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Lodge (William J.) World War II Collection
SC.WWPC
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: William J. Lodge World War II Collection
Creator:
Lodge, William J.
Identifier/Call Number: SC.WWPC
Extent:
0.41 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1944-1945
Abstract: Major William J. Lodge served as a
Statistical Officer in the VIII Fighter Command, 417th Night Fighter Squadron, of the U.S.
Army Air Forces during World War II. After the war, he settled in the San Fernando Valley
area of Los Angeles and worked for many years as an investigator for the California Labor
Commissioner's Office, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. The
William J. Lodge World War II Collection consists of aerial propaganda leaflets
and newsletters dropped over Germany and occupied Europe during the last months of World War
II. The majority of the propaganda documents are in Dutch or German, and are accompanied by
an official English translation. There are 33 issues of
The Flying
Dutchman
newsletter (No. 49-61, 63-82), dropped over the Netherlands from 1944
until the end of the war. The collection includes reports on the success of propaganda
leaflet campaigns, four issues of
Stars and Stripes newspaper
for American troops, and material and photographs related to the VIII Fighter Command during
WWII.
Language of Material: English,
German,
Dutch; Flemish
French,
Slovak,
Italian,
Polish
Major William J. Lodge served as a Statistical Officer in the VIII Fighter Command of the
U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. After the war, he settled in the San Fernando
Valley area of Los Angeles and worked for many years as an investigator for the California
Labor Commissioner's Office, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. After the war he
married Helen Chanda who later became a faculty member at CSUN.
The
William J. Lodge World War II Collection consists of
aerial propaganda leaflets and newsletters dropped over Germany and occupied Europe during
the last months of World War II. The majority of the propaganda documents are in Dutch or
German, and are accompanied by an official English translation. There are thirty-three
issues of
The Flying Dutchman newsletter (No. 49-61, 63-82),
dropped over the Netherlands from 1944 until the end of the war. The collection includes
reports on the success of propaganda leaflet campaigns, four issues of
Stars and Stripes newspaper for American troops, and material and photographs
related to the VIII Fighter Command during WWII. The collection is divided into two series:
Propaganda (1944-1945) and
VIII Fighter
Command Materials
(1944-1945).
Series I,
Propaganda, consists of aerial propaganda leaflets
and newsletters with translations in English, reports on the effects of propaganda on German
morale, and the
Stars and Stripes American military newspaper,
Nice-Marseilles edition. The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces/Psychological
Warfare Division (SHAEF/PWD) created these propaganda documents, delivering them by airdrop
or shelled artillery to Germany and other occupied countries in Europe from late 1944 to the
end of the war. Allied forces dropped
The Flying Dutchman
newsletter over the Netherlands almost daily. It includes news from the front, messages of
hope from the Dutch royal family and other Allied leaders, and encouragements to pass the
newspaper on to others. Propaganda leaflets contain messages to German soldiers and
civilians, urging their peaceful surrender as the Americans were close to victory, and
assessment reports distributed by SHAEF/PWD summarize the leaflets' effectiveness.
Stars and Stripes issues feature VE-Day headlines.
Series II,
VIII Fighter Command Records, includes a telephone
directory for the VIII Fighter Command Headquarters, dated 15 April 1945 and photographs.
Photos include a group of aerial surveillance shots, depicting strategic bombings of enemy
locations probably taken by the 3
rd Combat Camera Unit. Other
photos show officers enjoying recreational activities at RAF Bushey Hall outside London, and
passing out food and American candy to children at Christmas. There are a few pictures of
General William E. Kepner, and a picture of Bob Hope and Frances Langford.
Series I: Propaganda, 1944-1945
Series II: VIII Fighter Command Records, 1944-1945
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Related Material
This collection is open for research use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Helen C. Lodge, 05/29/2001.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Reilly St. Amand, 2018
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ephemera
Documents
Photographs