Collections : [Virginia Military Institute Archives]

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
345 Letcher Ave.
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Primary Collecting Areas:
Military history, Civil War, Shenandoah Valley history, Stonewall Jackson Papers, genealogy
Description:
The VMI Archives include significant manuscript and Institute records holdings, with a focus on military history and the Civil War. Our extensive digital archives allow for easy online access to many of our collections.
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7089
Start Over Repository Virginia Military Institute Archives Subjects Prisoners of war
Virginia Military Institute Archives

Military oral history collection

12 cubic feet

This oral history collection spans the World War II era through recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. One interview (Frank Buckles) covers World War I service. The majority of the interviews were conducted by VMI cadets taking courses in military history. The interview files and recordings are housed in the VMI Archives.

Top 3 results view all 9

Bill R. Penn interview 1 items Transcript (21 pages)

This interview covers Bill R. Penn's experiences in the Korean War as a corpsman and as a prisoner of war.

  1. Korean War
Virginia Military Institute Archives

VMI at War Project collection

5.5 cubic feet 5 boxes

This collection contains autobiographical and biographical information about the military service of alumni veterans of World War II through the first Gulf War. The alumni responses range in length from short summaries to longer narrative descriptions detailing their service. Some files contain related photographs and documents.

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Virginia Military Institute Archives

James A. Harden papers

27 items

The bulk of the collection consists of letters written by James A. Harden to his sister, covering wartime events experienced by his unit as well as his time at Ft. Delaware, Delaware. The collection also includes one letter (dated June 6, 1861) written while Harden was at VMI and other items.

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James A. Harden papers 27 items

Harden, James A. (James Abel), 1841-1927

The bulk of the collection consists of letters written by James A. Harden to his sister, covering wartime events experienced by his unit as well as his time at Ft. Delaware, Delaware. The collection also includes one letter (dated June 6, 1861) written while Harden was at VMI and other items.

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Reid S. Aaron collection

4 Folder

This collection consists of items created by and related to Reid S. Aaron (VMI Class of 1940), including:

  • Personal and military service information
  • Correspondence from Aaron to his family (1941-1945) and from the United States War Department
  • Newspaper clippings about Reid and clippings written by Hayne W. Dominick, Jr. (1920-1995) that detail is experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II
  • A field artillery manual (1936)
  • A blank Personal Report of Reserve Office Form (1931)
  • Two currency items
  • One book titled "March of Death!" (The Honoribus Press, 2006)

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Reid S. Aaron collection 4 Folder

Aaron, Reid S. (Reid Stanley), 1918-1944

This collection consists of items created by and related to Reid S. Aaron (VMI Class of 1940), including:

  • Personal and military service information
  • Correspondence from Aaron to his family (1941-1945) and from the United States War Department
  • Newspaper clippings about Reid and clippings written by Hayne W. Dominick, Jr. (1920-1995) that detail is experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II
  • A field artillery manual (1936)
  • A blank Personal Report of Reserve Office Form (1931)
  • Two currency items
  • One book titled "March of Death!" (The Honoribus Press, 2006)

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Richard H. Adams, Jr. papers

0.25 cubic feet approximately 80 items

This collection consists of the Civil War papers (approximately 80 items) of Captain Richard H. Adams, Jr, including:

  • A manuscript diary kept while serving with the 5th Alabama Regiment in Virginia (April-June 1862), with an accompanying typewritten transcription
  • Transcriptions of two additional diary volumes (September 1862-March 1863; and prison diary, 1864-1865)
  • Forty seven letters (November 1863-September 1866) to Lottie Putnam Adams, most written before their marriage while Adams was a prisoner of war
  • Twenty three letters from Lottie to Richard (March 1864-January 1865)
  • A typescript titled "Account of Wheeler's Raids," which was written after the Civil War
  • "Friendship book" (March 1865) that contains inscriptions by fellow prisoners
  • Two photographs of Adams
  • Documents and clippings
The letters reflect ongoing courtship and generally concern personal and family matters with some references to war and prison life. Diaries contain information about camp life, battles, and prison life.

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Richard H. Adams, Jr. papers 0.25 cubic feet approximately 80 items

Adams, Richard H., Jr. (Richard Henry), 1841-1896

This collection consists of the Civil War papers (approximately 80 items) of Captain Richard H. Adams, Jr, including:

  • A manuscript diary kept while serving with the 5th Alabama Regiment in Virginia (April-June 1862), with an accompanying typewritten transcription
  • Transcriptions of two additional diary volumes (September 1862-March 1863; and prison diary, 1864-1865)
  • Forty seven letters (November 1863-September 1866) to Lottie Putnam Adams, most written before their marriage while Adams was a prisoner of war
  • Twenty three letters from Lottie to Richard (March 1864-January 1865)
  • A typescript titled "Account of Wheeler's Raids," which was written after the Civil War
  • "Friendship book" (March 1865) that contains inscriptions by fellow prisoners
  • Two photographs of Adams
  • Documents and clippings
The letters reflect ongoing courtship and generally concern personal and family matters with some references to war and prison life. Diaries contain information about camp life, battles, and prison life.

Virginia Military Institute Archives

John K. Davis papers

0.50 cubic feet 1 document box

This collection consists of:

  • Original propaganda leaflets directed at the Japanese troops and civilians (1945)
  • Personal correspondence written to John K. Davis' parents that largely concerns family matters (1945-1946)
  • Formal photographs of Davis from his cadetship, United States Army career, and civilian career
  • Amateur snapshots of Manila, Philippines and surrounding area (circa 1945)
  • Maps of Japanese cities issued to officers (1945)
  • A "Guide to Japan" (September 1945)
  • Other printed material

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World War II propaganda leaflets 8 items 1 folder

This file consists of eight propaganda leaflets aimed at Japanese troops and civilians, including:

  • "Truman's Statement," designation 112-J-1
  • "The New Year's gate decorations are but a milestone on our road to Hades," designation 32-J-6
  • "Attention American soldiers! I Cease Resistance," designation 108-J-1
  • "Attention American soldiers! I Cease Resistance," designation 17-J-1
  • "To Inducted Japanese on Mindanao," designation 3-J-10. This leaflet is printed on the back of designation 17-J-1.
  • "One Stride After Another," designation 32-J-1
  • "We thank you very much for your kind treatment given to us....," designation 29-J-1
  • "The Way to Safety, No. 5," designation 5J3
The designations refer to the leaflet number assigned by the Psychological Warfare Branch.

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