Inventory of the Thomas C. Douglass Papers, 1941-1946 Thomas C. Douglass 2007.21

Inventory of the Thomas C. Douglass Papers, 1941-1946

A Collection in the
Special Collections Research Center
Accession Number 2007.21


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Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary

Special Collections
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8794
USA
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Email: spcoll@wm.edu
URL: http://swem.wm.edu/scrc/

© 2006 By the College of William and Mary. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Special Collections Staff

Repository
Special Collections, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Accession Number
2007.21
Title
Thomas C. Douglas Papers 1941-1946.
Physical Characteristics
25 folders.
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to all researchers.

Use Restrictions

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Manuscripts and Rare Books Librarian, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred Citation

Thomas C. Douglass Papers., Accession #Mss. Acc. 2007.21, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 2007.

Biographical Information

Thomas C. Douglass was a physician from Wilmette, Illinois who served during WWII in both domestic and foreign locations including Colorado, Chicago, Michigan, North Carolina and Guadalcanal. They had a son, Tommy, who was born during wartime.

Scope and Content

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass, 1941-1946, relating to WWII. Letters to his wife Suzanne concerning family issues and war news. Includes descriptions of his medical practices and financial dealings.

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged chronologically by date.


Persons:

  • Douglass, Suzanne Lyon Wallace, 1922-1999

Subjects:

  • Medical Department, United States Army. Surgery in World War II.
  • Surgery in World War II.
  • United States. Army Medical Dept.
  • World War, 1939-1945--Medical care.

Contents List

Folder 1
September-November 1941

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to Suzanne Lyon from Colorado Springs, Colo. Personal letters to Sue. Professes his love. News of his dying father. Discusses possible future plans.

Folder 2
August-September 1942

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Chicago, Nevada, and 48th Station Hospital, Fort Ord, Calif. Instructions on life insurance policies. Medical advice on Suzanne's pregnancy. Descriptions of daily routine. Request for popular books. Words of concern and love for the unborn child and the mother.

Folder 3
February-March 1942

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from 12th General Hosp, Camp Custer, Michigan. Complains of assignment to septic surgery instead of abdominal section. Expresses gratitude for Suzanne's visit.

Folder 4
October-November 1942

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from 48th Station General Hospital, San Francisco, Cal. Advice on pregnancy care and delivery. Promises to return home to see the baby soon.

Folder 5
December 1942

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Separately celebrates the 9th month of marriage. Requests for a camera to photograph surgical specimens and patients. Friend Burns and his wife Marion had a daughter. Reqeusts Suzanne to look for a home to buy. Advises on letter censorship and Requests not to spoil the newborn, Tommy.

Folder 6
January-February 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Fixes anesthetic apparatus. Tommy turns four months old on Feb 19, 1943. Discusses Suzanne's desire to move. Receives the requested camera.

Folder 7
March-April 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Suzanne moves from Wilmette to Chicago, Illinois. TCD in charge of surgery and a large ward. Schedules a complicated hand surgery. Estimates the war to end in three years.

Folder 8
May-June 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Suzanne gets a dog. Sister sells the house. Mention of coal strike in the news. Holds the Congress responsible for unstable economy. TCD's Bronchitis develops into a small cold.

Folder 9
July-August 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. News of new landing of troops on Vella Lavella, expects Italy to drive out the Nazis. Expects to be home in about 1946. All the fish in the aquarium dies.

Folder 10
September-October 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Tommy gets more teeth. Operates on an elbow to prevent hand paralysis. Expects to serve in the war until 1945 or 1946. News of Russia fighting Germans on the borders. Worries the possible extension of the war.

Folder 11
November-December 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Suzanne joins Women's Faculty Club. Advises Suzanne to refrain from traveling and purchasing a house during wartime. Anticipates the victorious battles in Europe will speed up the war.

Folder 12
January-February 1944

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location in the South Pacific. Victory in Europe slow. Military considers two-year rotation policy - possibility of a leave in one year.

Folder 13
March-April 1944

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location. Celeberates the second wedding anniversary overseas. Operates on several cases of appendix. News of Russians near Chekoslovakia. New hospital opens. Two-year rotation policy still unclear. Anniversary of 18th month overseas.

Folder 14
May-June 1944

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from an undisclosed location. Encouraging news of the European invasion. Gives advice on finance and on Tommy's behavior.

Folder 15
July-August 1944

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Guadalcanal. Rumors of the war in Europe ending. Russians fight Germans in the East. Still uses APO, but the military permits disclosure of the location. Operates amputation surgeries and treats few cases of severe burns.

Folder 16
September-October 1944

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Guadalcanal. Rumors of the ending of the European war in two months. Possible addition of two more doctors to the hospital. Tommy has a birthday. News of successful US landing in the central Phillipines. 2nd anniversary of being overseas.

Folder 17
November-December 1944

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Guadalcanal. Operates on the biggest abdominal case and few cases of hernias. The western front in Europe a slow progress. German offensive in Europe withdraws.

Folder 18
January-February 1945

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Guadalcanal. Expects to come home before the year end. Russian advances on the eastern front in Europe. Suzanne moves to 226 Washington Avenue, Glenview, Illinois.

Folder 19
March-April 1945

Arrives at new base. President Roosevelt dies. Decides to take the leave over the chance of rotation - the assignment to domestic location.

Folder 20
May 1945

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Guadalcanal. Grants a 45-day leave. The German war practically over.

Folder 21
April-May 1946

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Moore General Hospital, Swananoa, N.C and Denver, Colorado. Suzanne has a mild health problem with her breasts. Expects to be home in four months. Suzanne fixes up the house in Wilmette. The President's address signals the possible ending of the war. Arranges for Suzanne's visit.

Folder 22
June-July 1946

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado. TCD's x-rays come back negative. Requests his publications sent to Dr. Davis.

Folder 23
August-September 1946

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his wife Suzanne from Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado. Advice on finance. Progress on house remodeling. Arrangements for G.I. loan. Plans Suzanne's visit.

Folder 24
29 January 1943

Letters of Thomas C. Douglass to his son Tommy. Words of love to Tommy and his mother.

Folder 25
1941-1944, no date

1) Letter of Adele to Suzanne from Italy dated June 23, 1944. Praises the new house and talks about Italian atmosphere. 2) Telegram of Thomas C. Douglass dated Nov 3, 1941 to his wife Suzanne, informing of arrival. 3) Unsigned New Year card from Thomas C. Douglass. 4) Burns's letter to Suzanne, informing Tom's condition.