Finding Aid for the Hubert A. Spurgin Second World War correspondence 2016.094.w.r
Sharon Clairemont
Center for American War Letters Archives
June 14, 2016
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Hubert A. Spurgin Second World War correspondence
Creator:
Spurgin, Hubert
Creator:
Mauldin, Bill (William Henry)
source:
Baca, Barbara Jean (Barbara Jean Spurgin)
Identifier/Call Number: 2016.094.w.r
Physical Description:
.3 Linear feet
(5 folders)
Date (bulk): 1942 January 1 - 1944 December 12
Date (inclusive): 1942-1965
Abstract: This collection contains letters, travel materials, ephemera and news clippings from Pvt. Hubert A. Spurgin, USA.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 6
Container: 5-9
Container: Oversize 1
Container: 14
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Barbara Jean Spurgin Baca. Legacy collection from Andrew Carroll.
This collection is arranged by material type and date.
- Series 1: Correspondence
- Series 2: Travel materials
- Series 3: Ephemera
- Series 4: Newspaper clippings
- Series 5: Bill Mauldin materials
[Item title], Hubert A. Spurgin World War Two correspondence (2016.094.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 correspondence written by Private Hubert Albert Spurgin, United States Army, to his wife, Jean B.
Spurgin, in Anadarko, Oklahoma, and to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.V. Spurgin in Craig, Colorado during the Second World War.
Hubert Spurgin was a private in the Army and served at least some of his duty in North Africa. This collection also contains
postcards, war ration books, guides to North Africa, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings, especially articles and cartoons
by war correspondent and editorial cartoonist William Henry "Bill" Mauldin.
- five V-mail letters
- five war ration books
- one mileage rationing record
- one military receipt for delivery of gasoline
- one booklet of 10 postcards of North Africa
- one Atlas of World War II 20th Commemorative Edition
- two copies of Soldier's Guide to Sicily
- one Language Guide to North Africa
- one Pocket Guide to North Africa
- onebooklet by Bill Mauldin titled Mud, Mules and Mountains,1944, with introduction by Ernie Pyle and autographed by some men who served with Spurgin.
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) -- Caricatures and Cartoons
World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Art and war
World War (1939-1945) -- North Africa
Soldiers -- United States -- Caricatures and Cartoons
Baca, Barbara Jean (Barbara Jean Spurgin)
Jean Spurgin
box WWII 6, folder 1
Series 1, Correspondence 1942 January 1 - 1944 December 12
Language of Material: English.
This series contains correspondence written by Pvt Hubert A. Spurgin to his wife, Jean B. Spurgin in Anadarko, Oklahoma and
to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.V. Spurgin in Craig, Colorado. Pfc. Spurgin's letters are short, a single page. In his letters
to his wife he writes of dreaming of being home, of missing his wife, of sailing to North Africa and watching flying fish,
of the appearances and clothing of Arab men and women. He also asks about his daughter, Barbra Jean. One letter is written
in verse. To his parents he writes of not having much time to write, of changing company from A Co. and a machine gun assignment
to the "Br. Rangers" and going on patrols. He writes of receiving the Craig, Co. newspaper, a fruitcake and other boxes from
family.
box WWII 6, folder 2
box WWII 6, folder 3
box WWII 6, folder 4
Series 4, Newspaper clippings 1945
Language of Material: English.
This series contains newspaper clippings including a May 2, 1945 page from The Craig Empire-Courier (Colorado) featuring peotry
about the war, some from military service personnel; a Dec. 15 (year unknown) article containing poem "A Korean Christmas
Carol" by Lt. Col. Darrell Rathbun
box WWII 6, folder 5
Series 5, Bill Mauldin materials 1943 - 1944
Physical Description: Original two pages of 45th Division News, August 11, 1943, Palermo, Sicily are torn and fragile. Photocopies in folder can
be used instead.
Language of Material: English.
This series includes materials authored or created by Bill Mauldin including:
- one copy of paper-bound book by Bill Mauldin titled "Mud, Mules and Mountains" Cartoons of the A.E.F. in Italy."
- photocopies of four pages of the 45th Division News, August 11, 1943, Palermo, Sicily, containing a column and cartoons by Bill Mauldin;
- original copy of the 45th Division News, August 11, 1943, Palermo, Sicily. Cartoons feature Mauldin characters Willie and Joe.
- One page of The Army News, undated.