Richard Mervin Bissell, Jr. Papers. 1909 - 1995. Historic and Oversize Papers

ArchivalResource

Richard Mervin Bissell, Jr. Papers. 1909 - 1995. Historic and Oversize Papers

Richard Mervin Bissell, Jr. Papers. 1909 - 1995. Historic and Oversize Papers

1935-1991

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6104282

This series contains materials gathered by Frances Pudlo, Richard Bissell's secretary from 1974 through 1994. Throughout Bissell's lifetime and through 1995, Pudlo removed certain documents and items in the overall collection from their original file locations and co-located them in this series. Document formats in this series include newspaper clippings, correspondence, periodicals, invitations, memoranda, pamphlets and a historical map. In nearly every case Pudlo created electrostatic facsimiles of the documents that were removed from their original locations within the collection. She then left the facsimiles in place of the original documents. The facsimiles are usually appended with a mark indicating that they were filed for safekeeping when the original papers were removed to what is now this series. In doing so, Pudlo maintained the overall collection's original order as she understood it. However, it is not clear if everything removed for safekeeping was eventually filed in what is now this series. It appears that the most of the items in this series were removed from the Subject Series and the Reading Files and Personal Chronological files in the Correspondence Series of this collection. Pudlo continued adding to the clippings contained in this series following Bissell's death with the inclusion of obituaries from 1994 and 1995. The correspondence appearing in this series spans the bulk of Bissell's professional career. Topics include the Bay of Pigs invasion, Bissell's former colleagues, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Bissell's participation in oral history projects, and the European Recovery Plan (ERP or the Marshall Plan). Notable correspondents include Allen Dulles, Averell Harriman, Robert F. Kennedy, John A. McCone and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Newspaper and periodical clippings within the series address a number of topics of apparent interest to Bissell. Most of the clippings document Bissell's public career. Clippings referencing Bissell's early years assisting with the ERP and his time with the Ford Foundation are included in this series. Bissell's later career with the CIA is also documented, as are the activities of the agency after his departure. Most clippings relating to the CIA document the Bay of Pigs invasion, the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities (also known as the Church Committee), aerial reconnaissance, and the resignation of certain CIA officials. Other topics are included with the clippings as well. The folders contain articles concerning Bissell's remembrances of his childhood in Hartford, Connecticut's Samuel Clemens house, the settling of Howard Hughes' estate, the death of William H. Truesdale, and the retirement of General of the Army George C. Marshall. Bissell's mother maintained some of the clippings that now appear in this series. She collected a survey of articles concerning Bissell's time with the Economic Cooperation Administration. They are filed in the folder entitled “ECA - Newspaper Clippings Saved by Mother”. Multiple publications from different eras of Bissell's career appear within this series. They address subjects with which he was directly involved (he authored articles appearing within the publications) or subjects in which he had a professional or personal interest.

11 linear inches

eng, Latn

Dwight D. Eisenhower Library