Maryland World War II Records 1945-1965, MS. 2010

Maryland Historical Society
Library of Maryland History

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N T P Q R S T U V W X-Z

Maryland World War II Records, 1945-1965
Maryland Historical Society

(Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, March 1999.)

Maryland World War II Records, 1945-1965
Maryland Historical Society

Contact Information:
Manuscripts Department
Maryland Historical Society Library
201 West Monument Street
Baltimore MD 21201-4674
410.685.3750
Fax: 410.385.2105
library@mdhs.org
www.mdhs.org

Descriptive Summary

Maryland World War II Records, 1945-1965

MS 2010

Maryland Historical Society

Baltimore MD 21201-4674

Introduction

The collection of Maryland's war records had its foundation laid on September 18, 1918, when the Maryland Council of Defense appointed George L. Radcliffe as a chairman of an Historical Division for the compilation of records of Maryland's part in World War I. Mr. Radcliffe, an historical scholar, a successful businessman, officer of the Maryland Historical Society, and later a U.S. senator, undertook the project with great enthusiasm.

In 1920 a War Records Commission was appointed by Governor Ritchie, the original appointees being Stuart S. Janney, George L. Radcliffe, Van Lear Black, Harvey B. Stone, and Philip C. McIntyre. In 1921, Charles F. Macklin replaced Philip C. McIntyre.

An office, in the charge of Karl Singewald, was set up first in the Fidelity Building, Baltimore, Maryland, and then at the Maryland Historical Society, and steps were taken to form committees, district committees, programs, and plans for the compilation and organization of Maryland's War Records. Programs covered both civilian and military war activities.

Civilian records cover organizations involved in war related activities including governmental agencies, businesses, relief and welfare agencies, and war industries. Military records principally cover the military units composed by Marylanders, their history, rosters, and activities in the war. Also collected and compiled were individual military records of those who served in the armed forces and lived in Maryland. The original records are stored at the Army Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri.

The work of preparing records for publication began in 1922, but due to the hugeness of the task, multiplied by faulty records which necessitated immense research projects, the book, Maryland in the World War 1917-1919- Military and Naval Service Records, was not published until 1933.

Knowing that George L. Radcliffe had been one of the prime movers

in the collection of Maryland's World War I records, Governor Herbert O'Conor, in 1945, asked Radcliffe to direct the collection, preservation, and publication of Maryland's World War II records. While agreeing to accept the responsibility, Radcliffe, as president of the Maryland Historical Society, suggested that that organization do the work. The suggestion was accepted and a War Records Commission of the Maryland Historical Society was formed consisting of John T. Menzies, Chairman, Gary Black, Roger Brooke Hopkins, Howard W. Jackson, J. Rieman McIntosh, and George L. Radcliffe. Dr. Nelson B. Lasson was the first director of the War Records Division. He was succeeded by Harold R. Manakee in 1946.

The Maryland World War II Records are essentially made up of the same kind of records as those relating to World War I-- civilian and military. A somewhat arbitrary chronological scope has been set extending from January 1, 1939 to December 31, 1946.

Two books published by the Maryland Historical Society were compiled from the World War II records. First, a book (or series of books), entitled Maryland in World War II contains sketches about both civilian and military activities of Marylanders during the war. These volumes include histories of Army and Navy installations in Maryland, Maryland military units, and discussion of industry, businesses, welfare agencies, and governmental agencies involved in war related activities. This series was published in 4 volumes during the years 1950-1958. The collected material from which these volumes were written is housed at the Maryland Historical Society, MS. 2010.

The second book consists of an alphabetical register of service personnel. These 5 volumes were published in 1965. The originals were transferred from the Maryland Historical Society to the War Memorial Building, Baltimore, Maryland, in 1975.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of materials compiled by the World War II Records Division of the Maryland Historical Society. These materials include civilian and military papers, 1939-1946.

The civilian papers deal with governmental agencies, businesses, agricultural groups, civilian defense agencies, welfare agencies, volunteer groups, and industries which were involved in war related activities. Contained are discussions of activities on Maryland farms such as canning, dairying, fertilizer production, crop yields, and victory gardens; sketches of Maryland industry during the war including information on the contributions of over 900 firms throughout the state; and sketches of home front volunteer services including fund raising campaigns, Red Cross services, hospitality services, war relief activities, and civilian defense programs.

Military records consist of information on Maryland military units, on Army, Navy, and Coast Guard installations in Maryland, Marylanders of special importance in the Armed Forces, and some information about Maryland troops in the war. There is also a published alphabetical register of all Marylanders who served in the war listing name, rank, serial number, branch of service, and community in which they lived. The original records from which the book was compiled are now housed in the War Memorial Building, Baltimore, Maryland. Folders relating to Baltimore Committee & Civilian Defense transferred to City Archives 17 July 80

Arrangement

The collection has a cross referenced card catalog in the manuscripts reading room of the Maryland Historical Society. The card catalog is arranged alphabetically as are the boxes in which the collection is kept. Initials on the top left hand side of the card indicate the label of the item and the label of the box in which it is found.

The collection and the book Maryland in World War II can be used in conjunction with each other. Information which appears in the book will have a card in the catalog. From there the researcher can be lead to the appropriate box.

