Finding Aid for the Davis Minshew Second World War correspondence 2016.170.w.r

Sharon Clairemont
Center for American War Letters Archives
2/7/2017
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Davis Minshew Second World War correspondence collection
source: Mangrum, Boyd
Creator: Minshew, Davis
Identifier/Call Number: 2016.170.w.r
Physical Description: .167 Linear feet (1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1937 February 1 - 2001 August 5
Date (inclusive): 1937 February 1-1950 July 24
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from Lieutenant Davis Minshew, United States Navy, to his friend Leonard Gorin, Jr. written between 1938 and 1949. The correspondence includes Minshew's pre-war occupations and military training and well as his wartime experiences and post-war jobs. It also contains correspondence to Leonard Gorin, Jr. from Davis Minshew's mother (Missouri Avery), from his aunt Vera Gorin, from W. R. Lundgren (Bill) and from others identified only by first name, Marty (married to Bill) and Connie.
Language of Material: English .
Container: WWII 52
Container: 8-16
Container: 1-9

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Boyd Mangrum and Melvin Lipsitz, Jr.

Arrangement

Letters in the collection are arrranged by material type, date, and author. Most of the letters are from Davis Minshew to his friend Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. Gorin assigned numbers to the correspondence, writing the numbers in the lower right corner of the pages. For the most part, this numbering follows the chronolgical order of the letters, but there are a few exceptions. In those instances, the letters are arranged by date rather than by Gorin's numbering.
  • Series 1, Correspondence from Davis Minshew to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr.
  • Series 2, Correspondence from Missouri Avery Minshew to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr.
  • Series 3, Correspondence from W.R. (Bill) and Marty Lundgren to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr.
  • Series 4, Correspondence from Vera Gorin and Connie to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr.
  • Series 5, Biographical information on Leonard L. Gorin, Jr.
  • Series 6, Photograph of Davis Minshew and crewmembers

Biographical / Historical

Lieutenant Davis Minshew, United States Navy (5/16/1916 - 6/27/1949) was born to Thomas E. and Missouri Avery Minshew in Teague, Texas. During the Second World War Lt. Minshew served on the USS R-14, and commanded the USS Numitor, USS Menominee, USS Layson Island and USS Abnaki. He passed away for unknown reasons at the age of 33 in Houston, Texas.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/freestone/vitals/deaths/dead1949.txt -- http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/freestone/cemetery/greenwoo.txt -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Numitor_(ARL-17)
Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. was the only grandson of Isaac Goido (pen name Bernard Gorin), a distinguished Yiddish novelist, dramatist, and drama critic, who was born in Lida, Poland and immigrated to the United States, becoming a prominent figure in the New York City literary world. According to the donor, information about Isaac and his wife Elizabeth, also an author, can be found in the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. Elizabeth passed away in 1945 while Leonard was in the Army, and he was dispatched to New York to make arrangements and receive her and her deceased husband's extensive library of Yiddish books; most of which were donated to the New York Public Library. He and Davis were very literary, and Leonard had a distinguished law career until he passed away in 2014.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number] Davis Minshew Second World War correspondence (2016.170.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Content Description

This collection contains the correspondence of Lt. Davis Minshew, USN to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr., between 1938 and 1949. There are no letters from 1943. Other gaps are from November 1940 to April 1941, from August 1942 to June 1944 and from June 1947 to February 1948. Most of the letters are from Minshew during his service in the Navy during the Second World War.
The collection also contains correspondence to Leonard Gorin, Jr. from Davis Minshew's mother (Missouri Avery Minshew), from W. R. Lundgren (Bill) and from others identified only by first name, Martha/Marty (married to Bill), and from Minshew's Aunt Vera and a Connie Richards (last name confirmed by the daughter of her and Warren).
Accessioned and added 1/28/2022: one photograph of Davis Minshew and fellow crewmembers. The photograph was takend possibly abourd the USS Numitor. The six other sailors are African American.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945) -- Military operations, Naval -- American
World War (1939-1945) -- United States -- Veterans -- Mental health
World War (1939-1945) -- United States -- Veterans -- Psychology
World War (1939-1945) -- Psychological aspects
Mangrum, Boyd
Gorin, Leonard L., Jr., 1915-2014

box WWII 52, folder 8-11, folder 1-4

Series 1, Correspondence from Davis Minshew to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. 1938 - 1949

