-
Title
-
Military memorabilia of Clifford Harpst
-
Accession Number
-
2010.12.1, A through O
(formerly 2010.12.14)
-
Accession Date
-
March 16, 2010
-
Accession Creator
-
Joada Hiatt
-
Depositor
-
Clifford Harpst
-
Description
-
Clifford L. Harpst of Erie, Pennsylvania was born in 1926 and enlisted in the United States Army on September 12, 1944 as Army Serial Number 33713027 and was sent to Camp Croft in Spartanburg, S.C. for training. He donated two sets of items to the Museum in 2010 — this lot, as well as accession number 2010.37.1 (originally 2010.37.3). These items include communication from him and others showing that he arrived at Camp Croft on September 20, 1944. Around the first of January, 1945, he was sent to replenish the front line at the Battle of the Bulge in France and Belgium. He continued fighting through his birthday on March 1, celebrated under mortar fire in Holland. He donated two sets of items to the Museum in 2010 — this lot, as well as accession number 2010.37.3.
Read a more complete biography of Cliff at https://www.greerheritage.com/omeka-s/s/museum/item/1318.
2010.12.1 A — postcard, 5.5"x3.25"; obverse has only the mailing addresses. Sent from Clifford Harpst to his parents, Jesse and Frances Harpst. Obverse is a note written September 21, 1944; he arrived at Camp Croft the day before. He notes that it is very warm; he has "seen a lot of cotton and it was quite a site" [sic], and "the red clay is something."
2010.12.1 B — postcard, 5.5"x3.5"; obverse has a color comic-style illustration showing a troop of American GIs marching down a street; behind them is a private hanging onto a telephone pole, exhausted. On the pole is an arrow sign noting "Camp – 67 miles," and a caption reading "I'm still hanging on around here!" Sent from Clifford to his parents on October 4, 1944, with a note on the reverse talking about the strenuous training program, having to have four teeth pulled, and preparations for an all-day hike. He asks for a loan for toiletries, noting that he would not get paid until November.
2010.12.1 C — postcard, 5.5"x3.5"; obverse has a color image of the First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C. Reverse shows that the postcard was sent from the pastor of the church, E. Gibson Davis, to Clifford's parents. It notes that on October 10, 1944, Clifford visited the church.
2010.12.1 D — postcard, 5.5"x3.5"; obverse has a color image of a military building with a caption "L-41 – Federal Community Recreation Building, U.S.O. Club, Spartanburg, S. C." Sent from Clifford Harpst on October 15, 1944 to his brother Warren, who was seven years younger than he. He thanks Warren for sending a letter and turns down an offer of funny books. He claims that he doesn't have time to read, because he uses his spare time for writing or dancing.
2010.12.1 E — postcard, 5.5"x3.25"; obverse has only the mailing address, sent to Clifford's parents, and postmark of October 16, 1944. Reverse has a small black and white photograph of the First Presbyterian Church and a note that Clifford attended the Soldier's Recreation Center of the church during the past week. The note is signed by Mrs. E. W. Reel of the Soldier's Entertainment Committee.
2010.12.1 F — postcard, 5.5"x3.25"; obverse has only the mailing addresses. Sent from Clifford Harpst to his parents, Jesse and Frances Harpst. Obverse shows a logo of crossed rifles with the words "Service Club No. 1, Camp Croft, S. C." A note written November 14, 1944 reflects that though the training is still rigorous he is feeling "pretty good" and rested. He was studying light machine guns at the time.
2010.12.1 G — unused oversized postcard, 8.75"x6"; obverse has a collage of 7 black and white photographs taken by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, showing American troops doing different tasks. At the top center is an eagle holding crossed American flags, with a ribbon reading "E. Pluribus Unum." In the center are the words "ALASKA, Land of the Midnight Sun." The reverse is blank, only noting that it is a Photogram from the American Novelty Co. in New York.
2010.12.1 H — unused postcard, 5.5"x3.25"; obverse shows an American flag on a pole. To the left is a military band, playing; the the right is a cannon being fired; behind it is a white military building. Text reads "Retreat — Camp Croft, Spartanburg, S.C." and "Photograph by Signal Corps, U. S. Army." Reverse is blank other than a note that the card is provided courtesy of the Southern Bell and Telegraph Company, Incorporated.
