Collection Summary
Lesley James McNair
Papers
1904-1945
(bulk 1941-1945)
1904-1945
(bulk 1941-1945)
MSS32383
McNair, Lesley James,
1883-1944
425 items
2 containers plus 11 oversize
1.6 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Army officer.
Correspondence, air travel log, photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, and
memorabilia pertaining to McNair’s military career.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
McNair, Lesley James, 1883-1944.
Organizations
United States. Army--History--World War, 1939-1945.
Subjects
World War, 1939-1945.
Occupations
Army officers.
Provenance
The papers of Lesley James McNair, army officer, were transferred to
the Library of Congress from the Army War College from 1953 to 1955.
Processing History
The papers of Lesley James McNair were arranged and described in 1955.
The finding aid was revised in 2012.
Transfers
Some photographs and a cartoon have been transferred to the Library's
Prints and Photographs Division where they are identified as part of the James
Lesley McNair Papers.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Lesley James
McNair is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Lesley James McNair are open to research. Researchers
are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Lesley James McNair Papers, Manuscript
Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1883
Born, Verndale, Minn.
1904
B.S., U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
1905
Married Clare Huster
1914
Took part in Major General Frederick Funston’s expedition to
Vera Cruz, Mexico
1916
1917
Served under General John J. Pershing in Pancho Villa
expedition into Mexico
1917
1919
Served with American Expeditionary Forces in France
1918
Awarded Distinguished Service Medal
1918
Awarded French Legion of Honor
1942
Appointed commander, U.S. Army Ground Forces
1943
Wounded in action in North Africa
1944
Killed in action in Normandy
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Lesley James McNair (1883-1944) span the years 1904-1945, with the bulk of the
material concentrated in the period 1941-1945. The collection consists of
correspondence, an air travel log, scrapbooks, clippings, memorabilia, and
photographs pertaining to McNair's military career. The focus is on World War II,
with some material relating to World War I.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is organized by type of material and is mainly comprised of oversize
scrapbooks.
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Correspondence
1
1942-1944
1942-1944
(8
folders)
1
1944
1944
2
Miscellany
2
Academic degrees, appointments,
and awards
2
Doctor of Laws, Purdue
University, Lafayette, Ind.,
1941
1941
2
General,
1904-1943
[
See
Oversize
](con2misov)
1904-1943
2
Fort Benning, Ga., visit,
1943
1943
2
Log of air travel,
1941-1944
1941-1944
2
Press reporting on McNair’s “Kill
or Be Killed” speech,
1942
1942
2
Scrapbooks, 1918-1945, undated
[
See Oversize
](con2scrapov)
1918-1945, undated
2
Speeches and writings,
1941-1944
1941-1944
(2 folders)
OV 1
Oversize
OV 1
Miscellany
OV 1
Academic
degrees, appointments, and awards,
1904-1943 (Container 2)
1904-1943 (Container 2)
OV 2
Scrapbooks
(Container 2)
OV 2
World War I, 1918, undated
1918, undated
OV 3
First Army, Fourth Army
Corps, maneuvers,
1941
1941
OV 4
Newspaper clippings and other
material
OV 4
1941-1943
1941-1943
OV 5
1941-1945
1941-1945
OV 6
1942
1942
OV 7
1942
1942
OV 8
1942
1942
OV 9
1943
1943
OV 10
1943
1943
OV 11
1943
1943