African American soldier's World War II photograph album of India, circa 1942-1945

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Summary

Abstract:
Collection comprises a 16-page 8 1/2 x 11 inch photograph album belonging to an unidentified member of the 45th Engineer General Service Regiment, a segregated unit of African American soldiers stationed in Ledo, India beginning in 1942. Their charge was to build a portion of the Stilwell Road, a major supply route from India to China. Mounted on loose pages, the 44 black-and-white snapshots include posed and candid images of individuals and groups of African American soldiers, at work and at rest. Soldiers identified in the captions include Charley Woodard, Clarence Benson, Charles J. Greene, and Cain Walker. There are also photographs of buildings on the base, including Battalion Chapel, headquarters (labeled "The Gateway to Hell"), Harmony Church, and a large Stilwell Road sign, along with various shots of military equipment, a "Coolie Camp," the "laundry man," and the Taj Mahal. Acquired as part of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture.
Extent:
0.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11490

Background

Scope and content:

Collection comprises a 16-page, 8 1/2 x 11 inch photograph album belonging to an unidentified member of the 45th Engineer General Service Regiment, one of at least four segregated units of African American soldiers active, stationed in Ledo, India beginning in 1942. Their charge was to build a portion of the Stilwell Road, a military supply route from Ledo in Assam, India, through Burma, to Kunming, China.

The album's original binder is no longer present. Mounted on the loose pages are 44 black-and-white snapshot photographs, most measuring 3 x 4 1/2 inches, some with brief captions in ink. The images include posed and candid snapshots of individuals and groups of African American soldiers, at work on the base and during periods of rest. Soldiers identified in the captions include Charley Woodard, Clarence Benson, Charles J. Greene, and Cain Walker. There are also photographs of buildings on the base, including Battalion Chapel, headquarters (labeled "The Gateway to Hell"), Harmony Church, a large Stilwell Road sign, along with varied shots of military equipment, a "Coolie Camp," the "laundry man," and the Taj Mahal. There are a number of blank pages, and there are some photographs missing.

Acquired as part of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture.

Biographical / historical:

The Stilwell Road, a supply route running more than a thousand miles from India to Burma and China, was built chiefly by African American soldiers and local inhabitants almost throughout the whole of World War II. Named after General Joseph Stilwell of the U.S. Army in 1945, it was originally known as the Ledo Road. The soldiers in the album seem to have been with the 45th Engineer General Service Regiment, 382 Engineer Combat Battalion, United States Army.

Acquisition information:
The African American soldier's World War II photograph album of India was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2011.
Processing information:

Processed by Alice Poffinberger, 2011; encoded by Paula Jeannet, June 2017.

Accession(s) represented in this collection guide: 2011-1021

Physical facet:
16 pages
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], African American soldier's World War II photograph album of India, circa 1942-1945, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.