Description:

World War II

World War II Twelve Generals and Admirals Submit Articles to Army and Navy Journal

This interesting small archive of letters and related documents was sent to LeRoy Whitman in his role as editor of the Army and Navy Journal during World War II. Whitman came to know many of the senior officers of the army, navy, and army air corps in his many years as editor. Most of the correspondence relates to articles for publication in the Journal and includes drafts of articles on “Army Finance Activities” and another on the expansion of the Army’s Ordnance Program.

This archive includes correspondence from Lieutenant General Simon B. Buckner Jr. (1886-1945) (2 letters); Vice Admiral John H. Newton (1881-1948); Lieutenant General George C. Kenney (1889-1977); Lieutenant General Jacob L. Devers (1887-1979); Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley (1883-1958); Brigadier General Ralph B. Lovett (1890-1977); Lieutenant General Robert C. Richardson Jr. (1882-1954); Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker (1896-1987); Major General Howard K. Loughry (1882-1965); Major General Charles M. Wesson (1878-1956); and Lieutenant General Brehon Somervell (1892-1955).

LEROY WHITMAN, Archive of 12 Typed Letters Signed and 5 Typed Documents, 1941-1945. The archive records Whitman’s World War II service as editor of the Army and Navy Journal. 42 pp. + 6 envelopes, most 8" x 10.5". Most materials in very good condition; some chipping on older typescripts; some rust from paper clips.

LeRoy Whitman (1902-1968) was born in Washington, D.C. and attended George Washington University in 1921-1922. He joined the Washington Post as one of the country’s first aviation writers in 1922, before transferring to the Army and Navy Journal in 1929. He served as the editor of the Army and Navy Journal from 1930 to 1965. In 1958, he became a part-owner of the journal. He married Lucetta Sabin in 1923, and they had two children. During his tenure as editor of the Journal, he became friends with many of the leading generals and admirals in the armed services.

Highlights and Excerpts
- Lieutenant General Brehon Somervell to LeRoy Whitman, Typed Letter Signed, February 24, 1944, Washington, D.C.
“In your letter of 21 February 1944, you asked me to comment on certain statements by a correspondent in Italy to the effect that the Americans are outgunned in both range and muzzle velocity by the enemy. The same correspondent states that the enemy tanks are better armored than our own. In reply, may I point out that the Nazi Army is fighting a defensive engagement near home with no overseas supply lines to maintain. Therefore, it is a relatively simple matter for him to bring up large guns whereas we must transport our artillery from African bases. However, weapon for weapon, our ordnance is at least equal to if not superior to the ordnance of our enemy’s.”
“As to your reference to tanks, it no doubt is true that the armor of certain models of German tanks is heavier than the armor of comparable American tanks. We must remember however in comparing the two weapons, that our enemy loses in maneuverability to the extent in which he increases his armor. As to the armament, I am convinced that our tanks are as heavily armed as the enemy’s.”

- Brigadier General Ralph B. Lovett to LeRoy Whitman, Typed Letter Signed, March 22, 1945, Headquarters, European Theater of Operations.
“The mail problem here really has been difficult – and still is. If you could imagine over a million letters a day being sent to newly arrivals in New York City that carried only the address ‘c/o Postmaster, New York’ – or even the same thing happening in Washington – you have one of the incidental things we have to contend with. You can depend on it that when the man is at the place of address, that is where the letter is actually correctly addressed to him, it goes straight to him – and fast. When he isn’t, as is the case when he is addressed at some temporary APO (he can’t be at that temporary address more than ten days after his arrival in the theater), or when he is addressed, ‘Hospitalized, c/o Central Directory,’ it presents the derndest problem I have ever seen. We are whipping it, but its taking thousands of people and many headaches.”

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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