A Guide to the Samuel D. Rockenbach Papers 1889-1945 Rockenbach, Samuel D., Papers, 1889-1945 MS 0001

A Guide to the Samuel D. Rockenbach Papers 1889-1945

A Collection in
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Accession Number MS 0001


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Virginia Military Institute Archives

Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304
USA
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7279
Email: archives@vmi.edu
URL: http://www.vmi.edu/archives

© 2001 Virginia Military Institute

Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Diane B. Jacob

Repository
Virginia Military Institute Archives, Preston Library.
Accession number
MS 0001
Title
Samuel D. Rockenbach Papers 1889-1945
Physical Characteristics
The collection consists of approximately 1000 items filed in 6 boxes.
Language
English
Abstract
Papers (1889-1945) of United States Army officer Samuel Dickerson Rockenbach, notable for his role in the establishment of the U.S. Army Tank Corps during World War I and his postwar work in the development of tank warfare.

Administrative Information

Access

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Samuel D. Rockenbach Papers, MS 0001, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, VA.

Acquisition Information

The collection was received from the estate of Samuel D. Rockenbach in 1953.

Biographical/Historical Information

Samuel Dickerson Rockenbach, United States Army officer, was born on January 27, 1869 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1889 and in 1891 was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He married Emma Baldwin on October 19, 1898. Prior to World War I he saw tours of duty in Cuba, the Philippines, various U.S. posts, and served as a military observer in Germany in 1914. He arrived in France in June 1917 with the American Expeditionary Force and from 1917-1919 served as Chief of the newly formed Tank Corps, A.E.F. He was notable for his role in the establishment of the Tank Corps and for his work in the development of tank warfare.

At the end of the war, Rockenbach continued his work with tanks, serving as the Army's Chief of the Tank Corps and as Commander of the Tank School at Camp Meade, Maryland. He retired to Brownsville, Texas in 1933 and died in 1952 at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC.

Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of papers (1,000 items) documenting Rockenbach's career in the United States Army. Topics include his duties as Engineer officer in Cuba (1898-1902), the Philippines (1903- 1910), in France as Chief of the Tank Corps, American Expeditionary Forces, 1917-1919, and his postwar work with the Tank Corps until his retirement in 1933. The collection contains correspondence and memoranda (1889- 1945), military orders (1891-1933), photographs, and miscellaneous personal documents (certificates, travel souvenirs, etc.). Tank Corps material includes operations reports (1918), numerous photographs of early tank designs and tank maneuvers, drawings of tank designs, and reports and minutes of the Inter-Allied Tank Committee. Also included are letters and photographs documenting the early army career of George S. Patton, Jr., who served under Rockenbach during World War I (ca. 15 items). Other notable correspondents are John J. Pershing, Leonard Wood, Douglas MacArthur, James G. Harbord, and Charles P. Summerall.

Organization

The collection is divided into 8 series:
1. Correspondence and memoranda, 1889-1945
2. Military Orders, 1891-1933
3. Subject Files
4. Articles by Rockenbach
5. Speeches and Lectures
6. Personal File
7. Bound volumes and Printed Material
8. Photographs

Container List

Series 1: Correspondence and Memoranda 1889-1945

Chronological

  • Box-folder 1:1
    1889-1896
  • Box-folder 1:2
    1898
  • Box-folder 1:3
    1899-1902
  • Box-folder 1:4
    1903-1904
  • Box-folder 1:5
    1905-1909
  • Box-folder 1:6
    1910-1912
  • Box-folder 1:7
    1913-1916
  • Box-folder 1:8
    1917
  • Box-folder 1:9
    1918, January-June
  • Box-folder 1:10
    1918, July-September
  • Box-folder 1:11
    1918, October-December
  • Box-folder 1:12
    1919, January-February
  • Box-folder 1:13
    1919, March-April
  • Box-folder 1:14
    1919 May-December
  • Box-folder 1:15
    1920
  • Box-folder 1:16
    1921
  • Box-folder 1:17
    1922, January-June
  • Box-folder 1:18
    1922, July-December
  • Box-folder 1:19
    1923, January-June
  • Box-folder 1:20
    1923, July-December
  • Box-folder 1:21
    1924
  • Box-folder 1:22
    1925
  • Box-folder 1:23
    1926
  • Box-folder 1:24
    1927-1928
  • Box-folder 1:25
    1929
  • Box-folder 1:26
    1930-1945
  • Box-folder 1:27
    Undated correspondence and memoranda
Series 2: Military Orders 1891-1933

