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This collection has use restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 1.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 300 items) |
| Abstract | John Mack Allison Jr. of Brevard, N.C, served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Allison flew many combat missions with the 321st Bomb Group in West Africa in 1943. He was discharged in 1946 and served in the Air Force Reserve, 1952-1955. Allison died in 1990. The collection contains materials relating to J. Mack Allison Jr., including typescripts and microfilm copies of his 1943 West Africa diary, papers relating to his military service, and photographs and films. The diary covers the period from 15 February 1943, when Allison left the United States, to 23 October 1943, when he returned. In the diary, Allison described his travels; his combat experiences; and the climate, food, and people of French West Africa. Papers through 1946 document Allison's service in the United States Army Air Corps, while those from 1952 to 1955 are related to his service in the Air Force Reserve. Included are regulations, official orders, and legal and financial papers. Published items include a directory of the 321st Bomb Group and a pamphlet entitled "321st Bomb Group Headlines," which contains stories of the group's experiences from 15 March 1943 to 15 March 1945. Also included are a few photographs of Allison in uniform and home movies and newsreels on 8mm film. The home movies appear to be mostly vacation footage, with several reels depicting European cities. The four newsreels are from Castle Films' "News Parade" and appear to be related to World War II. The Addition of June 2008 includes copies of Allison's military orders during World War II, immunization records, two maps of World War II fronts produced by oil companies, materials related to a 1985-1986 reunion of Allison's World War II unit, approximately 100 pictures of World War II life in North Africa, and other materials. The addition also contains seven photographs, circa 1900s, including one of a woman standing on a horse and another of an unidentified group in costumes. |
| Creator | Allison, J. Mack (John Mack), 1916-1990. |
| Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Processing Information
Processed by: Nick Graham, March 1998
Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008
Revisions: Finding aid updated in October 2008 by Megan Bricker.
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Biographical Information
John Mack Allison Jr. was born 31 August 1916. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1941 and volunteered for the United States Army Air Corps in 1942. After training in Alabama, California, and New Mexico, Allison received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in July 1942. He served as a bombardier in the 321st Bomb Group and flew fifty combat missions in West Africa in 1943. After World War II, Allison served in the Air Force Reserve from 1952 until 1955. Allison died in 1990.
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Scope and Content
The collection contains materials relating to J. Mack Allison Jr., including typescripts and microfilm copies of his 1943 West Africa diary, papers relating to his military service, and photographs and films. The diary covers the period from 15 February 1943, when Allison left the United States, to 23 October 1943, when he returned. In the diary, Allison described his travels; his combat experiences; and the climate, food, and people of French West Africa. Papers through 1946 document Allison's service in the United States Army Air Corps, while those from 1952 to 1955 are related to his service in the Air Force Reserve. Included are regulations, official orders, and legal and financial papers. Published items include a directory of the 321st Bomb Group and a pamphlet entitled "321st Bomb Group Headlines," which contains stories of the group's experiences from 15 March 1943 to 15 March 1945. Also included are a few photographs of Allison in uniform and home movies and newsreels on 8mm film. The home movies appear to be mostly vacation footage, with several reels depicting European cities. The four newsreels are from Castle Films' "News Parade" and appear to be related to World War II. The Addition of June 2008 includes copies of Allison's military orders during World War II, immunization records, two maps of World War II fronts produced by oil companies, materials related to a 1985-1986 reunion of Allison's World War II unit, approximately 100 pictures of World War II life in North Africa, and other materials. The addition also contains seven photographs, circa 1900s, including one of a woman standing on a horse and another of an unidentified group in costumes.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Personal Papers, 1940-1950.
Arrangement: chronological.
Personal papers of J. Mack Allison Jr., including a letter to his parents from 1940, typescript copies of his 1943 West Africa diary, his diploma from the University of South Carolina, and a few publications.
The letter from Allison to his parents was written from a hospital in Columbia, S.C., where Allison was recovering from an undisclosed illness. There are three typescript copies of Allison's diary, typed and with a short introduction by his mother, Mary Breese Allison. The diary covers the period from 15 February 1943, when Allison left the United States, to 23 October 1943, when he returned. In the diary, Allison described his travels, his combat experiences, and the climate, food, and people of French West Africa. A photograph of Allison is glued to the inside cover of one of the typescripts. The diary is also available on microfilm.
Published items include a directory containing the names and addresses of the 447th Bomb Squad, 321st Bomb Group, and a pamphlet entitled "321st Bomb Group Headlines," which contains stories of the group's experiences from 15 March 1943 to 15 March 1945. Also included are a 1950 National Geographic map of Africa and the roster of Dunn's Rock Lodge No. 267, Brevard, N.C., 1949.
There is a 45 rpm record in this series. Side one contains Terry White, "Georgia Mountains' Jubilee" and side two is Gary Delong, "Wauka Mountain." It is unclear how this record is related to J. Mack Allison Jr.
| Folder 1 |
Correspondence and Diary |
| Reel 1 |
Microfilm copy of diary |
| Folder 2 |
Diploma, University of South Carolina, 1941 |
| Folder 3 |
Publications |
| Audiodisc D-1630/1 |
Terry White, "Georgia Mountains' Jubilee" and Gary Delong, "Wauka Mountain" (45 rpm). |
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Series 2. Official Papers, 1942-1955.
Arrangement: chronological.
Papers concerning John Mack Allison Jr.'s military service. Papers through 1946 document his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps, while those from 1952-1955 are related to his service in the Air Force Reserve. Included are regulations, official orders, and legal and financial papers. A will made by Allison in 1942 is included. There is also a copy of Allison's complete Individual Flight Record, dated 1 September 1945.
| Folder 4 |
1942-1943 |
| Folder 5 |
1944-1946 |
| Folder 6 |
1952-1955 |
| Folder 7 |
Undated |
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Series 3. Pictures and Films, undated.
Three photographs of J. Mack Allison Jr. in uniform, outside a Charleston, S.C., house. Allison is alone in one photograph and with other people in the other two. There are also several slides--two of groups of people outside a house and others of people on a fishing trip.
The films are home movies and some newsreels. Films have been listed by titles appearing on labels on the individual items. The home movies appear to be mostly vacation footage, with several reels depicting European cities. The four newsreels are from Castle Films' "News Parade" and appear to be related to World War II. Note that playback machinery for films is not available at this time.
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Series 4. Addition of June 2008.
Folder 8-10
Folder 8Folder 9Folder 10 |
World War II Related ItemsOriginals and copies of World War II military orders, Physical Training score cards, immunization records, a transcript of an interview J. Mack Allison did with World News Tonight, and other materials. |
| Folder 11 |
World War II Newspaper ClippingsNewspaper clippings that mention J. Mack Allison, primarily from his hometown of Brevard, N.C. |
| Folder 12 |
World War II MapsTwo maps of World War II battle fronts, produced by Esso and Pure Oil companies. |
| Folder 13 |
Reunion Materials, 1985-1986Letters and photographs related to the 1985 and 1986 reunions of J. Mack Allison's World War II units. |
| Folder 14 |
Other MaterialsCopies of J. Mack Allison's birth certificate and his University of South Carolina matriculation card. |
| Image Folder PF-1630/2 |
World War II PhotographsAbout 100 photographs, including J. Mack Allison in uniform, World War II life in North Africa, and other photographs. |
| Image Folder PF-1630/3 |
Photographs, circa 1900sIncludes a photograph of a woman standing on a horse with the notation on verso "Mary or Molly Breese standing on horse," an unidentified group in costumes, and other photographs. |
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Items Separated