ARNOLD C. HOLEYWELL

Collection

Identifier: TMD62

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Arnold C. Holeywell's World War II correspondence, along with his World War II sketches and watercolors, make up a significant portion of this collection, which spans 1943 through 1997. Additional materials document Holeywell's active participation in the 10th Mountain Division Alumni Association and the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division.

SERIES 1 WORLD WAR II 1943-1945 BOX 1

Letters Holeywell wrote to his mother make up the bulk of the series (Holeywell's father passed away January 5, 1943). Some letters are illustrated with Holeywell's sketches. Additional letters to friends and to Holeywell's brother, Alvin are also included. Limited World War II memorabilia completes the series.

SERIES 2 VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS, ACTIVITIES 1948-1997 BOX 1

The series contains correspondence, reunion records, reports, minutes, newsletters and memorabilia that document Holeywell's participation in the activities of both the 10th Mountain Division Alumni Association and the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division.

SERIES 3 PHOTOGRAPHS 1991 BOX 1

Six color photographic prints depicting the creation of the 10th Mountain Division statue by Susan Raymond make up the series.

SERIES 4 SKETCHES 1944-1945 BOX 1

The series includes three sketch books and several loose pencil drawings. One sketch book that Holeywell carried into combat shows extensive shrapnel damage sustained when Holeywell's backpack was hit by shell fragments.

SERIES 5 OVERSIZE 1943-1945 OVFF1

The series is made up primarily of watercolors from Camp Hale, Colorado; Camp Swift, Texas and the Italian Campaign. Pencil sketches and one pen and ink drawing are also included. A topographic map with extensive handwritten notes completes the series.

Dates

1943-1997

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

ACCESS:

The collection is open for research.

PUBLICATION RIGHTS:

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Arnold Clark Holeywell was born November 30, 1923 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Arnold and Mary Holeywell. In June 1942, Holeywell graduated from Richmond Hill High School, Queens, New York, where he received the school’s Honor Award for Art. Holeywell enlisted in the Army February 18, 1943 at New York City. He joined the 10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale, Colorado, where he was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 86th Infantry Regiment. He later served in Company B and in the Regimental Headquarters Company, where he utilized his artistic talents as the regiments’ topographical draftsman. During combat in Italy, Holeywell received the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal.

Returning to civilian life in January 1946, Holeywell accepted a position with New York’s Charles E. Cooper, Inc., where he developed his talents in advertising and commercial illustration while taking night classes at Columbia University. In the early 1950s, Holeywell became a major contributing illustrator for Field and Stream magazine, where his work appeared on several covers. He also produced a series of watercolors for the Ford Motor Company’s publication Ford Times.

In 1953, Holeywell married Lois Jeanne Schmitt of Long Island and became staff illustrator with Western Publishing Company in New York. In 1959, he established the company's design center in St. Louis, Missouri, and became its Creative Director.

Holeywell moved to Time-Life Books in 1963 to become the assistant art director of the firm’s book division. Although Holeywell retired in 1983, he continued to accept major commissions. He has presented three one-man art shows and has exhibited his works in numerous group shows. Many of his paintings hang in private collections. Holeywell has maintained membership in a number of national art institutes, associations, guilds and societies.

As a veteran of the 10th Mountain Division, Holeywell attended the first meeting of the Alumni Association, which later became the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division. Elected Association President, Holeywell was instrumental in the publication of the Association’s first national directory in 1955. He also designed the Association’s blazer patch and necktie. When New York’s Whiteface Mountain Ski Area was dedicated to the men of the 10th Mountain Division, Holeywell arranged to have a large stone quarried from Mount Belvedere, Italy to serve as a base for a commemorative plaque installed at Little Whiteface Mountain. Moving to Falls Church, Virginia, Holeywell served as president of the Washington D.C. Chapter of the National Association.

Holeywell passed away September 9, 2010 in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia.

Extent

1 Boxes

1 OVFF

Additional Description

Other Finding Aids

For location information, refer to the Denver Public Library Catalog.

PROVENANCE:

Gift, Arnold C. Holewell, 1996; Gift, Roger Holeywell (son), donated additional materials September 9, 2007.

SELECTION OF RELATED MATERIAL

10th Mountain Division Records TMD1

10th Mountain Division Database Records TMD2

National Association of the 10th Mountain Division Records TMD40

SEPARATED MATERIAL

Twenty-three maps and map overlays depicting 10th Mountain Division operations during World War II were transferred to collection TMD1, 10th Mountain Division Records.