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Finding Aid of the Mary Alice Jaqua Papers D439
D439  
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Description
Correspondence, photographs, and other materials, relating to Mary Alice Jaqua (1913-1987), daughter of Ernest J. Jaqua, first president of Scripps College. The materials document in particular her career, 1941-1946, first as secretary to the director of the American Red Cross-Harvard Field Hospital Unit in Salisbury, England, then as civilian secretary in the office of the Commander in Chief, European Theater of Operations (successively Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews, and Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers) in London, Algiers, and Caserta, Italy, and from 1945 as secretary to Jock Dunning, Executive Vice President of Whitney Industries in New York City.
Background
Mary Alice Jaqua was born in Grinnell, Iowa, on July 24, 1913, the daughter of Ernest J. Jaqua (1882-1972) and his wife Gwendolyn Evans (1885-1971). She moved with her family to Claremont, California, in 1926, when her father accepted the position of professor of education and dean of the faculty at Pomona College; he was appointed first president of Scripps College ikn 1926. She received her BA from Scripps in 1934, and in 1935-1936 undertook graduate work in English Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1937-1938 she was a secretary in the office of the President of George Washington University, Washington, DC, and from 1938 to 1941 secretary and research assistant in the Medical and Psychiatric Research Project at Harvard University. In 1941 Jaqua went to England as secretary to Dr. John E. Gordon, Director of the American Red Cross-Harvard Hospital Unit in Salisbury. In 1942 she became a civilian employee of the US military, serving successively as confidential secretary to Lt. Cdr. Harry C. Butcher, Naval Aide to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Commanding General, European Theater of Operations (August 1942), and secretary to Maj. Gen. Russell P. Hartle, Deputy Commander, European Theater of Operations (November 1942). When Eisenhower was given supreme command of the Allied forces and moved to Africa, Jaqua remained in London as secretary to his successors, Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews (February 1943) and Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers (May 1943), while continuing to handle Eisenhower's London business. In January 1944 she followed Devers, who had been appointed Commanding General, North African Field of Operations, and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, to Algiers and in July to Caserta, Italy. The following month she joined the staff of the Historical Section, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (Lt. Gen. Ira C. Eaker, Commander), in Caserta, Italy. She returned to the United States in August 1945, and after several months in Minneapolis, moved to New York City, where she served as secretary to Jock Dunning, Executive Vice President, Whitney Industries, until March 1946.
Extent
0.83 Linear feet (2 document boxes)
Restrictions
All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to Ella Strong Denison Library.
Availability
Collection open for research.