Finding Aid for the Neil C. Pascoe Second World War correspondence and Michael L. Watson Vietnam War correspondence 2016.167.w.r
Melody Tehrani
Center for American War Letters Archives
October 13, 2016
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Neil C. Pascoe Second World War correspondence and Michael L. Watson Vietnam War correspondence
source:
Pascoe, Neil C., 10-31-1909--01-04-2009
Creator:
Pascoe, Neil C., 10-31-1909--01-04-2009
Creator:
Watson, Michael L.
Identifier/Call Number: 2016.167.w.r
Physical Description:
.25 Linear Feet
(5 folders)
Date (inclusive): 1943 September 1 - 1971 December 16
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from Sergeant Neil C. Pascoe during the Second World War and Michael L. Watson during
the Vietnam War. Also includes newspaper clippings from 1943 to 1944 and Pascoe's veteran information card.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 58
Container: 12-16
Container: 1-5
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Neil C. Pascoe. This is a legacy collection from Andrew Carroll.
This collection is arranged chronologically by material type:
- Series 1, Correspondence to Pascoe Family
- Series 2, Correspondence to Ruth G. Pascoe
- Series 3, Clippings
- Series 4, Correspondence from Michael L. Watson to Jenny Kenyon
Neil Campbell Pascoe was born October 31, 1909 in Easton, Pa. and resided in Branchville, NJ for many years until moving to
Naples, FL in 1974. There, he passed away at the age of 99, on Jan. 4, 2009. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology
and was a graduate of Washington and Lee University's class of 1934. Mr. Pascoe was a life member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity,
VA Epsilon Chapter. Prior to his retirement, he was a Senior Vice President and Personnel Director of Selective Insurance
Company in Branchville.
Neil joined the Army as a private in July 1943, and was discharged as a sergeant in November 1945, after 13 months in the
European Theater. An edition of the SigEp Journal reported that he was the first corporal to cross the Rhine River. A veteran
of World War II, he served in the U.S. Army and was a life member of Pvt. Peter S. Hotalen Post No. 157, and a past Sussex
County Commander of the American Legion. He was also a past president of the Sussex County Rotary Club. During his Branchville
days, he served for many years on the Borough Council, and was a charter member of the Culver Brook Restoration Foundation.
He also served as Chairman of the Selective Service Draft Board No. 41 from 1950 to 1969. Mr. Pascoe was a past chairman of
the Sussex County Mosquito Extermination Committee. While residing in Naples, he was a Charter Member of the Vanderbuilt Presbyterian
Church and a founding member of the Quail Run Country Club.
Ruth Green Pascoe, the wife of Neil C. Pascoe, was born December 26, 1910 in New Jersey. Mrs. Pascoe was a native of Trenton,
NJ and lived in Branchville, NJ before moving with her husband to Naples, FL in 1974. Mrs. Pascoe was a charter member of
the Vanderbuilt Presbyterian Church, Naples, FL, and Culver Brook Restoration Foundation of Branchville. She was a former
employee of the Trenton Times Newspaper, Trenton and Selected Risks Ins. Co., now Selected Ins. Co. of America, Branchville.
Mrs. Pascoe was 97 when she passed away in Naples, FL on October 1, 2008, 3 months before her husband's passing. At the time
of passing, she was survived by a niece, Nancy L. Murtha and her husband Ken of Washington Crossing, PA; a nephew, Glenn H.
Green and his wife Leta of Burnet, TX; a great-niece, Laura Green of Burnet, TX; and a sister-in-law, Ella Green of Washington
Crossing, PA. She was predeceased by her brother Harry Green.
Mrs. R. W. Pascoe (Mother of Neil Pascoe): Birth and death dates unknown.
Michael L. Watson: Birth and death dates unknown. Inferred origin, Kansas.
Jenny Kenyon: Birth and death dates unkown. Towanda, Kansa, attended Circle High School, Class of 1971.
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Neil C. Pascoe Second World War correspondence and Michael L. Watson Vietnam War
correspondence (2016.167.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.
This collection contains letters from two authors during two conflicts. There are letters written by Sergeant Neil C. Pascoe
to his family during the Second World War. Also includes newspaper clippings from 1943 to 1944 and a veteran information card.
The other series letters are from Michael L. Watson to Jenny Kenyon, during the Vietnam War.
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 II
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
World War (1939-1945) -- Belgium
World War (1939-1945) -- France
World War (1939-1945) -- Germany
Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Vietnam.
Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Correspondence
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
Newspaper clippings
Pascoe, Neil C., 10-31-1909--01-04-2009
Pascoe, Ruth Green, 12-26-1910--10-01-2008
Pascoe, R.W.
