Collection Summary
Samuel Eliot Morison
Papers
1939-1972
(bulk 1942-1956)
1939-1972
(bulk 1942-1956)
MSS83050
Morison, Samuel Eliot,
1887-1976
78 items
8 containers
3.2 linear
feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
U.S. naval officer and
historian. Journals and research notebooks relating mainly to the oceanic
theaters of World War II, antisubmarine warfare, and Morison's
writings.
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
Blandy, William H. P. (William Henry Purnell), 1890-1954.
Cunningham of Hyndhope, Andrew Browne Cunningham, Viscount, 1883-1963.
Ingersoll, Royal E. (Royal Eason), 1883-1976.
MacArthur, Douglas, 1880-1964.
Moore, Henry Ruthven, Sir, 1886-1978.
Morison, Samuel Eliot, 1887-1976.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.
Spruance, Raymond Ames, 1886-1969.
Stark, Harold R. (Harold Raynsford), 1880-1972.
Turner, Richmond Kelly, 1885-1961.
Subjects
Anti-submarine warfare.
Guadalcanal, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1942-1943.
Kolombangara, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1943.
Operation Dragoon, 1944.
Operation Galvanic, 1943.
Operation Neptune.
Operation Overlord.
Operation Torch, 1942.
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Africa, North.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Solomon Islands.
World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations.
Places
Casablanca (Morocco)--History.
Occupations
Historians.
Naval officers.
Provenance
The papers of Samuel Eliot Morison, naval officer and historian, were
deposited in the Library of Congress by the Naval Historical Foundation in 1994
and converted to a gift in 1998. An addition was given by the Naval Historical
Foundation in 1999.
Processing History
The papers of Samuel Eliot Morison were arranged and described in
1995. An addition was made to the collection in 2003 and the finding aid was
revised in 2003.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Samuel Eliot
Morison is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The Samuel Eliot Papers 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, Samuel Elison Morison Papers, Naval
Historical Foundation Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976) span the years
1939-1972, with the bulk of the material dated between 1942 and 1956. Journals
kept during World War II and later updated relate to the oceanic theaters of
the war. Some entries were written during battles, and others record interviews
with William H. P. Blandy, Andrew Browne Cunningham, Royal E. Ingersoll,
Douglas MacArthur, Henry Ruthven Moore, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Raymond Ames
Spruance, Harold R. Stark, Richmond Kelly Turner, and other wartime leaders.
Specific topics include the battles of Casablanca, Guadalcanal, Kombangara, and
Pearl Harbor and operations Dragoon, Galvanic, Neptune, Overlord, and Torch.
Notebooks compiled during Morison's research for his books are arranged
alphabetically by book title. The journals are arranged numerically by journal
number.
An addition consists of three journals Morison kept while in the
Pacific theater, 1942-1943.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged as research notebooks, journals, and an
addition.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm95083050]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Research notebooks
1
The Caribbean as Columbus Saw It
, circa 1964,
European Discovery of America
, circa 1971, and
Samuel De Champlain: Father of New France
,
circa 1972
circa 1972
1
Harrison Gray Otis (1765-1848): the Urbane
Federalists
,
circa 1969
circa 1969
(2
folders)
1
John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography
,
circa 1959
circa 1959
(2 folders)
2
Old Bruin: Commodore Matthew C. Perry
,
circa 1967
circa 1967
(4
folders)
3
Journals
3
No. 1, Navigation book,
Buck (destroyer), Guinevere (unclassified miscellaneous auxiliary),
Brooklyn (light cruiser), Washington (battleship), Baltimore (heavy cruiser),
1942-1943
1942-1943
3
No. 2, Outward passage in
Buck (destroyer) and stay in British Isles,
1942, June 30-July 17
1942, June 30-July 17
3
No. 3, Brooklyn (light cruiser); Battle of Casablanca,
1942, Oct. 12-Nov. 8
1942, Oct. 12-Nov. 8
4
No. 4, Battle of Casablanca,
1942, Nov. 8-11
1942, Nov. 8-11
4
No. 5, Diary; interviews
regarding Cole (destroyer) and
Dallas (destroyer), 1942, Nov. 8-11
1942, Nov. 8-11
1942, Nov. 8-11
4
No. 6, Brooklyn (light cruiser); Torch Operation,
1942, Oct.-Nov.
1942, Oct.-Nov.
