Clemson University Seeks Military History Contributions
Clemson University archivists are actively seeking additional stories and artifacts to preserve over a century of military history that is integral to the university’s identity. The institution began in 1889 as an all-male military college, less than 25 years after the Civil War.
Erica Morris, Clemson’s university archivist for military heritage, stated that the Special Collections and Archives Office is interested in materials documenting the military experiences of Clemson alumni and veterans throughout the Upstate. The university’s military collections currently include artifacts from more than 75 alumni, but significant gaps remain, such as materials from certain conflicts like the Korean War.
The archives welcome a wide range of materials, including letters, Christmas cards, diaries, photographs, uniforms, medals, and official military documents. A recent donation from the family of Kennon Smith Breazeale, a 1942 Clemson graduate, includes a letter he sent home less than a month before he was killed in action after the Battle of the Bulge in February 1945.
Other notable collections include the Randall Scott Oral History Collection, which features recordings from Scott, an Anderson native who served in Vietnam after being drafted. These recordings document the Anderson African American community at the time. The Goodwin Family Collection contains military records and the diary of Henry Haskill Goodwin Jr., who served in the Air Force during World War II, and artifacts belonging to his son, Danny J. Goodwin, an Army officer who served in Vietnam.
The archives are also trying to grow their collection of digital materials, such as photographs and writings on USB sticks, SD cards, and hard drives, from veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
