Christopher Smith Second World War correspondence
Content Description
This collection contains 515 correspondence to and from Capt. Christopher Smith, USA during the Second World War. In this collection there is a separate folder with a letter that described a system of communication between Smith and his family as a way to share information that might have been censored. Also included are 34 photographs and 42 ephemeral items.
Dates
- 1942 March 17 - 1945 December
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.
Biographical / Historical
Captain Christopher Smith, United States Army (1917-2002) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family soon moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey where they lived until he was 17 years old. After his father died, his mother remarried and they moved to Washington D.C. His letters are addressed to his mother, Mary, and step-father, Edwin, as well as his maternal grandparents Curt and Carrie Cratzer. He lived in Bari, Italy and Tunis during his service. He attended Officers Candidate School at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He was assigned to Fort Benjamin Harison in Fort Wayne, Indiana and spent some time in Texas before deploying to Europe.
Extent
2 Linear Feet (4 document boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains correspondence to and from Capt. Christopher Smith, USA during the Second World War. The collection also includes photographs and ephemera, as well as a code key letter written at the time for the family to be able to avoid the censors.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by material type:
- Series 1, Correspondence
- Series 2, Code Key
- Series 3, Photos
- Series 4, Ephemera
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Barbara DeBonte
- Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Local sources
- United States. -- Army. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- Equipment and supplies Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- Italy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- North Africa Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Christopher Smith Second World War correspondence
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Andrew Harman
- Date
- 6/2/2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Center for American War Letters Archives Repository
