9

War ration book with stamps

Box 17, Folder 10

Letters, cards, tickets

Box 17, Folder 11

United States passport

Box 17, Folder 12

Wedding announcement and printing plate, congratulatory cards, newspaper clippings about announcement, 4 photos outside in the snow, can of film labeled wedding pix

Series 8. Other

Box 1, Folder 6

Jessie E. de Buda estate documents

Box 1, Folder 5

Ephemera including hand drawn card of man with a hat with various signatures, Geo. G. Pomeroy 11/19/53 Bohemia

Box 5, Folder 7

Ephemera including cards, YMCA card, San Francisco/Oakland decal, 2 letters to Major Geer from children, clippings mentioning Andy Geer

Box 5, Folder 8

The Holy Bible engraved with Andrew C. Geer, "To Andy from Marmion, January 10, 1934"

flat-box 10, Folder 2

Various newspaper articles mentioning Andrew Geer