H. NEWCOMB "NEWC" ELDREDGE PAPERS

Numerous films, video tapes, slide presentations and photographs, which Eldredge accumulated during his tenure as 10th Mountain Division film historian, comprise the bulk of this collection. The films include original 8mm, Super 8, 16mm and 35mm format films that document the 10th Mountain Division's training at Mount Rainier, Washington and Camp Hale, Colorado. Primarily copies, the videos are not of professional quality.

Papers acquired by Eldredge in his capacity as National Secretary of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division and as New England Chapter president also form part of the collection. Eldredge's papers relate primarily to the activities of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division and the International Federation of Mountain Soldiers. Records include correspondence, notes, schedules, newsletters and newspaper clippings. Numerous meeting minutes, agendas and itineraries are also included.

Eldredge obtained a limited number of personal papers and numerous photographs from noted 10th Mountain Division photographer Winston Pote. These papers and photographs are also included in the collection.

A portion of the series documents National Association activities including ski trips, trail trips, mountain climbing events and the 50th anniversary re-climb of Riva Ridge, Italy. Additional records document interviews and speeches. The series includes newspaper clippings, articles, press releases, brochures and itineraries. Limited National Association correspondence also forms part of the series. Background materials, minutes, agendas, proposals, questionnaires and correspondence provide a record of several board of directors and executive committee meetings. Records related to National Association activities and correspondence are arranged alphabetically by subject, then chronologically. Meeting records are arranged chronologically.

In 1985, the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division became international in scope by participating in the formation of the International Federation of Mountain Soldiers. In 2008, the International Federation of Mountain Soldiers represented more than 450,000 mountain troop veterans and active duty mountain troops from nine nations, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

Each year, the Federation sponsors a "congress" hosted by a member nation. This series includes correspondence, reports, notes, agendas, programs, travel records and itineraries, which document these annual congresses. Correspondence, brochures, newspaper clippings, newsletters and notes relating to other Federation activities also form part of the series. Activities records and correspondence are arranged alphabetically by subject, and then chronologically within each subject. Records describing annual congresses are arranged chronologically.

Winston Pote's personal papers, including a manuscript, working papers, notes and an author contract for his book, Mountain Troops comprise the bulk of the series. Limited memorabilia and ephemera are also included. A preliminary script and production notes for Otto Lang's Army training film How to Ski completes the series.

Eldredge served for many years as film historian and archivist for the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division. The film and video collection he acquired during this tenure comprises the series. The collection includes both amateur and professional footage shot using 8mm, Super 8, 16mm and 35mm films. These films document the history of the Division from its inception at Fort Lewis through combat operations in Italy, though the bulk of the films depict training activities.

Half-inch VHS video tapes comprise the bulk of the series. These tapes are almost entirely copies made by veterans. Additional video tape formats include 3/4 inch VHS and BetaCam. Tapes include transfers of original film footage from original 8mm, Super 8, 16mm and 35 mm films as well as documentaries (original tapes and copies), copies of television news broadcasts and numerous amateur videos of 10th Mountain Division reunions, memorials, interviews and similar, related activities. The series also includes audio tape interviews and audio tape sound tracks created to accompany presentations given at various 10th Mountain Division Association reunions.

Many video tapes in the series are copies made by veterans. As such, the library does not hold copyrights to these materials. Requests for reproductions must be discussed with a librarian or archivist and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The bulk of the photographs in this series were shot by Winston Pote, primarily for use in his book Mountain Troops. The series includes both color and black and white photographs and numerous 35mm color slides. Additional photographs document reunions, ski and trail trips and the fiftieth anniversary re-climb of Riva Ridge. Copies of various U.S. Army Signal Corps photographs and several 35mm slide presentations also comprise a portion of the series.