To be used in conjunction with the War Records are the archives of the War Records Commission, ca.1946-1950. These papers consist of the correspondence generated by the War Records Commission in their attempt to amass materials relating to Maryland's role in World War II. The correspondence is from research assistants of the War Records Commission and from directors Nelson B. Lasson and Harold Manakee to officials and employees of various businesses and organizations which were contacted.

The archives are arranged alphabetically in *boxes at back of MS reading room (on floor left of dumbwaiter) of the Maryland Historical Society library.

The following is a list of categories into which the correspondence [May 1993] has been separated:

Armed Forces

Box 240

Art

Box 240

Civilian Defense

Box 240 - 241

Clubs and Organizations

Box 241

Conscientious Objectors

Box 241

Conservation

Box 241

Crime

Box 241

Education

Box 241 - 242

Finance

Box 242

Government Agencies

Box 242

Health Housing

Box 242

Industry

Box 242 - 243 - 244

Labor

Box 244

Merchant Marine

Box 244

Natural Resources

Box 244

Nursery School

Box 244

Planning

Box 244

Population

Box 244

Public Works

Box 244

Rationing

Box 244

Recreation

Box 244

Religion

Box 244

Salvage Campaigns

Box 244

Social Services

Box 244

Sports

Box 244

State and Local History

Box 245

Transportation

Box 245

United States Coast Guard

Box 245

United States Marine Corps

Box 245

United States Navy

Box 245

Volunteers

Box 245

Welfare

Box 245

Unclassified Papers from Maryland Counties

Box 245

Daily Mail to Nelson B. Lasson 1945-1946

Box 246 - 247

Field Reports 1945-1946

Box 247

Radio Scripts 1942 - 1944

Box 248

Army

Box 249

Bills

Box 249

Books

Box 249

Budget & Procurement

Box 249

[UNK]

Box 249

Honor Rolls

Box 249

[UNK] Larry Jacman

Box 249

175th [UNK]

Box 249

[UNK]

Box 249

MD Nat'l Guard

Box 249

Progress Reports

Box 249

Rodeliffe, G.L.

Box 249

Service Records

Box 249

Selective Service

Box 249

Veterans Organizations

Box 249

War Records Division Authority

Box 249

War Records Committee

Box 249

Korean War Clippings

Box 250 - 254

A- Army

A- 3rd Army

A- Aa

A-A

Abl- Ace

A- AF- A 29th Div.

A 29th Div.

Abos- Abw- Ac

Aasl- Ad- Aaf

Ae- Afm

Afm

AFS Clippings

Ah- Holabird

Ah- Signal corps- Ahx

Aoss- Ar

At- Awac

Awac- Clippings

A- Balto. Exhibit Civil Aeronautics

AC- Association of Commerce

ACC- AAA

AFS, AFSC Clippings

21a

AFS- AL

AM- AP

AR- AS

AT- AZ

B- Clippings

B- Clippings, Aliens

B- Clippings, Baltimore

B- B&O

B- Bendix

Bac

BBB- Bco

Bcc- Bfc

BFD- BMH

BMM- BPO

BR- BSC

BSC

BSH- BSO

BSP- BTC

BTC- C,B

C & P

CC- CD

CDC

CGE

CHI

CIO

CMC

CMC- CNT

COC

CP- CW

DC- DCE

DCW- DPR

DPW -ED

EB- EF

84a

EB- EF

EM- EP

ES- EY

EB- Sc

FB- FEA

FEW- FP

FRS

FS- FW

GA - GC

100

GD- GI

101

GLM

102

GLM

103

GM- GW

104

HAE

105

HAB

106

HB- HC

107

HO- HR

108

HS- HZ

109

IA- IRE

110

IRE

111

IRS- JG

112

JHH

113

JHU

114

JHC- JZ

115

KA-KO

116

KR- LC

117

LE- LP

118

L & I - LSMS

119

M&M- M&S MAS

120

MAS- MC

121

MC- MCCA

122

MCL- MC

122a

MC- MCWT

123

124

124a

125

MEC- MD

126

MF- ML

127

128

MM-MN

129

130

MP- MSA

131

MSAC- MSC

132

MSD- MS

133

MT- MU

134

MV- N

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

NB- NC

142

ND- NP

143

NR- OC

144

OD- OPA

145

OPA

146

OPA

147

OPA

148

OPA- OSC

149

OSC- OWI

150

PA- PC

151

PD- PM

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

PN- PP

159

160

161

162

PRC

163

PRE- PSC

164

PST- PW

165

PW- PWD

166

PWD- RC

167

RC- RCB

168

RCB- RCC

169

RCC- RCOB

170

RP- S

171

REB- RMC

172

Ships

173

Ships

174

Ships

175

Ships

176

SAH

177

SBEH- SL

178

SM- SPC

179

SPC

180

SR, Clippings

181

SR Clippings

182

SR Clippings

183

SR - SS Clippings

184

185

186

SSC- T

187

T- TI

188

TI- TSP

189

TSP- UM

190

UM- USES

191

USO Records

192

USO Records

193

USO Records

194

USO Records

195

USO- VBC

196

VBC- W

197

W- War Dept.

198

W- Awards, Clippings

199

W- Awards, Clippings

200

W- WC Clippings, War Casualties

201

W- WC Clippings, War Casualties

202