4
No. 7, Brooklyn (light cruiser); diary; African expedition;
events after 1942, Nov. 8
events after 1942, Nov. 8
4
No. 8, Torch Operation,
undated
undated
4
No. 9, Diary,
1943, Jan. 1-Oct. 17
1943, Jan. 1-Oct. 17
4
No. 10, Torch Operation; AFAF,
1943, Mar. 2-6
1943, Mar. 2-6
4
No. 11, Interviews with Franklin
D. Roosevelt (pages 25-35, 95),
1942, May 15-Sept. 25
1942, May 15-Sept. 25
4
No. 12 (Pacific III), Espiritu
Santo Island, New Hebrides, Tulagi Island, Guadalcanal; Honolulu (light cruiser),
1943, Apr. 20-May 10
1943, Apr. 20-May 10
5
No. 13 (Pacific IV), SoWestPac;
AirSoPac; Brisbane, Australia; amphibious operations and air raids on Tulagi
Island; central Solomon Islands operations; Aleutian Islands; Gilbert Islands;
Marshall Islands,
1942-1944
1942-1944
5
No. 14 (Pacific V), Japanese
information in 1943, Guadalcanal; McCawley
(transport); interviews with Lieutenant-Colonel Griffith of First Marine Raider
Battalion, Tulagi Island, and Harry Kelly and Richmond Kelly Turner,
circa 1943
circa 1943
5
No. 15 (Pacific VI), Guadalcanal
and central Solomon Islands,
1943, May-July
1943, May-July
5
No. 16 (Pacific VII),
Australasia; Milner Bay, New Guinea,
circa 1943
circa 1943
5
No. 17 (Pacific VIII), Battle of
Kombangara,
1943, July
1943, July
5
No. 18 (Pacific IX), aboard
St. Louis (light cruiser) and
Baltimore (heavy cruiser); Pearl Harbor;
Komandorski,
circa 1943
circa 1943
5
No. 19 (Pacific X); Pearl Harbor;
Guadalcanal and Palau,
1943, Oct.-Nov.
1943, Oct.-Nov.
5
No. 20 (Pacific XI),
Baltimore (heavy cruiser); Galvanic,
1943, Nov.
1943, Nov.
5
No. 21 (Pacific XII),
1942, Sept.-1943, Dec.
1942, Sept.-1943, Dec.
5
No. 22 (Pacific XIII), Galvanic;
Marshall Islands raid; wit and wisdom of Ralph Parker,
circa 1943
circa 1943
6
No. 23, Antisubmarine warfare,
Hooligan Navy,
circa 1942
circa 1942
6
No. 24, Antisubmarine warfare,
Murmansk, Russia,
1942
1942
6
No. 25, Antisubmarine warfare,
summary of enemy activities in western Atlantic, 1942, July, collusive
sinkings; Battle of Casco Bay (1942, June 22),
1942, June-July
1942, June-July
6
No. 26, Antisubmarine warfare,
air attacks on submarines,
circa 1942
circa 1942
6
No. 27, Antisubmarine warfare,
organization of Boston, Mass., anti-submarine warfare unit at 150 Causeway; war
diary for June 1942,
circa 1942
circa 1942
6
No. 28, Antisubmarine warfare,
Boston, Mass., antisubmarine warfare unit; conversations with Wilder D. Baker,
circa Aug. 1942
circa Aug. 1942
6
No. 29, Antisubmarine warfare,
new methods, gadgets, and procedures,
1942
1942
6
No. 30, Antisubmarine warfare,
accounts of attacks of submarines and sinkings by surface ships,
1942
1942
6
No. 31, Antisubmarine warfare,
data from First Naval District reports,
1942
1942
6
No. 32, Antisubmarine warfare,
air attacks on submarines,
1942
1942
6
No. 33, Antisubmarine warfare,
preliminary report of Killer Hunt for enemy submarines, 1942, June 10-14
June 10-14
June 10-14
6
No. 34, Antisubmarine warfare,
conversations,
1942, Sept.
1942, Sept.
6
No. 35, Antisubmarine warfare,
summaries,
circa 1942
circa 1942
6
No. 36, Antisubmarine warfare,
convoys,
circa 1942
circa 1942
6
No. 37 (1944 Pacific 1), Gilbert
Islands; Galvanic; Marshall Islands; Savo Island,
1944
1944
6
No. 38 (1944 Pacific 2), Pearl
Harbor; Gilbert Islands; Marshall Islands,
1944
1944
6
No. 39 (1944 Pacific 3),
Montpelier (light cruiser); Munda; Bougainville
Island; start of Saipan operations; Kwajalein Island,
1944
1944
6
No. 40 (1944 Pacific 4),
Honolulu (light cruiser) during Saipan operation;
Guadalcanal; Kula Gulf; Solomon Islands,
1944
1944
6
No. 41 (1944 Pacific 5), Saipan
operations; story of Phelps (destroyer),
1944
1944
6
No. 42 (1944 Atlantic 1),
Joseph E. Campbell (escortship); London, England;
operation Overlord, Nov.-Dec.
1944
1944
6
No. 43 (1944 Atlantic 2), London,
England; Naples, Italy,
1944, Dec.-1945, Jan.
1944, Dec.-1945, Jan.
6
No. 44 (1944 Atlantic 4), France,
1944, Dec-1945, Jan.; 1956, May
1944, Dec-1945, Jan.; 1956, May
6
No. 45, Interview with Royal E.