Creator: Minshew, Davis
source: Gorin, Leonard L., Jr., 1915-2014
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence beginning in October 1938 when Minshew was working for Braniff Airways at Love Field in Dallas, TX, ending in 1949 in Houston, TX. This series comprises the major portion of the collection. It contains Minshew's stream-of-consciouness thoughts on life, relationships, war, authority, sex, and literature. It also contains his more specific experiences in naval training, life aboard a submarine and especially commanding naval tugboat and repair vessels in the Pacific, 1941 - 1946.
Minshew's letters indicate he was very intelligent and well-read. He writes well. He makes many references to authors of philosophy and literature and their works. Minshew's letters reflect his disdain for authority, for the military, and for much of society. Early in the span of letters (p.62), he writes to Gorin, "Do you know what the trouble with me is? It is that I have never found a thing yet that I give a damn about." He often writes of his anger calling it "redass." He proclaims "I early lost a God, I early lost a mother ..." However, he occasionally mentions seeing or writing to his mother. He makes small mention of his father's death in 1939, and expresses his envy and dislike of his sister and of his parents' favoring her. He also occasionally refers to Gorin's Jewishness and exclaims that after living on "Love Field Drive a month, I am willing, even anxious, to turn over my part of America to any Jew that wants it."
Minshew summed up his correspondence in one letter (page number 90 in September 1940):
It is not hard to write letters to people, it is hard to keep from writing them. I can get drunker in front of a typewriter in five minutes than in front of a bar in as many hrs. The thing to do is to wait till you are so near out of cigarettes that you will probably go to bed anyway before you are finished. And, preferably, pick out someone who is not in the least interested in hearing from you, talk about nothing except yourself, do that in as vulgar and noisome a way as possible, throw in all the more revolting old Anglo-Saxon monosyllables dealing with private biology and anatomy you possibly can so you will sound either Bohemian or like little-boys-behind-the-schoolhouse; These for good starting hints. Then, be really thorough in the matter of getting naked enough to prowl and scratch at will, pick out of your glossary a nicely eclectic collection of words that you can spell but that's all and you are reasonably convinced that nobody else can even spell..."
Minshew writes a great deal about his life and circumstances; lodging, drinking, smoking and sex. His letters mention many sexual encounters, but no long-term relationships. In a letter dated May 28, 1946 he writes self-deprecatingly claiming "I was always a taker, never a giver ... I never even loved anyone, did I?...I never gave one of them anything of value, did I? ... I haven't ever made a generous gesture of note in my whole life."
Minshew values his relationship with Gorin above all others and writes often of how important their friendship is, his admiration of Gorin, how much he values his letters, his closeness to Gorin and Gorin's parents. "Your friendship is the only close attachment I've ever formed." (p.288) "you are part of me, I am part of you."" (p. 102) "It has always been a small wonder to me to realize from time-to-time the almost mystical depth I have always attached to my connection with you." (4-21-46)
Although some of Minshew's letters relate specific significant events during his service, such as rescuing ships during typhoons in Okinawa and the tedium of months at sea aboard a submarine, most of his correspondence is stream-of-consciousness writing relaying his moods and thoughts about his life and relationships. Minshew's use of sarcasm, obscure words and Yiddish can make the meaning and intent of his writing difficult to decipher.
Early letters (1938) are during Minshew's employment with Braniff Airways in Texas. He mentions the impending war in Europe, saying
"I see by the papers where the Latter Day Scent, Adolf, is still doing the same old song-and-dance at the old stand---with Mussolini (alias Musica) doing a bit of ad-Libyaing along. Adolf told his team the other day that Roosevelt wanted war; yes, he said that that was the only way he could let the whole damn bumch of his family achieve their manifest destiny; said Jimmy and Sam Godlwyn [sic] could beat Howard Hughes' in a walk after transferring Czechoslovakia and Hungary to a set and letting the Wops and Heinies bomb hell out of it."
Subsequent letters reflect many jobs, military training and periods of unemployment. In March of 1939 he is flight training at Randolph Field in Texas. He fails flight school for "being dangerous in traffic" and returns home to Teague, TX. He then writes of naval navigation training at Maxwell Field in Alabama and Coral Gables, Florida in April and May 1941. He writes of his discharge in July 1941 and subsequent Navy training school at Northwestern University. He writes he is "kicked out" of that training, is hospitalized (the first of several), then reports to New London, CT for submarine duty on the USS R-14. He writes proudly of his capabilities of commandeering a submarine. There are no letters about his war service in 1943. In June of 1944 he writes of amphibious training at Camp Bradford, Norfolk, VA then assignment to LST 954 - USS Numitor and service in the Pacific. In September 1945 he assumes command of the USS Menominee in Okinawa, then in December command of the USS Laysan Island at Pearl Harbor. In April 1946 he is in command of the USS Abnaki in Japan. He applies for command with the regular U.S. Navy but is rejected in May 1946. In December 1946 he is working as a clerk at the Bank of Hawaii. He writes he asked the bank for a raise in June 1947 but was "let go" instead. He writes of his intention to return to Texas and asks Gorin if he knows of any work. Minshew's next letters are from Feb. 1948 on stationery from National Steel Compressing in Texas.
In the last letter to Gorin, April 12, 1949, Minshew writes about his theory "that people don't ever change" and "play their same old record." He writes from a room at the YMCA in Houston, TX and and asks if they might get "together anywhere sometime in the close future."

