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Smith, Harry F. Jr. (Second World War correspondence)
2015.111.w.r
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Harry F. Smith, Jr. Second World War correspondence
source:
Smith, Harry F., Mr., Jr.
Identifier/Call Number: 2015.111.w.r
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
(2 document boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1944 - 1995
Date (bulk): 1944 - 1946 May
Abstract: This collection contains the correspondence and other material from SK3 Class Harry F. Smith, Jr., USN to his family during
the Second World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 31
Container: 1-5
Container: WWII 32
Container: 6-13
Container: Oversize 1
Container: 12
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Harry Fay Smith, Jr., 10/29/2015.
This collection is arranged by material type and date:
- Series 1, Correspondence from Harry F. Smith, Jr.
- Series 2, Booklets
- Series 3, Map of San Diego
Storekeeper Third Class Harry Fay Smith, Jr., United States Navy was born in Los Angeles in 1927 to his parents, Harry Fay
Smith, Sr. and May J. Smith. He joined the Navy at the age of 18 in April 1945. He continued to serve and deployed to the
Pacific theater until after the war when he returned to the United States in May 1946.
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Harry F. Smith, Jr. Second World War correspondence (2015.111.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 URL's, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains the correspondence from SK3 Harry F. Smith, Jr., USN to his family during the Second World War.
The collection also contains photographs, ephemera, booklets, empty envelopes, and a map of San Diego. The photographs, ephemera
and two of the booklets were sent along with correspondence.
The correspondence details the service of SK3 Smith during his training and deployment in the Pacific theater. He began training
in April 1945 at the United States Naval Training Center (USNTC) at Camp Decateur in San Diego, Ca. He detailed the training
program for his parents up until departure out of San Diego Harbor on the Cruiser Biloxi on July 19. After the censors had
eased at the end of the war, in a letter dated September 4, 1945, he wrote a letter detailing his travel by ship to Pearl
Harbor and then to Guam in the Marianas Islands chain. This includes training in the Pacific of simulating planes dive-bombing
their ship. After writing as a Seaman First Class for most of his service, he was promoted to Storekeeper Third Class on
March 3, 1946 and departed Guam for the United States on May 23, 1946 aboard the Billy Mitchell. His last letter to his parents
was dated the day before his departure.
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
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
United States. -- Navy
Smith, Harry F., Mr., Jr.