HENRY J. PERKINS PAPERS

Collection

Identifier: TMD119

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Letters written by Henry J. Perkins to his parents during World War II comprise the bulk of the collection. Limited military records, military memorabilia and correspondence documenting Perkins' efforts to volunteer for military service also form a portion of the collection. Photographs of Camp Hale, Colorado and photographic postcards from Gainesville, Texas complete the collection.

SERIES 1 PAPERS 1942-1945 BOX 1

Letters that Perkins sent to his parents during World War II comprise the bulk of the series. This correspondence provides vivid descriptions of recruit life at Camp Hale and includes numerous color photographic post cards. Additional materials in the series include military records, correspondence documenting Perkins' efforts to volunteer for military service and limited memorabilia.

SERIES 2 PHOTOGRAPHS 1944-1945 BOX 1

The series contains ten black and white photographic prints shot in and around Camp Hale, Colorado. Although most are unidentified, two images include Henry Perkins. Four photographic postcards depicting scenes in Gainesville, Texas are also included.

Dates

1942-1946

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

ACCESS:

The collection is open for research.

Copyright

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

Henry J. Perkins was born January 3, 1900 in Massachusetts, the son of Harry S. and Lucretia S. Perkins. He attended Salem Classical and High School at Salem, Massachusetts from 1915 to 1919. Perkins enrolled at Dartmouth College in 1919 and received his BS degree in Economics in 1923. Upon graduation, Perkins accepted a job with the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company, makers of Pequot sheets in Salem, Massachusetts. Perkins began his career as a stock clerk at the Danvers Bleachery in Peabody, Massachusetts. This plant converted unbleached cotton fabric into material suitable for the manufacture of sheets and pillow cases. During the next nineteen years, Perkins was promoted to assistant foreman and later to plant foreman.

Although he was forty-two years of age at the time, Perkins volunteered for and was accepted into the ski troops in October 1942. He reported for duty to the Recruit Reception Center, Fort Devens, Massachusetts on October 8, 1942. He was initially assigned to 126th Mountain Engineer Battalion, which was then stationed at Camp Carson, Colorado. He transferred almost immediately to Company L, 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, where he served briefly. When the 87th Infantry Regiment moved Camp Hale, Colorado, Perkins joined the 10th Quartermaster Battalion with a special duty assignment as ski instructor at Cooper Hill.

According to 10th Mountain Division veteran, Sewell Williams, who donated these papers, Perkins' first sergeant determined that at 44 years of age, Perkins was too old to serve in combat. Accordingly, Perkins was transferred out of the 10th Mountain Division in June 1944.

Following his service with the 10th Mountain Division, Perkins served with the 623 Quartermaster Railhead Supply Detachment at Camp Houze, Texas. He also served briefly as a supply sergeant for the 578th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion at Camp Bowie, Texas. He completed his service as an instructor at the Infantry Replacement Training Center, Camp Livingston, Louisiana.

After the war, Perkins briefly operated a ski lodge with his wife, Ginny. He passed away April 21, 1995 at age 95 in Berlin, Vermont.

Extent

1 box

Additional Description

Other Finding Aids

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

PROVENANCE:

Gift, Sewell Williams, 2001.

SELECTION OF RELATED MATERIAL

The Western History/Genealogy Department has additional collections with material related to Henry J. Perkins including:

10th Mountain Division Records

TMD1 10th Mountain Division Database Records

TMD2 National Association of the 10th Mountain Division Records

TMD40