2010.12.1 I — identical duplicate of H
2010.12.1 J — postcard, 5.5"x3.5"; Sent from Private George L. Madden, ASN 33713355, to Clifford Harpst's parents on January 3, 1945. Obverse has a black and white photograph of troops in formation, with the label "Infantry Training Battalions In Review, Camp Croft, Spartanburg, S. C." Reverse shows a handwritten message from Madden reading "Dear Mr. & Mrs. Harpst, Cliff ask me to write and tell you that he would not be allowed to write on maneuvers and not to send any packages because he wouldn't be able to get them while he's out. I took his suit into town to have it cleaned for him so he will look his best when he gets home. I'll certainly be sorry when he leaves here. George."
2010.12.1 K — missing postcard? Accession form noted ten standard-size postcards and one oversized; this list only reflects nine standard cards.
2010.12.1 L — V-Mail letter written from Clifford to his parents on March 1, 1945, writing from Holland. In the letter he notes that it is his birthday, and points out the irony that being 19 now makes him eligible to go overseas. The day before, some "fellows" celebrated his birthday there with "a little party on the front line." One gave him a fruitcake received in a box from home; other gifts were chewing gum, coffee, donuts, and a rare bottle of Coca-Cola. He notes that he "also had a few gifts from Jerry," who "donated a few mortar shells to the cause." One of these shells struck directly across the road; "it is a little annoying and you learn how to hit the ground and pray all in one easy lesson."
2010.12.1 M — V-Mail letter written from Clifford to his parents on August 6, 1945. Though written the day after an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, his letter seems unaware of that. He notes that he is doing well and is appreciative of the five letters he received the day before ("mail delivery is poor very poor"). His primary purpose for writing is to note that he's hoping Maurice, someone they all knew, would be sent into combat; "he needs it to wake up to the fact that his folks would like to hear from him and that women aren't everything in life."
2010.12.1 N — IRTC pamphlet, “I am a Doughboy,” with a Croft patch taped on the front. 6"x9", paper with paper cover. Produced by the government with black and white photography by Alfred Palmer. Its purpose was to describe the training that was given at each of the nine US Army Infantry Replacement Training Center bases. The pictures and text accurately describe the training taking place at Camp Croft. The pamphlet was sold at a nominal price and purchased by trainees to send home to their friends and family. The inside front page is inscribed: "I arrived on 9/21/44. My address is Pvt. Clifford L. Harpst A.S.N. 33713027, Co. A – 32nd I.T.B. blg 177, Camp Croft, S.C." On the front cover, a navy blue fabric patch with white embroidered word "CROFT" and white border is attached with cellophane tape; it seems likely that Clifford sent this with the pamphlet to his family.
2010.12.1 O, three of three — Three identical "chest eagles." Third Reich military emblems; gray cotton machine-embroidered eagle holding a swastika, on a green cotton embroidered ground, on a rectangle of green rayon fabric, approximately 4.75"x 2.25". Appear to be Wehrmacht (military) Heer (army) insignias from the chest of the standard military tunic, known as a Feldbluse. All in excellent condition. We have no record of their provenance, but two were found located in a pocket with an unmarked Camp Croft postcard in the set of objects donated by Clifford Harpst, who fought Germany on the European front lines in 1945; the third was found in the military cabinet beside two Harpst postcards, one of which is identical to the unmarked card with the other two.
-
Date
-
World War 2
-
Format
-
paper, fabric
-
Storage Location
-
New Location:
Storage Box "Military Display"
Jonathan Room
Unless otherwise noted, all objects are in the research library; located in a blue three-ring binder of military memorabilia.
2010.12.1 I — military display case
2010.12.1 O, one of three — military display case
2010.12.1 K — location unknown
-
References
-
The Spartanburg County Public Library has a collection of World War II Camp Croft Photographs by Joseph Peter Pizzimenti; see them at https://cdm17281.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/pcc.
-
Nomenclature
-
Category 08: Communication Objects
Documentary Objects
Memorabilia