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945) -- Military operations, Naval -- American
World War (1939-1945) -- Psychological aspects
World War (1939-1945) -- United States -- Veterans -- Mental health
World War (1939-1945) -- United States -- Veterans -- Psychology
Gorin, Leonard L., Jr., 1915-2014
box WWII 52, folder 12, folder 5

Series 2, Correspondence from Missouri Avery Minshew to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. 1949 - 1950

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains five letters from Davis Minshew's mother, Missouri Avery Minshew to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. written between August 1949 and July 1950 from Tulsa, Oklahoma. In these letters written following Davis Minshew's death, Mrs. Minshew acknowledges Gorin and Minshew's deep friendship, and expresses her "deep gratitude for all you have been to Davis throughout these years and for being such a dependable friend to me now when I need you so." She grieves her son's death, discusses the dispositon of his belongings and writes of her struggle to get compensation from the Veteran's Administration and Social Security. She expresses her confusion about the cause(s) of Davis's death and disappointment in the government's decision his death was not a result of a service-related disease or injury.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
Gorin, Leonard L., Jr., 1915-2014
box WWII 52, folder 13, folder 6

Series 3, Correspondence from W.R. (Bill) and Martha Lundgren to Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. 1960

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

Lundgren writes to tell Gorin the book about Davis Minshew has been rejected by publishers. Lundgren writes from Redlands, CA where he works at home as a script writer. He writes of the advantages and disadvantages of living in Redlands and in Los Angeles and reflects on life in the United States in 1960. "This is a nation in transition between two sets of values." Lundgren's wife Marty writes to comment on her husband's letter and to ask about living in Waco, TX.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Gorin, Leonard L., Jr., 1915-2014
box WWII 52, folder 14, folder 7

Series 4, Correspondence from Vera Gorin and Connie 1945 - 1946

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains two letters, one from Leonard's aunt, Vera Gorin and one from "Connie" who is referenced in other letters from Minshew to Gorin, but who is not verifiably identified as a relative or friend. -- Leonard's Aunt Vera writes from Brooklyn, NY in December 1945. She describes visits from relatives and her dismay at their expectations of room, board, jobs. She expresses her hope Gorin will visit "before going home" so that she can tell him about her will and key.
Connie writes from Baltimore, MD in 1946. She describes a visit from Davis Minshew. "To us Davis has changed some - I just felt he really needed a rest and to stay on dry land for awhile. He seemes very restless and I hope he sticks it out in Washington..." She mentions that her husband, Warren and Minshew get along well.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Gorin, Leonard L., Jr., 1915-2014
box WWII 52, folder 15, folder 8

Series 5, Biographical information on Leonard L. Gorin, Jr.

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains a copy of a memorial brochure from Leonard Gorin Jr.'s graveside service on Nov. 20, 2014 -- a copy of a Tribune-Herald newspaper column by Robert G. Collmer about Leonard Gorin's grandparents Bernard and Elizabeth Gorin -- A joint resolution in memory of Leonard L. Gorin by the 10th Court of Appeals and Waco-McLennan County Bar Association -- a copy of an email from Stephen Goldfarb to Donald Goldfarb about an online description of a book by Bernard Gorin -- a copy of an obituary for Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. printed from Wilkerson-Hatch-Bailey web site -- copy of a printed eulogy of Leonard L. Gorin, Jr. by Boyd Mangrum -- copy of an obituary of Leonard Gorin (JD '37) in unidentified periodical (Docket Call / Spring '15) -- A letter from the Waco Police Department to "Gorin Residence" regarding "non-valid buglar alarms." -- a clipping from Readers Digest, September 2001 about contacting the magazine or Stephen Ambrose about Ambrose's work on a history of the Second World War Pacific theater -- an article from TIME magazine, May 29, 2000 by Douglas Brinkley about war letters collected by Andrew Carroll/ Legacy Project. Includes copies and text of letters and photographs of soldiers. -- Waco Tribune-Herald, December 27, 1999 front page and pages 2A, 11A and 12A, including article by Martha Ashe about Evelyn and Nathan Hoffman and letters they exchanged during the Second World War. -- Seven pages of notes about Minshew letters and others' interest in them.
box WWII 52, folder 16, folder 9

Series 6, Photograph of Davis Minshew and crewmembers 1943 - 1945

Scope and Contents

This series contains 1 photograph of Lt. Davis Minshew, USN, and his fellow crewmembers, possibly aboard the USS Numitor, during the Second World War. The six other sailors are African American.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945)
World War (1914-1918) -- Photography
Photographs