Finding Aid for the Richard N. Doolittle Second World War correspondence 2015.085.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
6/1/2016
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Richard N. Doolittle Second World War correspondence
source:
Sluti, Donald G.
Identifier/Call Number: 2015.085.w.r
Identifier/Call Number: 1297
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
(2 document boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1940 December - 1945 May
Abstract: This collection consists of original correspondence from Lt. Richard N. Doolittle, USN to his wife Ruth during the Second
World War, as well as various correspondence to the Doolittles before the war began and some ephemera from time spent overseas.
Also included is a summary inventory created by the donor that lists dates, summaries, and locations of each letter in the
collection.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 53
Container: 1-8
Container: 1-8
Container: WWII 54
Container: 1-6
Container: 9-14
This collection is open for research.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Donald G. Sluti.
This collection is arranged by material type.
- Series 1, Inventory
- Series 2, Correspondence from Richard N. Doolittle
- Series 3, Correspondence to Richard and Ruth Doolittle
- Series 4, Papers
- Series 5, Clippings
- Series 6, Ephemera
Lieutenant Senior Grade Richard N. Doolittle, United States Navy and his wife Ruth Doolittle are from Pierre, South Dakota.
Doolittle worked for the United States Geological Survey when he was drafted in July 1941. He was sent to train in Washington
D.C.; Norfolk, Virginia; and other bases until his unit arrived in Port Hueneme, California. He began his military career
as an Ensign in the 44th United States Naval Construction Battalion (CB's or Seabees) and was deployed to New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
in the South Pacific in March 1943. His unit eventually left and deployed to Manus, an island in the Admiralties chain in
May 1944 where he was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. They returned to the US, California, in January 1945 where he was
promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the 46th Naval Construction Regiment by March. That unit deployed to Okinawa but
the correspondence collection ends before his departure.
[Item title], Richard N. Doolittle Second World War correspondence (2015.085.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 correspondence from Lt. Richard N. Doolittle, USN to his wife Ruth Doolittle as well as other correspondence
to the two of them during the Second World War. Also included is some ephemera and clippings. An inventory of the collection,
with summaries of letters written by the donor, was included.
1 correspondence inventory
279 correspondence, from Richard N. Doolittle to Ruth Doolittle
13 correspondence, from: Ira Lloyd Stanley, Gene L. Berry, Ted Doolittle, Mary and Don McGregor, Mrs. W.F. (Aleen) Klawiter,
Mother, Bob McGrath, Lorraine and Ray Johnson
10 papers, including draft cards, receipts, and railroad tickets
4 newspaper clippings,
3 ephemera, including a bridge score card, a menu, and a poem
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 II
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Campaigns -- Northern Mariana Islands -- Tinian.
World War (1939-1945) -- Caricatures and Cartoons
World War (1939-1945) -- Equipment and supplies
World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
World War (1939-1945) -- Hospitals
World War (1939-1945) -- Military operations, Naval -- American
World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines -- Mindanao Island.
World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines.
World War (1939-1945) -- Propaganda
United States. -- Navy
Doolittle, Richard
Sluti, Donald G.
box WWII 53, folder 1, folder 1
Series 1, Inventory
box WWII 53, folder 2-8, folder 2-8, box WWII 54, folder 1-2, folder 9-10
Series 2, Correspondence from Richard N. Doolittle 1942 November - 1945 May
Physical Description: 0.75 Linear Feet(9 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains 279 letters and postcards from Lt. Richard N. Doolittle, USN to his wife Ruth Doolittle during the Second
World War. The letters begin while he is in training as an Ensign in 1942 and continue through his deployment in 1943 to
the South Pacific with the 44th United States Naval Construction Battalion in New Hebrides and Manus islands. The correspondence
continues until his arrival back in California in 1945 where he was promoted to Lt. Senior Grade and end before he was deployed
to Okinawa.
Also included in this series is a photograph of Lt. Doolittle on a card that says "Merry Christmas from 'Island X'" with a
letter dated November 17, 1943. The negative of that card is with the letter dated December 3, 1943.
box WWII 54, folder 3, folder 11
Series 3, Correspondence to Richard and Ruth Doolittle 1940 December - 1942 December
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains various letters from different authors to Lt. Richard N. Doolittle, USN and his wife Ruth Doolittle before
and during his military training, from December 1940 to December 1942. The inventory of this series includes:
- 10 letters, Ira Lloyd Stanley, Gene L. Berry, Ted Doolittle, Mary and Don McGregor, Mrs. W.F. (Aleen) Klawiter, Mother, Bob McGrath, Lorraine and Ray Johnson
- 2 postcards, Ted Doolittle, unknown
- 1 empty envelope, Ted Doolittle
box WWII 54, folder 4, folder 12
Series 4, Papers 1940 - 1944
Language of Material: English.
This series contains papers from Lt. Richard N. Doolittle's US Navy experience overseas during the Second World War as well
as some material mailed during his military training.
- 1 invoice, L.E. Breuninger and Sons, Inc., September 30, 1942
- 3 credit receipts, The Washington Loan and Trust Co., Washington D.C., November-December 1942
- 1 railway receipt, Railway Express Agency, October 24, 1942
- 1 railway receipt, freight bill, Chicago and North Western Railway Co., November 25, 1942
- 1 notice of arrival, Chicago and North Western Railway Company, November 28, 1942
- 1 repair order, auto repairs, James Motor Co., November 6, 1942
- 1 notice of classification, Selective Service Local Board Minnehaha County, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Richard N. Doolittle, December 4, 1940
- 1 paper, "Short Course to Rotation," with Doolittle's name and information, includes tips on being a gentlemen after returning home
box WWII 54, folder 5, folder 13
box WWII 54, folder 6, folder 14
Series 6, Ephemera
Physical Description: 0.01 Linear feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains ephemera from collected by Lt. Richard N. Doolittle, USN during his time in the US Navy.