Elliott A. Thompson World War II Journal and Memorabilia, 1942-1945, 1993-1994, 2012

Title:

Elliott A. Thompson World War II Journal and Memorabilia, 1942-1945, 1993-1994, 2012

Creator:

Thompson, Elliott A., 1920-2012

Accession / Call Number:

2021.076

Object ID:

2021.076

Date:

1942-1945, 1993-1994, 2012

Physical Description:

1 box ; 1 linear foot

Scope and Content:

The Elliott A. Thompson World War II Journal and Memorabilia collection contains papers related to the World War II service of Elliott A. Thompson of Caldwell, NJ, and Canterbury, NH. His papers include a journal kept during his time as a prisoner of war, his pilot's log, newspaper clippings, and other documentation. The materials in this collection date from 1942 to 1945, 1993 to 1994, and 2012. Thompson's pilot log contains records of his flights at Hicks Field in Fort Worth, TX, and at Lubbock, TX, from 1942 to 1943. Some loose material included in the front of the volume are physical record cards and immunization records for 1943 to 1945. A yearbook, "Wings Aloft: Lubbock Army Flying School," contains photographs of the 1943 graduating class. Also included are a few notations on pilots that went missing, including the date they went missing. There are no cadets from New Hampshire in this class. Of particular note in this collection is the diary Thompson kept during his time as a prisoner of War. Won by Thompson from the Red Cross, "A Wartime Log: Stalag Luft #1" functions both as a diary and a scrapbook and contains Thompson's Dulag-Luft Kriegsgefangenenkartel card, poems, cartoons, photographs of his wife, Christmas cards, lists of books read, excerpts from Kriegie's letters, menus, a plan of the south compound, a map of Caldwell, and other miscellaneous items. A Kriegie was an Allied prisoner in World War II. Detailed daily routines are not present as these journals were confiscated and monitored by the guards. However, pages titled "Kriegie-Life" provides short direct lines of information including deaths, the number of prisoners, weather, mail arrivals, and the liberation of the camp by the Russians. Also included is a copy of the Hartford Courant Sunday Magazine Northeast dated July 3, 1994, which includes an article titled "Diary of Stalag Luft 1" by Sue Ellen Thompson, daughter of Elliott Thompson. This article provides a detailed look at the life of Elliott Thompson, his capture by Germans during World War II, and his diary he kept while a prisoner of war. Other newspaper clippings include Thompson's 2012 obituary and 1993 articles from the Concord Monitor and the Union Leader regarding Thompson’s ride in a B-24 bomber, his first since his was shot down in 1944. The last volume is this collection is a limited edition of Not as Briefed by Colonel Charles Ross Greening, who also spent time as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 1. This volume contains 49 plates of illustrations of World War II airplanes, battles, and life in Stalag Luft 1 made by Greening. While undated, the images are dated 1944 and 1945.

Subjects:

Air pilots, Military , Airplanes, Military , Diaries , Military service , Prisoners of war , Soldiers , World War, 1939-1945 , World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons

Locations:

Barth, Germany
Caldwell, NJ
Canterbury, NH
Concord, NH
Fort Worth, TX
Lubbock, TX

People:

Greening, Charles R., 1914-1957 , Thompson, Eleanor, 1923-2002 , Thompson, Elliott A., 1920-2012 , Thompson, Sue Ellen

Organizations:

Stalag Luft I
United States. Army Air Forces

Credit Line:

Gift of Sue Ellen Thompson, daughter of Elliott A. Thompson.

Restrictions:

Available for research.

Level Description:

Collection

Finding Aid Link:

RS64106_Thompson_Elliott_A_World_War_II_Journal_and_Memorabilia_2021.076.pdf