Kenyon, Jenny
box WWII 58, folder 1 of 5
Series 1, Correspondence to Pascoe Family 1943 September 1 - 1945 August 27
Creator: Pascoe, Neil C., 10-31-1909--01-04-2009
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains 13 letters written by Neil C. Pascoe to his mother R.W. Pascoe and other family dating between September
1, 1943 and August 27, 1945. The series discusses acknowledging receipt of many letters from the mother and Neil's attempts
to answer all of them. The series begins with a letter about shipping out, and the very specific way to write his address.
"Don't write anything else for an address as they are very fussy." –September 1, 1943. It continues with holiday wishes and
discussions about family and illnesses on the home front. Other letters reveal Neil's interest in a future trip to Paris,
movies he has been watching, and a wish to send his family souvenirs from abroad. From these letters to R.W. Pascoe, it is
apparent the mother sends her son scriptures from the bible, and as Neil writes her thank you, he also is frank about not
having time to dwell on them. "But, frankly, Mother I haven't had a chance to look them up, nor have I been to church in several
weeks." -December 9, 1944. Neil requests to use V-mail for cost and speed considerations and asks for cigarettes as the 5
packs per week he receives from the army do not last long. Included in this series is an architectural description of a church
Neil visits in Belgium, a newspaper clipping about "Award for Pascoe," first sergeant, certificate of merit for outstanding
efforts, a newspaper clipping about German civilian sentiment of anti-Nazi-ism, and letter of commendation to officers of
the XVI Corps.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1939-1945) -- Belgium
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Newspaper clippings
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
box WWII 58, folder 2-3 of 5
Series 2, Correspondence to Ruth G. Pascoe 1944 March 28 - 1945 October 24
Creator: Pascoe, Neil C., 10-31-1909--01-04-2009
Physical Description: .2 Linear Feet(2 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains 101 letters. One hundred were written by Neil C. Pascoe to his wife Ruth Pascoe dating between March
28, 1944 and October 24, 1945 and one is written by Harry Green to his sister, Ruth Pascoe. The series discusses his training
in the U.S., a train ride to Colorado and local fauna and food. "[Neil] went to the show seeing 'Buffalo Bill,' a Technicolor
picture that wasn't too bad." -April 4, 1944. He discusses an older movie he and his wife saw long ago called "Silver Dollar"
and retells some of the related Colorado history he learned during his time in CO. While deployed in France Neil writes about
the dress of men and women there, and comparison to other Catholic countries. He describes his awe of some solid structures
and their architecture. Other letters to Ruth are from Neil describing the local wines and spirits sampled in France and his
distaste for a particular apple brandy. As seen in his letters to his mother in Series 1, Neil writes to Ruth about his hopeful
trip to Paris, and reveals a few times that the trip has fallen through. Later he asks his wife who she voted for in the 1944
Roosevelt v. Dewey election. The series mentions war planes flying over Belgium into Germany and the nicknames of the men
in Neil's company. It becomes apparent that Ruth has taken a job with Prudential Insurance back home and Neil asks her if
she is in need of extra money and if he should increase the amount of payments he sends home. Neil writes to Ruth about finally
getting to make that trip to Paris. "It is true what they say about the gals in Paree, but I didn't lose sight of you at any
time—and that is also the truth." -March 20, 1945.
The series describes Neil's encounter with some Russian boys captured by Germans and taken as soldiers during the Battle of
Leningrad, until liberated in their hometown in Germany. It also includes his observations of devastation in Germany and post-war
France.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- France
World War (1939-1945) -- Germany
box WWII 58, folder 4 of 5
Series 3, Clippings 1943 - 1945
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains 3 newspaper clippings and 1 army information card dated approximately between the years 1943 and 1945.
One clipping is a newspaper cartoon called "Willie and Joe," date unknown. One newspaper article is dated August 1944 and
titled "The Meanest Man in the Army," by Samuel W. Taylor. The third article is from The Tulsa Tribune, dated October 16,
1943 and titled 'The Healthy American Must Do the Job," by Richard Lloyd Jones. The information card includes information
about Sgt. Neil C. Pascoe, his service dates, and member affiliations.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
Newspaper clippings
box WWII 58, folder 5 of 5
Series 4, Correspondence from Michael L. Watson to Jenny Kenyon 1970 November 10 - 1971 December 16
Creator: Watson, Michael L.
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains two letters from November 10, 1970 and December 16, 1971 written by Michael Watson to Jenny Kenyon. In
these letters, Michael addresses his frustration and depression about being in Vietnam. He addresses the recipient, Jenny,
as "lover" and most of the content in the two letters express his love for Jenny and his frustration and confusion about the
certainty of their relationship.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Vietnam.
Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Correspondence