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Youngman (William Sterling) papers
2008C85
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Title: William Sterling Youngman papers
Date (inclusive): 1945-1992
Collection Number: 2008C85
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1 manuscript box
(0.4 Linear Feet)
Abstract: The William Sterling Youngman papers include correspondence, writings, interview transcripts, and printed matter relating
to American military assistance to China during World War II and to American foreign policy in China.
Creator:
Youngman, William Sterling, 1907-1994
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
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.
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2008.
[Identification of item], William Sterling Youngman papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
| 1907 May 25 | Born, Boston, Massachusetts |
| 1929 | A.B., magna cum laude, Harvard University |
| 1932 | LL.B., magna cum laude, Harvard University |
| 1932-1933 | Law secretary to Judge Learned Hand, New York City |
| 1933-1938 | Associated with law firm Palmer, Dodge, Barstow, Wilkins and Davis, Boston |
| 1937 | Married Elsie Hooper Perkins |
| 1939-1940 | Counsel, National Power Policy Commission, and chief counsel, Power Division, Public Works Administration |
| 1940-1941 | General counsel, Federal Power Commission |
| 1941-1942 | Executive vice president and director, China Defense Supplies, Inc. |
| 1941-1949 | Partner, Corcoran, Clark and Youngman |
| 1942-1945 | President, China Defense Supplies, Inc. |
| 1944, July 1 | Liquidation of China Defense Supplies, Inc., transfer of functions to Chinese Supply Commission |
| 1944-1947 | General counsel, U.S. Natural Resources Commission of China |
| 1949-1968 | President, C. V. Starr and Company, Inc. |
| 1994 October 10 | Died |
Scope and Content of Collection
The William Sterling Youngman papers include correspondence, writings, interview transcripts, and printed matter relating
to American military assistance to China during World War II and to American foreign policy in China.
Youngman was president of China Defense Supplies, Inc., the main agency for coordinating Lend-Lease aid to China from the
United States, from 1941 until its dissolution in 1944. China Defense Supplies was a Chinese organization, chaired by T. V.
Soong, but staffed by Americans and based in Washington, D.C. As Soong spent increasingly less time in Washington during the
latter years of the war, the decision was made to dissolve China Defense Supplies and establish a successor organization,
the Chinese Supply Commission, which was also active in obtaining reconstruction aid for China following the war.
In addition to his leading role in China Defense Supplies, Youngman, who throughout the 1940s worked as an attorney in a firm
headed by Thomas G. ("Tommy the Cork") Corcoran, also played a significant role in two other organizations that were involved
in aviation ventures in China during and following the war. The first of these was the American Volunteer Group, better known
as the Flying Tigers, a group that China Defense Supplies worked with to transport aid to the Chinese government prior to
the U.S. entry into World War II. Following the war, Youngman and Corcoran were partners in a company known as Rio Cathay,
S.A., which sought to establish a commercial airline company in China, operating in conjunction with the Civil Air Transport,
Inc.
The William Sterling Youngman papers are divided into two series. The
Alphabetic file contains correspondence, notes, and reports concerning the American Volunteer Group, Rio Cathay, S.A., and Civil Air Transport.
The
Personal correspondence contains letters from later in Youngman's life, in particular when he was contacted by historians interested in the Chinese
Lend-Lease programs and in Youngman's close friendship with T. V. Soong.
The collection is organized into 2 series, which are alphabetically arranged.
China Defense Supplies records, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
W. Langhorne Bond papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Claire Chennault papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
T. V. Soong papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Security-classified documents have been withdrawn from the collection pending declassification.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945 -- China
World War, 1939-1945 -- United States
China -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- China
Lend-lease operations (1941-1945)
China Defense Supplies