456th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion collection

Descriptive Summary
Title: 456th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion collection
Creator: Hargrett Library
Inclusive Dates: 1939-2009
Language(s): English
Extent: 7.9 Linear Feet 11 document boxes, 2 half boxes, 2 oversized boxes, 1 carton, 1 oversized folder
Collection Number: ms2839
Repository: Hargrett Library

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Collection Description

Scope and Content

The collection consists of materials documenting various aspects of the unit's history - training, unit actions, causalities, commendations, diaries and recollections. Some soldiers kept personal items from the Army or items they acquired while in service, such as immunization records, post cards, a parachute, iron cross and German flag. There are over 500 photographs, most of which are identified, and copies of campaign maps from the European theatre with unit positions marked and an attached narrative related what action took place in these locations. Following the war, unit reunions have been held at regular intervals and materials from these gatherings are present in the collection. It is anticipated that more material will be added to the collection in the future. Contributors to this collection include George Marshall, James T. Dunn, John W. Talley, and many others.

Organization and Arrangement

Arranged by record type and battalion member.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

456th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion collection, ms2839. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Members of this World War II unit chose this library as the archive for their materials at the instigation of Dr. George Marshall, a member of the unit and Athens resident. Various members have donated materials they saved which would help to document various aspects of the unit's history-training, unit actions, casualties, commendations-plus diaries and recollections. Following the war, unit reunions have been held at regular intervals and materials from these gatherings are present in the collection.

It is anticipated that more material will be added to the collection in the future.

Finding Aid Publication

Finding aid prepared on: 2009 May 7.

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Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

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Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

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1

1

History of the AAA BN; Experiences of the AAA AW BN Mobile; slides, unidentified photographs

 

1

2

Combat activities, Battle of France

 

1

3

Awards / commendations

 

1

4

Casualty reports

 

1

5

Headquarters battery

 

1

6

A Battery

 

1

7

B Battery

 

1

8

C and D Battery

 

1

9

Maps

 

1

11

Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, 1943 February-September

 

1

12

James T. Dunn diary of Battery D at Camp McCoy, 1943

 

1

10

Fort Sheridan, IL, original unit history, diary, photographs, 1942

 

1

13

Michigan maneuvers, 1943

 

1

14

Tennessee manouvers, 1943

 

1

15

Camp Stewart, Georgia, 1943

 

1

16

Camp Rucker, Alabama, 1943

 

1

17

Eglin Field, Florida, 1943

 

1

18

Camp Shanks, NY and trip overseas, 1943

 

1

19

England unit history in country, personal recollections, photographs, 1943-1944

 

1

20

England-Plymount-personal recollections, photos

 

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2

1

France, 1944 July

 

2

2

France, 1944 August

 

2

3

France, 1944 September

 

2

4

France, 1944 October

 

2

5

France, 1944 November-December

 

2

6

Luxembourg, Belgium, 1945 January-February

 

2

7

Germany, 1945 March

 

2

8

Germany, 1945 April

 

2

9

Germany, 1945 May

 

2

10

Post-War Germany, 1945

 

2

11

Newsclippings, LIFE magazine

 

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3

1

John W. Talley photographs

 

3

2

Stuart F. Miller photographs, reminiscences

 

3	3	Howard G. Marker papers
		includes immunization register, Camp McCoy banner various Army cards, articles, newspapers, photos

 

3	4-7	John C. Sheperd papers
		includes post cards guides to various cities, book Sites & Monuments

 

3

8

Roman J. Rumanowski diary commendation (54 pages)

 

3

9

Salvatore Gallichio photographs

 

3

10

Syrus Marshall Brindley newspaper from ship West Point, 1945 October 20-21

 

3	11	Cyril D. Duffy materials
		includes "Know Your Army', 'Lest We Forget', 'Army, Navy Marine Corps Insignia'. 'Attack-The Story of the USA

 

3	12	Kenneth W. Hansel
		2 commendation lists; Souvenir program from 'Skirts'; photographs

 

3

13

Frank Brooks - The Private War of Private Brooks - about his experiences with the unit, 1991

 

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4

1

Reminiscences, individual photographs

 

4

2

Unit reunion booklets

 

4

3

Unit reunion

 

4

4

Negatives

 

4

5

Collier's New Photographic History of the World's War's; 4 rolled photographs Proclamation from unit's 50th anniversary reunion, Meridian, Miss, 1992

