William Hallam Tuck papers, 1914-1967

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Summary

Creators:
Tuck, William H. (William Hallam), 1890-1966
Abstract:
Primarily consists of correspondence, memoranda, reports, printed matter, and photographs, relating to Tuck's involvement in various relief effort organizations in the years surrounding World War II. The documents include materials generated by Tuck through his work with these organizations. The bulk of the material relates to his activities while serving with the United States Naval Reserve, and with various relief organizations following World War II including the International Refugee Organization (IRO), though a few materials relate to World War I relief work.
Extent:
17 manuscript boxes, 4 oversize boxes (9.65 Linear Feet)
Language:
German
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William Hallam Tuck papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The William Hallam Tuck papers primarily consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports, printed matter, and photographs, relating to activities of the Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB) and American Relief Administration during World War I as well as World War II relief activities, such as the Finnish Relief Fund and the National Committee on Food for the Small Democracies. Also includes material related to the Belgian American Educational Foundation, Incorporated (BAEF), World War II Allied military government; and the world food survey of the Famine Emergency Committee, 1946.

Materials regarding activities during World War I are included, but the bulk of the material directly relates to his service with the United States Naval Reserve (USNR) during World War II and the various relief organizations during and following World War II.

The Biographical File includes speeches and transcripts of broadcasts. Also included are USNR related records and documentation such as correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other documents. Within the Biographical File, the documentation offers an American perspective on the events in Europe during the war and immediately following.

The Correspondence between Tuck and friends and colleagues relates to various relief organizations. Many of these correspondents were involved with the CRB, BAEF, and the National Committee for Food for the Small Democracies. These materials offer an insight into the activities of these relief committees, especially during the early days prior to the United States entry into World War II. Tuck's correspondents included Herbert Hoover and several members of Hoover's inner circle.

The Subject File includes reports, correspondence, memoranda, and printed materials generated through Tuck's work, and collected items. The bulk of the material relates to activities in Belgium, especially in the early days following its surrender to Germany during World War II. Also included are several records and memoranda from the BAEF and the National Committee for Food for the Small Democracies as well as a set of collected documents in English, French, and German pertaining to historical accounts of daily activities between World Wars I and II.

Photographs include two albums featuring members of the CRB, including Tuck and Hoover, and several images of Hoover following World War II.

The Incremental Materials series contains materials acquired in 2021 and consists of correspondence and notes related to Tuck's career in humanitarian aid and food relief during the world wars. The bulk of the material relates to Tuck's work with the International Refugee Organization (IRO).

Biographical / historical:

William Hallam Tuck was born on March 9, 1890, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Judge Somerville Pinkney Tuck and Emily Marshall Tuck. Tuck attended St. Paul School in Concord, New Hampshire, before going on to graduate from Princeton University in 1912. After briefly working as a chemical engineer, Tuck joined the Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB) in 1915 before joining the British Army in 1916, where he served until 1918 with the rank of Captain Royal Artillery, B.E.F., attached to the 36th Brigade, Royal Australian Artillery.

When the U.S. entered the war, Tuck joined the U.S. Army in 1918, where he served as major in the 314th Field Artillery, 80th Division, and remained there until the end of the war. Afterwards, he resumed work with the CRB and stayed until 1922. During that time, Tuck developed a strong friendship with Herbert Hoover. He would later become heavily involved in Hoover's subsequent relief efforts, such as working with Hoover with the American Relief Administration. He was also a contributor to the fund initiated by Edgar Rickard in 1925 for the construction of the Hoover Tower at Stanford University.

After World War I, he became involved with Solway and Co. in various Belgian industrial and fiscal activities and represented this concern on the board of Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation, a U.S. based company, of which he also served as director. He married Hilda Bunge in Antwerp, Belgium, on April 20, 1920, with whom he had three children. He strongly supported Hoover during his presidential campaigns in 1928 and 1932. In 1936, he joined Hoover's Belgian American Educational Foundation, Inc. (BAEF), serving as vice president until 1966 and as comptroller from 1941 to 1950.

When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, in addition to serving in the BAEF, Tuck joined Hoover's then newly formed National Committee on Food for the Small Democracies. In 1940, he also served as representative of the Finnish Relief Fund, another Hoover relief effort. He worked heavily with the National Committee for Food for the Small Democracies from 1940 to 1941. His work with the committee was suspended when the U.S declared war against Japan and its allies.

During this time, Tuck also served with the United States Naval Reserve (USNR). In that capacity, he was heavily involved with the Military Government Training School. Following victory in Europe in May 1945 he participated in USNR committees such as the Economic Committee and the Post-Hostilities Committee. He served with the USNR until 1945, honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.

Following the end of World War II, Tuck remained active with Hoover's various relief organizations. His activities included involvement with Hoover's Food Mission of 1946-1947 and work with the International Refugee Organization, of which he would become director before resigning in 1949. Hoover also involved Tuck with the Second Hoover Commission on the Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government, where he served as executive director from 1953 to 1955. Honors Tuck received include Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Universities of Louvain and Brussels. Prior to 1941, he also was named Commander of the following orders: the Legion of Honor of France, the Order of the Couronne of Belgium, the Order of Leopold II of Belgium, the White Rose of Finland, and the Orange Nassau of Holland. On August 28, 1966, Tuck died of a heart ailment in his summer home in Rougemont, Switzerland.

Resources

Biographical note for William Hallam Tuck, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, http://www.ecommcode2.com/hoover/research/historicalmaterials/hmother.html

"William Hallam Tuck, Refugee official: Industrialist Also Was Aide to Hoover-Dies at 76", The New York Times, Wednesday August 31, 1966.

Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1962.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William Hallam Tuck papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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