Ingersoll; Battle of the Atlantic,
circa 1944
circa 1944
6
No. 46 (Gray Book), running
estimate and summary covering 1941,
Dec. 7-1942, May 31, by Captain Steele, circa
1944
Dec. 7-1942, May 31, by Captain Steele, circa
1944
7
No. 47, Joint Chiefs of Staff
records; Marianas,
1943, May 8-1944, June 22
1943, May 8-1944, June 22
7
No. 48, Navigation notes,
Montpelier (light cruiser), Honolulu (light cruiser); Yorktown (aircraft carrier) action report; Marianas
operations,
1944
1944
7
No. 49, Okinawa and Ryukyu
operations,
1945, Mar.-June
1945, Mar.-June
7
No. 50 (1945 Pacific 1), western
sea frontier/Pearl Harbor/Ulithi/Ryukyu operation,
1945, Mar.1-Apr. 1
1945, Mar.1-Apr. 1
7
No. 51 (1945 Pacific 2), Ryukyu
operation,
1945, Apr. 1-10
1945, Apr. 1-10
7
No. 52 (1945 Pacific 3), Ryukyu
operation,
1945, Apr. 11-May 5
1945, Apr. 11-May 5
7
No. 53 (1945 Pacific 4), Iwo
Jima,
1945, circa Apr.
1945, circa Apr.
7
No. 54 (1945 Pacific 5), Okinawa,
1945, Apr.
1945, Apr.
7
No. 55 (1945 Pacific 6),
interview with William H. P. Blandy regarding Iwo Jima and Okinawa,
1945, Jan. 1
1945, Jan. 1
7
No. 56, Washington, D.C.,
Nov. 1945-June 1947
Nov. 1945-June 1947
8
No. 57, General wartime
operations,
circa 1946
circa 1946
8
No. 58, Notes and final additions
and corrections to vol. 1 regarding Battle of the Atlantic,
circa 1946
circa 1946
8
No. 59 (Notebook 1), Washington,
D.C.,
1946
1946
8
No. 60 (Notebook 2), Panama,
Newport, R.I., Washington, D.C., regarding fleet exercises nos. 1 and 2 at
Calebra (1934-1936) and Guam (1941); Lieutenant General Crittenberger on
Italian campaign; Mrs. John F. Shafroth on Ernest J. King; Midway; bombardment
of Marcus Island; last breakfast with Raymond Spruance,
1946-1947
1946-1947
8
No. 61, Notes and final additions
and corrections to vol. 8 regarding New Guinea and the Marianas, 1944,
Mar.-Aug.; vol. 12 regarding Leyte, 1944, June-1945, Jan.; vol. 13 regrarding
liberation of Philippines, Luzon, Mindanao, and the Visayas, 1944-1945,
circa 1952-1953
circa 1952-1953
8
No. 62, Notes and final additions
and corrections to vol. 9 regarding Sicily, Salerno, and Anzio, Italy, 1943,
Jan.-1944, June; notes on trip in 1953; interview with Andrew B. Cunningham of
the Royal Navy,
1953
1953
8
No. 63 (Notebook 1), notes and
final additions and corrections to vol. 10 regarding end of the Battle of the
Atlantic, 1945, May; interviews on antisubmarine warfare with John P. W. Vest
and Jack Slessor,
1954
1954
8
No. 64 (Notebook 2), notes and
final additions and corrections to vol. 10 regarding end of the Battle of the
Atlantic, 1943, May-1945, May; interviews with Dr. Salagar, Konteradmiral Godt
(Admiral Doenitz's operations officer), Sir Henry Moore of the Royal Navy,
Marshall R. Greer, and Harold R. (Betty) Stark manuscript,
1955
1955
8
No. 65 (Notebook 1), operations
Neptune and Overlord,
1956
1956
8
No. 66 (Notebook 2), operations
Neptune and Dragoon,
1956
1956
8
No. 67, Notes and final additions
and corrections to vol. 12 regarding Leyte, 1944-1945.; vol. 13 regarding 1959
notes concerning liberation of the Philippines, Luzon, Mindanao, and the
Visayas, 1944-1945; and vol. 14 regarding victory in the Pacific,
1945, 1957
1945, 1957
8
No. 68, Pensacola, Fla., and Lake
Success, and 1950 notes at Pearl Harbor, Japan, and Hiroshima,
1949-1950
1949-1950
8
No. 69, Tokyo book regarding
interviews with Douglas MacArthur, Admiral Toyoda, Toshikazu Kase (member of
Japanese foreign office), and Rear Admiral Deyo regarding Yamato,
1950
1950
8
No. 70, Visits to Jamaica, N.Y.,
and Columbus, Ohio; Harry Truman,
1958-1960
1958-1960
8
Addition
8
Journals
8
Pacific I,
1942-1943
1942-1943
8
Pacific II,
1942-1943
1942-1943
8
Sea journal no. 2,
1942
1942