 

carton

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1

Artifacts: including German iron cross given by Emory Guffy; German parachute given by Dennis Butler; German flag autographed by unit members given by Charlie Downs; swastika banners, patches, metal pins, arm bands, belt buckles., 1940-1945

 

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5

1

John Hendrickson papers

 

5

2

Paul S. May papers (nazi flags)

 

5

3

James F. Caroll papers (photographs)

 

5

4

Charles E. Taylor Papers (photographs, telegrams, correspondence)

 

5

5

Albert St. John papers (photographs)

 

5

6

Albert St. John papers (photographs, map)

 

5

8

Albert St. John papers (Newspapers including The Stars and Stripes and The Real McCoy)

 

5

8

Yank Weekly

 

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6

1

Donald C. Padgett papers (rations, certificates, passes, photographs)

 

6

2

Donald C. Padgett papers (letters from Gen. Patton and clippings)

 

6

3

Donald C. Padgett papers (Clippings, A Brief History of the Third Army, Small Navy banner)

 

6

4

Donald C. Padgett papers (History of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade)

 

6

5

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Lease, Christmas greetings, telegrams)

 

6

6

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Service Prayer Book, Basic Field Manual of Military Training, Intelligence Bulletin Aug 1943, Mapping implements)

 

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7

1

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Firing Tables, The Firing Battery, Coast Artillery Field Manual, How the Gun Works: Caliber .50, M2 Browning Machine Gun, Chemical Warfare Pocket Reference Card, Special Orders for German-American Relations pamphlet, Individual Score Book for The Rifle)

 

7

2

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Correspondence, maps)

 

7

3

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Page A Day diary, Events of the Day notebook, Actions taken record photocopy)

 

7

4

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Holocaust photos, German correspondence, SS handbook)

 

7

5

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Brochures and maps of France and Germany)

 

7

6

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (War Department Education Manual- America: Its History and Its People, poster for turning off lights, popular phrases from individuals in the batallion)

 

7

7

Robert S. O'Keefe papers (Photocopies of clippings)

 

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8

1-8

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Correspondence), 1943-1945

 

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folder

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9

2

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Discharge, pin, booklet- Going Back to Civilian Life, booklet- Camp Myles Standish info)

 

9

3

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers ("More War Stories")

 

9

4

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (456th at Eglin Field, Fla- photographs, battery index, souvenir program), 1943

 

9

5

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (dog tags, cartoon, service banner, bronze star medal certificate, German goggles, good conduct medal list, handkerchiefs, nazi flags, flowers pinned to Marshall in Paris, clippings), 1943

 

9

6

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Cat'o'nine tails found in Germand Building), 1944 August

 

9

7

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (photographs), 1944 August

 

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folder

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10

1

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (James F. Carroll writing)

 

10

2

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (John F. Hendrickson diary)

 

10

3

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Battery A records)

 

10

4

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Unit history)

 

10

5

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Combat Action in Battle of France)

 

10

6

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers ("My World War II" by George O. Marshall and "456th AAA AW Battalion in World War II" by John F. Hendrickson)

 

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11

1

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (French clogs with signatures)

 

11

2

George O. Marshall, Jr. papers (Nazi flag with signatures)

 

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folder

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12

1

Leland Verschueren. papers (Photographs, passes, clippings, rolled photo tube)

 

oversized_box

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13

"Collier's New Photographic History of the World's War, rolled photos, proclamation, 1992

 

oversized_box

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14

George O. Marshall materials (Eisenhower jacket, Bronze star)

 

oversized_folder

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1C

European campaign maps with attached narratives of unit actions, 1940-1945 (Photocopies)

 

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folder

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15

1

Emil Serpan papers - unit newsletters

 

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8

1

Emil Serpan papers - Unit newsletters, 1999-2003

 

8

2

Emil Serpan papers - Unit history (Photocopies)

 

8

3

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion , 1980

 

8

4

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion , 1981

 

8

5

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion , 1983

 

8

6

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion , 2000

 

8

7

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion , 2008

 

8

8

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion, undated

 

8

9

Emil Serpan papers - Clippings, photocopied scrapbook pages

 

8

10

Emil Serpan papers - Correspondence

 

8

11

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion photographs

 

oversized_box

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13

Emil Serpan papers - Reunion photographs (2) Battery B, 1981