Chronological

  • Box-folder 2:1
    1891-1899
  • Box-folder 2:2
    1900-1903
  • Box-folder 2:3
    1904-1909
  • Box-folder 2:4
    1910-1912
  • Box-folder 2:5
    1913-1916
  • Box-folder 2:6
    1917
  • Box-folder 2:7
    1918
  • Box-folder 2:8
    1919
  • Box-folder 2:9
    1920-1933
  • Box-folder 2:10
    Index to World War I Orders
Series 3: Subject Files

Alphabetical

  • Box-folder 3:1
    Baltic Society
  • Box-folder 3:2
    French Tank Service and School
  • Box-folder 3:3
    Germany- Military Observation Trip 1914-1915

    Instructions, Reports, and miscellany

  • Box-folder 3:4
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee 1918, May 6-7

    Minutes of the 1st session

  • Box-folder 3:5
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee 1918, May 6-7

    Reports and Resolutions from the 1st session

  • Box-folder 3:6
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee 1918 June 5

    Minutes of the 2nd session

  • Box-folder 3:7
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee 1918 July 8

    Agenda and Minutes from the 3rd session

  • Box-folder 3:8
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee 1918 October 10

    Minutes of the 4th session

  • Box-folder 3:9
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee 1918 May

    Reports, including a report by Lt. Col. George S. Patton, Jr.

  • Box-folder 3:10
    Inter-Allied Tank Committee

    Misc. related documents

  • Box-folder 3:10A
    Patton, George S., Jr.
  • Box-folder 3:11
    St. Nazaire Association
  • Box-folder 3:12
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, 1918 September-November

  • Box-folder 3:13
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 1
    Comparative Plan of Renault and Mark VIII Tank

  • Box-folder 3:14
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 2
    Organization Tank Corps AEF

  • Box-folder 3:15
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 3
    Organization Tank Corps 1st Army

  • Box-folder 3:16
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 4
    Operations Report 304th Tank Brigade, St. Mihiel Salient

  • Box-folder 3:17
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 5
    Report of Commander of 1st French Brigade, St. Mihiel operation

  • Box-folder 3:18
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 6
    Operations Report, 304th Tank Brigade, Meuse-Argonne offensive

  • Box-folder 3:19
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 7
    Report of Commander, 1st French Tank Brigade, Meuse-Argonne

  • Box-folder 3:20
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 8
    Report of Operations, 2nd Tank Brigade, 301st Battalion

  • Box-folder 3:21
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 9
    Commendations on Work of Tank Corps

  • Box-folder 3:22
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Operations Report, Appendix 10
    Position and duties of Chief of Tank Corps, AEF

  • Box-folder 3:23
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Service Record, 301st Tank Battalion.

