Pettus, William B. (William Bacon), 1880-

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President, College of Chinese Studies, Peking, 1916-1945.

From the description of William B. Pettus letters, 1939, to Robert Swain. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754867770

Biographical/Historical Note

President, College of Chinese Studies, Peking, 1916-1945.

From the guide to the William B. Pettus letters to Robert Swain, 1939, (Hoover Institution Archives)

William Winston Pettus: appointed professor of surgery at Hsiang-Ya Hospital in Changsha, Hunan, 1940, where he remained until the Japanese occupation in 1942; returned to U.S. to continue studies in surgery; returned to China to work in the relocated Hsiang-Ya Hospital, 1944-1945.

William Winston Pettus, missionary-surgeon, was born in Shanghai, China, on February 25, 1912. He entered Yale College in 1929 after attending the American School in Peking where his father, William Bacon Pettus, was President of the College of Chinese Studies. After completing his undergraduate work in 1933, he enrolled at the Yale Medical School where he received the M.D. degree in 1937. During the same year he married Maude Miller of Inwood, West Virginia, and began a residency in surgery at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

In 1940, after completing his residency, Pettus received a Yale-in-China Association appointment as Professor of Surgery at Hsiang-Ya Hospital in Changsha, Hunan. He worked at Changsha until January 1942, when the Japanese Army captured the city. After a brief occupation the Japanese retreated, and Pettus was among the first to return to Changsha. It was largely due to his efforts that medical work was begun again in the seriously damaged hospital.

During the spring of 1943, Pettus returned to the United States for advanced study in surgery. In October 1944 he resumed his work at Hsiang-Ya, then located at Kweiyang, Kweichow, and later at Chungking.

In September 1945 Pettus flew into Changsha before the Japanese relinquished control of the city and began working to re-open the Yale-in-China medical facilities. He was killed when the airplane he was piloting crashed at Hwangping, Kweichow, on November 18, 1945.

For further information see the biography of Pettus, Dauntless Adventurer, by Edward H. Hume (New Haven, 1952).

From the guide to the William Winston Pettus papers, 1928-1945, (Manuscripts and Archives)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf William B. Pettus letters to Robert Swain, 1939 Hoover Institution Archives
creatorOf Pettus, William B. (William Bacon), b. 1880. William B. Pettus letters, 1939, to Robert Swain. Stanford University, Hoover Institution Library
referencedIn Jefferson Franklin Ray, Jr. papers, 1837-1990, 1920-1955 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Pettus, William Winston, 1912-1945. William Winston Pettus papers, 1928-1945 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Ray, J. Franklin (Jefferson Franklin), 1905-. Jefferson Franklin Ray, Jr. papers 1837-1990 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Yale University Library
referencedIn California College in China. California College in China records, 1939-1965. The Claremont Colleges, Claremont University Consortium
creatorOf William Winston Pettus papers, 1928-1945 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith California College in China. corporateBody
associatedWith Pettus, John DeForest, 1909- person
associatedWith Pettus, Maude Miller. person
associatedWith Pettus, Sarah. person
associatedWith Pettus, William Winston, 1912-1945. person
associatedWith Ray, J. Franklin (Jefferson Franklin), 1905- person
associatedWith Smith, Robert Ashton, 1914- person
associatedWith Stuart, John Leighton, 1876-1962. person
associatedWith Yale-China Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Yale University. Officials and employees. corporateBody
associatedWith Yale University. Students. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Asia.
Japan
Changsha Shi (China)
China Politics and government 1912-1949.
China
China
Japan Politics and government 1912-1945.
Subject
Sino
Sino
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Missionaries
Physicians
Activity

Person

Birth 1880

Death 1959

Information

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