Access
Use
Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Biographical Note
Scope and Content of Collection
Title: William Russell Philp collection
Date (inclusive): 1933-1952
Collection Number: 68007
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In English and German
Physical Description:
8 manuscript boxes, 5 oversize boxes, 2 oversize folders, 3 folios
(11.3 Linear Feet)
Abstract: The William Russell Philp collection consists of intelligence reports, interrogation reports, maps, and photographs relating
to Adolf Hitler, the German military structure, national socialism, various aspects of German society during and immediately
after World War II, various military campaigns of World War II (particularly preparation for the invasion of Normandy), denazification,
and post-war reconstruction in Germany.
source:
Philp, William Russell, 1892-1970
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
Boxes 10-13 may not be used without permission of the Archivist. The remainder of the collection is open for research; materials
must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection,
they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1968.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William Russell Philp collection, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
1892 August 24 |
Born, Whitby, Ontario, Canada |
1916 |
Graduated, University of Nebraska |
1916-1917 |
Served on the Mexican border |
1917 |
Commissioned Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery, Regular Army |
1917-1919 |
Served in France during World War I with the 17th Field Artillery, Second U.S. Infantry Division |
1919-1942 |
Served in various commissioned grades at various stations, including three years in Hawaii |
1942 |
Appointed Colonel, U.S. Army |
1943 |
Reported to U.S. Headquarters, London |
1944-1945 |
Served with V Corps Headquarters through end of World War II. |
1944 |
Assigned as Assistant Corps Artillery Officer, V Corps. Helped plan artillery support for D-Day landings on Omaha Beach, Normandy,
and landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day with the V Corps.
|
1952 August 31 |
Retired |
1945-1952 |
Assigned to organize and command the European Command Intelligence Service Center at Oberursel, Germany. Completed two assignments
for duty with the CIA and two with Army Intelligence.
|
1970 January 9 |
Died, San Francisco, California |
Colonel William Russell Philp was a career military officer, serving in the first and second world wars. Philp was largely
responsible for recreating the counter-intelligence corps of the West German government after World War II. Awarded decorations
include the U.S. Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Commendation Medal, French
Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre with bronze star of World War I and Croix de Guerre with palm of World War II, Knights
of Malta Cross of Merit, Knights of St. John Cross of Merit, and eight U.S. Campaign medals.
Scope and Content of Collection
The William Russell Philp collection includes a variety of materials, largely produced by the U.S. Army, that depict German
society before, during, and immediately after World War II. Collection inlcudes interrogation reports produced by the Military
Intelligence Service Center which document the July 1944 attempt on Hitler's life. Additionally, there are reports on World
War II military operations and post-war life in Germany, that cover such topics as denazification efforts, refugees, and prisoners
of war. Related to the latter are two volumes of signatures and photographs of German individuals held in Allied custody for
trial at Nuremberg.
The collection also contains a significant amount of material related to Philp's involvement with planning the landings at
Normandy, including aerial reconnaissance photos and an original annotated waterproof map of Normandy beaches showing the
invasion strategy, as well as other maps and landing diagrams.
Also of note are albums depicting Hitler's visit to Italy in May of 1938 and Joachim von Ribbentrop's 1939 trip to Moscow
that resulted in the signing of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact, as well as copies of Hitler's marriage license and
private and political testaments and photographs of Eva Braun and others at Hitler's mountain retreat.
The original order, numbering, and naming of the items in the collection has been maintained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945 -- Germany
Germany -- History -- 1933-1945
Denazification
National socialism
Reconstruction (1939-1951) -- Germany
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns
Germany. Heer
Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter-Partei
Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945
Philp, William Russell, 1892-1970