Benjamin Gaston Cole papers, 1943-1991; (bulk, 1943-1946).

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Benjamin Gaston Cole papers, 1943-1991; (bulk, 1943-1946).

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/32850865

Consisting of World War II letters, V-Mail messages, and photographs, 2 Mar. 1943 - 30 Jan. 1946, addressed to Greenville, S.C., resident Miss Lee Howard [later Mrs. Lee Howard Watson]. Letters written from Walterboro, S.C., Warner-Robins, Ga., and undisclosed locations in England, France, and Germany. A multi-page retrospective letter, 21 May 1945, written after censorship restrictions were lifted, indicates that the United Kingdom, Cole was stationed first at Warton, but later was attached to military depots at Charmy Downs, Cottesmore, Crookham Commons, North Witham, Saltby, Bishops Stortsford, and Folkingham. He served at various times with both tactical and service squadrons, where he was responsible for airplane part salvage. Cole was relocated to France in early 1945 and after the surrender of Japan was assigned to a tactical photo reconnaissance group in Germany. Cole's long and newsy letters speculate on his uncertain future, voice frustration with the inefficiency of the war effort, comment on his work as a military censor, and relate news of leisure-time activities, movies, music, dances, and cultural events. They also reveal an inner struggle with the realization that soldiers were dying in combat while others enjoyed lives of relative safety. Other topics include preparations for the Normandy invasion, Christmas 1944 celebrations, interaction with civilians in England and France, the surrender of Germany and Japan, the futility of world peace, and the Nuremberg war crimes trial. Also includes typescript volume, 1991, "Excerpts from Letters written by Benjamin Gaston Cole to Lee Howard, Greenville, South Carolina, March 1943 - January 1946," prepared for the Thursday Club.

391 items and 1 v.

University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries

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SNAC Resource ID: 7345819

University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries

Related Entities

There are 3 Entities related to this resource.

United States. Army Air Forces

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wb616q (person)

The Army Air Forces War Adjustment Course was established in 1944 at several locations in the U.S., one of which was Harvard Business School. The HBS program involved eight weeks of training in the business of contract terminations, cutbacks, and property disposal necessitated by changes in Army Air Forces tactical requirements. Approximately 4,200 officers received instruction throughout the country, about one sixth of them at HBS. The goal of the program was to train men for participation in t...

Cole, Benjamin Gaston

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cn9nc0 (person)

Native of Candler, N.C.; lieutenant, later captain, U.S. Air Forces; stationed first at Greenville Air Field (S.C.), 2 Mar. 1943, with 78th Service Group (Greenville Service Group Training Center); Cole was transferred, 17 Mar. 1943, with the 381st Service Squadron to Walterboro Army Air Field (Colleton County, S.C.), and then to Robins Field, Warner-Robins, Ga.; en route to England, he was stationed briefly at Camp Kilmer, N.J., preparatory to sailing on 8 July 1943 aboard the Aquatania. ...

Watson, Lee Howard.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6611gc4 (person)