  • Box-folder 3:24
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Casualties List

  • Box-folder 3:25
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Personal Notes

  • Box-folder 3:26
    Tank Corps, World War I

    Notes on tank economics

  • Box-folder 3:27
    Tank Corps, Postwar

    Organization proposal, 1921

  • Box-folder 3:28
    Tank School, Camp Meade

    Report on organization and objectives

  • Box-folder 3:29
    Tanks

    Diagrams and Blueprints

  • Box-folder 3:30
    Virginia Military Institute

    Notes on the Class of 1889, letter of recommendation, order

Series 4: Articles by Rockenbach
  • Box-folder 4:1
    The Tank School at Camp Meade 1922
  • Box-folder 4:2
    American Tanks 1923
  • Box-folder 4:3
    Weight and Dimensions of Tanks 1923
  • Box-folder 4:4
    General Pershing's Influence in Connection with my work in the AEF 1934
  • Box-folder 4:5
    American Tanks Since the World War
  • Box-folder 4:6
    The Tank Corps of the AEF
  • Box-folder 4:7
    Articles-Miscellaneous
Series 5: Speeches and Lectures
  • Box-folder 4:8
    The Tank Corps- What the General and General Staff officers Should Know 1919
  • Box-folder 4:9
    The Tank Corps- A Talk to the General Staff 1919
  • Box-folder 4:10
    Remarks at Conference of Department and Division Commanders 1920
  • Box-folder 4:11
    Tanks in the World War 1922
  • Box-folder 4:12
    Tanks 1923
  • Box-folder 4:13
    Tanks: Functions in Relation to Design undated
Series 6: Personal File
  • Box-folder 4:14
    Certificates of Award, War Service
  • Box-folder 4:15
    Certificates, Miscellaneous
  • Box-folder 4:16
    Service Records and Efficiency Report
  • Box-folder 4:17
    Postcards, Europe, Souvenir 1914-1915
  • Box-folder 4:18
    Mementos from Paris Trip 1926
  • Box-folder 4:19
    Invitations
  • Box-folder 4:20
    Christmas Cards
  • Box-folder 4:21
    Clippings about Rockenbach
  • Box-folder 4:22
    Miscellaneous
Series 7: Bound Volumes and Printed Material
  • Reports and orders, 1888 to 1920
  • The Final Report of General John J. Pershing
  • Pamphlets and Misc. publications
Series 8: Photographs

Alphabetical

  • Box-folder 6:1
    Baltic Club
  • Box-folder 6:2
    Coolidge, Calvin (with Rockenbach, Pershing and others)
  • Box-folder 6:3
    Cotesworth, E. Robert
  • Box-folder 6:3A
    Cuba--San Juan Hill
  • Box-folder 6:4
    Gleaves, Albert (Admiral)
  • Box-folder 6:5
    Harbord, James G.
  • Box-folder 6:5A
    Lindbergh, Charles
  • Box-folder 6:6
    Parades
  • Box-folder 6:6A
    Patton, George S., Jr.
  • Box-folder 6:7
    Pershing, John J. (General)
  • Box-folder 6:8
    Philippines
  • Box-folder 6:8A
    Rockenbach, Emma
  • Box-folder 6:9
    Rockenbach, Samuel D.
  • Box-folder 6:10
    Rockenbach, Samuel D. and Emma
  • Box-folder 6:11
    Spanish American War-Artillery
  • Box-folder 6:12
    Spanish American War-War Memorials
  • Box-folder 6:13
    Tank Corps, soldiers and officers
  • Box-folder 6:14
    Tanks Corps, basketball and football teams
  • Box-folder 6:15
    Tank Corps, manuevers
  • Box-folder 6:16
    Tank Corps, 16th Tank Battalion
  • Box-folder 6:17
    Tank School, Camp Meade
  • Box-folder 6:18
    Tanks
  • Box-folder 6:19
    Tanks
  • Box-folder 6:20
    Tanks
  • Box-folder 6:21
    World War I- American Expeditionary Force arrives in Paris, July 1917
  • Box-folder 6:22
    World War I- AEF officers
  • Box-folder 6:23
    World War I- Cemetery, St. Nazaire, France
  • Box-folder 6:24
    World War I- War Memorial, Lynchburg, VA
  • Box-folder 6:25
    World War I- French farmers, countryside
  • Box-folder 6:26
    World War I- Troop ships
  • Box-folder 6:27
    Miscellaneous and unidentified