Descriptive Summary
Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Processing History
Biographical Note
Collection Scope and Contents
Collection Arrangement
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Earl R. Oatman papers
Date (inclusive): circa 1897-2015, undated
Date (bulk): 1941-1991
Collection Number: MS 224
Creator:
Oatman, Earl R.
Extent:
4.08 linear feet
(4 boxes)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Abstract: This collection contains photographs, correspondence, military records, and other material pertaining to Earl R. Oatman, a
Prisoner of War (POW) during World War II and Professor Emeritus of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside.
Includes correspondence and documents related to Oatman's experience as a POW in World War II, photographs of Oatman and family
from childhood to adulthood, and manuscripts of Oatman's book titled
Bataan: Only the Beginning. Material documenting Oatman's personal life and professional accomplishments before and after World War II are also included.
Languages: The collection is in English.
Access
This collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright Unknown:
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction,
and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by
copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions
apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for
obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Earl R. Oatman papers (MS 224). Special Collections & University Archives,
University of California, Riverside.
Acquisition Information
Gifts of Dr. Earl R. Oatman, 2007, 2008, 2009.
Processing History
Processed by Jamie Madrigal, Student Processing Assistant, 2016.
Processing of the Earl R. Oatman papers was completed by undergraduate students from the University of California, Riverside
as part of the Special Collections & University Archives Backlog Processing Project started in 2015. This project was funded
by the UCR Library and administered by Bergis Jules, University and Political Papers Archivist, and Eric Milenkiewicz, Manuscripts
Curator.
Biographical Note
Earl R. Oatman, 1920-2015, was a Prisoner of War during World War II and Professor Emeritus of Entomology at the University
of California, Riverside. Oatman was born in Texas and grew up in Oklahoma with his two brothers, Delmar and Olen, and sister
Elsia. At the age of 20 he enlisted in the United States military and was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines when
it was attacked by enemy forces on December 8, 1941. Oatman was a Prisoner of War under the Imperial Japanese Army and was
part of the Bataan Death March. He was held captive for three years before his rescue and subsequent honorable discharge from
the United States Army. After returning home, Oatman earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Missouri
and then attended UC Berkeley where he earned his Ph.D. in Entomology. He began working at UC Riverside in 1962 and retired
in 1988. Oatman published over 200 research papers during his tenure at UC Riverside and in retirement he wrote the book,
Bataan: Only the Beginning, documenting his experiences as a Prisoner of War during World War II.
Collection Scope and Contents
This collection contains photographs, correspondence, military records, and other material pertaining to Earl R. Oatman. Includes
correspondence and documents related to Oatman's experience as a Prisoner of War in World War II, photographs of Oatman and
family from childhood to adulthood, and manuscripts of Oatman's book titled
Bataan: Only the Beginning. Material documenting Oatman's personal life and professional accomplishments before and after World War II are also included.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series as follows:
- Series 1. World War II experience, circa 1939-2004, undated
- Series 2. Professional life, 1951-2001, undated
- Series 3. Personal life, circa 1897-2015, undated
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Fassoth, William John
University of California, Riverside
Bataan Death March, Philippines, 1942
Entomology
Prisoners of war
World War, 1939-1945
Genres and Forms of Materials
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Photographs