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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Arrangement
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Preferred Citation
  • Content Description
  • Conditions Governing Use

  • Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
    Title: Christopher Smith Second World War correspondence
    Creator: Smith, Christopher
    source: DeBonte, Barbara
    Identifier/Call Number: 2014.013.w.r
    Identifier/Call Number: 724
    Physical Description: 2 Linear Feet (4 document boxes)
    Date (inclusive): 1942 March 17 - 1945 December
    Abstract: This collection contains correspondence to and from Capt. Christopher Smith, USA during the Second World War. The collection also includes photographs and ephemera, as well as a code key letter written at the time for the family to be able to avoid the censors.
    Language of Material: English .
    Container: WWII 71
    Container: 1-7
    Container: WWII 72
    Container: 8-11
    Container: WWII 73
    Container: 12-15
    Container: WWII 74
    Container: 16-24

    Conditions Governing Access

    This collection is open for research.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Gift of Barbara DeBonte

    Arrangement

    This collection is arranged by material type:
    • Series 1, Correspondence
    • Series 2, Code Key
    • Series 3, Photos
    • Series 4, Ephemera

    Biographical / Historical

    Captain Christopher Smith, United States Army (1917-2002) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family soon moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey where they lived until he was 17 years old. After his father died, his mother remarried and they moved to Washington D.C. His letters are addressed to his mother, Mary, and step-father, Edwin, as well as his maternal grandparents Curt and Carrie Cratzer. He lived in Bari, Italy and Tunis during his service. He attended Officers Candidate School at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He was assigned to Fort Benjamin Harison in Fort Wayne, Indiana and spent some time in Texas before deploying to Europe.

    Preferred Citation

    [Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Christopher Smith Second World War correspondence (2014.013.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.

    Content Description

    This collection contains 515 correspondence to and from Capt. Christopher Smith, USA during the Second World War. In this collection there is a separate folder with a letter that described a system of communication between Smith and his family as a way to share information that might have been censored. Also included are 34 photographs and 42 ephemeral items.

    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)
    World War (1939-1945) -- North Africa
    World War (1939-1945) -- Equipment and supplies
    World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
    World War (1939-1945) -- Italy
    United States. -- Army.
    DeBonte, Barbara