Finding Aid for the Harry F. Smith, Jr. Second World War correspondence 2015.111.w.r

Andrew Harman

Center for American War Letters Archives

8/16/2016

Leatherby Libraries

Chapman University

Orange, CA 92866

speccoll@chapman.edu

URL: http://www1.chapman.edu/library/archives/

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

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Harry Fay Smith, Jr., 10/29/2015.

Arrangement

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

Biographical / Historical

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.

Preferred Citation

[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.

Content Description

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.

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

Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945

World War (1939-1945)

United States. -- Navy

Smith, Harry F., Mr., Jr.

box WWII 31, folder 1-5, box WWII 32, folder 6-11

Series 1, Correspondence from Harry F. Smith, Jr. 1945 April - 1946 May

Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet(11 folders)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from SK3 Harry F. Smith, Jr. to his family during the Second World War. Almost all correspondence is to his parents, together and some separately, and there are two letters to an unidentified woman named Peggy, as well as a series of empty envelopes in Folder 11. Also part of this series are three air mail packages. Letters contained within those packages have been moved to their proper chronological order and booklets have been moved out of series. Of particular note are the photos of the Japanese surrender. Package inventory:

Air Mail Package #1 (large envelope dated Jan. 24, 1946):

Folder 6:

one booklet, "Bet Your Boots: The Story of Recruit Training," by Ritter Gadbois

one booklet, "Helpful Hints to the Navy Recruit

one correspondence, to parents, 5 August 1945 (no #)

one correspondence, to parents, 17 August 1945 (#40)

one memo, U.S. Navy Recruiting Station for Harry Fay Smith, 26 February 1945

one schedule, Recruit Training Command, Advanced Operations Schedule, 16-17 June, 1945

one list, Requirements for Navy Enlistment

one diagram, Aviation Cadet Training, Air Crew

one clipping, "Guam to be our Greatest Base," by John S. Knight, in The Communicator, 28 October, 1945

one medical note, Harry Fay Smith, Camp Farragut Dispensary

one program, Official Opening of The Crossroads, Joint Communications Activities, Guam, Marianas Islands, 31 October, 1945

one medical note, H.F. Smith placed on No Duty status

one photo envelope, Blue Jay Drug

one clipping, article to the Editor, from "The gang at JCA"

one clipping, "Valley Boys to Don Navy Blue"

one clipping, cartoon, "The Sad Sack"

Air Mail Package #2 (large envelope dated Feb 26, 1946):

Folder 8:

18 photos, b/w, various scenes around Guam

one correspondence, to parents, 23 January, 1946

one clipping, situation report from the island, "Thursday morning at 1100"

one clipping, short paragraph about a sailor in a latrine

one clipping, "Opening Night Attracts 2000 to 'Crossroads'"

one clipping, News in Brief, Navy News, Guam Edition, April 2, 1946

one clipping, Navy News, Guam Edition, April 14, 1946

twi photo pages, b/w, photos taped to thin paper, inspection on Guam

one photo, b/w, chapel

four photo pages, b/w, photos glued to thick paper, various scenes on Guam, surrender of Japanese to MacArthur and Nimitz

Air Mail Package #3 (large envelope dated February 21, 1946):

Folder 8:

one correspondence, to parents, 23 February, 1946 (#278)

57 cartoons, Boondockers, by Jack Davis

one clipping, "Navy Hospital Order Bans Wave Kissing"

one cartoon, Grin and Bear it, by Lichty

one clipping, Sports, Softball, 30 January, 1946, The Communicator

one certificate, Navy Training Course Certificate, H.F. Smith, promotion to SK 3/c, 6 Feb. 1946

box WWII 32, folder 12

Series 2, Booklets 1944 - 1995

Physical Description: 0.05 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains four booklets related to the service of SK3 Harry F. Smith, Jr. during the Second World War. Inventory:

Bet Your Boots: The Story of Recruit Training, by Ted Ritter and Bob Gadbois, 1944 (sent in Air Mail Package #1)

Helpful Hints to the Navy Recruit, 1944 (sent in Air Mail Package #1)

U.S.S. Biloxi Souvenir Folder, 1944

Reader's Digest, September 1995, highlighted article: "Caught in a Swirling Deathtrap," pg. 102, similar to experiences in letters #118-119, October 15-17, 1945

box WWII 32, folder 13

Series 3, Map of San Diego 1945

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains one map of San Diego with labeled locations pertinent to a sailor "Ashore in San Diego." The map was created and given to SK3 Harry F. Smith, Jr. in 1945 while training. The bottom caption says, "This map is your property. Save it or mail it home as a souvenir of your first liberty."