Hood, Richard W. (Second World War poetry), 1950

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Summary

Title:

Richard W. Hood Second World War poetry

Dates:

1950

Creators:

Henn, Sharon and Hood, Richard William , Sergeant, 1925-1987

Abstract:

This collection contains four poems written by Sgt. Richard William Hood, USMC during the Second World War, as well as two copies of photographs and a biography.

Containers:

box: WWII 153
folder: 10
folder: 1

Extent:

0.01 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Richard W. Hood Second World War poetry (2019.176.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.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains four poems written by Sgt. Richard William Hood, USMC during the Second World War, as well as two copies of photographs and a biography. The poetry is rewritten in the hand of Hood's wife, with side notes written by Hood in reference to people and locations. The photographs include one of Hood in uniform and one of he, Richard K. Sorenson and Wilbur "Joe" Woltmon take at his daughter's wedding in June 1982 (the donor's sister). The donor also included a link to Sorenson's story: http://www.mohconvention.com/tn-recipient/398/richard-k-sorenson/.

The poems are entitled:

"Liberty Goes," aboard a ship going into Pearl Harbor for the last liberty before Iwo Jima, December 1944-January 1945
"Machine Guns Up," aboard a ship heading for Iwo Jima, January 1945
"Dream Valley," aboard a ship heading for Iwo Jima, January 1945
"A Marine Speaks," aboard a ship two days out of Pearl Harbor on the way to Iwo Jima, January 1945

The donor believes the poetry was rewritten sometime in the 1950s for legible copies to be sent to Leatherneck Magazine. The publication has no record of their publishing.

Biographical / historical:

Sergeant Richard William Hood, United States Marine Corps (5/20/1925 - 2/1987) was born in Ridgewood, Queens, New York to J. William Hood and Frieda Nick Hood. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after dropping out of high school his junior year in July 1942. He trained at Parris Island, Camp Legeune and San Diego before being deployed to the South Pacific with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines and first saw action at Namur, Kwajalein.

He served with Richard K. Sorenson, Wilbure "Joe" Woltmon, T.C. Gillespie and two others. Sorenson threw himself onto a grenade and saved the others' lives, earning him the Medal of Honor. The four named Marines reunited periodically over the years "to celebrate their good fortune and to occasionally tease Sorenson for being dumb enough to jump on a live grenade." (donor provided biography).

Hood was wounded in Saipan and sat out the invasion of Tinian but rejoined the unit before their landing on Iwo Jima where he was wounded again, carrying the shrapnel for the remainder of his life. He was discharged from the Marine Corps in November 1945 and returned to New York where he married Peggy Krug and raised four children. He later remarried to a woman named Ann Davis and had a fifth child. (more information about postwar life provided in bio).

Health issues caused Hood to retire early and travel, though he passed away in February 1987 at the age of only 61.

Acquisition information:

Gift of The family of Richard William Hood USMC, donated by Sharon Henn.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged by material type; biography, photographs, poetry.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: World War (1939-1945) -- Poetry
Poetry.
World War (1939-1945) -- Marine Corps
Names:: Henn, Sharon
Sorenson, Richard K.
Woltmon, Wilbur

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Andrew Harman
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-05-12 17:43:44 -0400 .

Access and use

Restrictions:: This collection is open for research.
Terms of access:: 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.