JOHN B. WOODWARD PAPERS
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection spans 1940 to 1995 with the bulk of the material from 1941 to 1945. Photographic prints and 35mm slides comprise the bulk of the collection. Limited military and personal papers are also included. Loose scrapbook pages and artwork for the 87th Infantry Regiment's regimental pin complete the collection.
The series includes orders, memos and correspondence from various military units to which Woodward was assigned during World War II. Limited correspondence related to post-war activities of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division completes the series.
The series contains limited, loose b/w photographic prints, which depict training at Camp Hale, Colorado and the Olympic Mountains in Washington. A single color photographic print is from an unidentified ski trip. All photographs include notations on reverse.
A photograph album, which includes material from Sun Valley, Idaho; Fort Lewis, Washington; Mount Rainier, Washington; Camp Hale, Colorado and the Italian Campaign also forms part of the series. The album's color and b/w photographic prints primarily depict ski training, rock climbing, and the production of U.S. Army training films. This album was formerly designated DPL Photo Album No. 23.
The slides in this series retain their original order. Descriptions of individual slides and slide groupings, provided by John Woodward, have been adapted to this finding aid. Numerous slides have been digitized and are stored separately. To facilitate cross referencing, original slide numbering and original order is maintained.
The first group of slides documents ski troop training in Washington and Colorado. Slides depict U.S. Army training film production by skiing pioneer and film maker Otto Lang and by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Additional slides depict maneuvers conducted by ski patrols assigned to the 15th and 41st Infantry Divisions. Training activities at Mount Rainier, Washington and Camp Hale, Colorado are also part of this group. Slides depicting training activities by numerous individuals are also included.
A second group of slides comprises non-combat scenes photographed during the Italian Campaign. Scenes include transportation to and from Italy via troop ship as well as geographic landmarks and cities. Numerous personnel are identified. Post-combat activities near the Yugoslavian border; and in the vicinity of Lake Garda are also depicted.
To view digitized images of slides from this collection, go to www.denverlibrary.org. Select the link for Western History and Genealogy, followed by the link to the Digital Image Catalog. Search by the TMD number shown in this finding aid to retrieve an online image.
Loose pages from a scrapbook originally compiled by Woodward comprise the bulk of the series. Scrapbook pages include newspaper clippings from 1941 to 1945 and document the formation of the ski troops, their specialized training, and the World War II operations of the 10th Mountain Division. One scrapbook page includes a citation to the 10th Mountain Division from General George P. Hays, Division Commander. Original artwork for the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment's regimental pin completes the series.
Dates
- 1940-1995
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
John Woodward was born February 18, 1915 in Marshalltown, Iowa to Harold E. and Sarah R. Woodward. When Woodward was 12, his family moved to Seattle, Washington where he became intensely interested in ski racing. In 1934, Woodward raced in the first Silver Skis, an event then considered America's premier downhill ski race. In 1936, Woodward finished fifth in the U.S. Olympic ski trials and was named an alternate for the American team. During the winter of 1936-1937, Woodward received an invitation to participate in the first Harriman Cup ski races at the then recently opened ski resort at Sun Valley, Idaho.
Woodward entered the Army in 1940 as a 1st Lieutenant, having received a commission through the ROTC program at the University of Washington. He was assigned to various ski patrol units, first with the 15th Infantry Ski Patrol, which was part of the 3rd Division, and then with the 41st Infantry Division. In 1941, when filmmaker Otto Lang produced, Basic Principles of Skiing, to draw attention to the Army's newly organized ski troops, the 3rd Division sent John Woodward as one of five featured ski patrol skiers.
In 1942, Woodward was transferred to the recently-activated 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment at Camp Hale, Colorado. Assigned to Company B, he later served in the 10th Mountain Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop and in numerous headquarters companies. While serving in Italy, Woodward earned two Bronze Stars, the first for meritorious service near Castel D’Aiano from March 4-8,1945, and the second for heroic achievement near San Benedetto in the Po River Valley on April 23, 1945. The latter award entitled Woodward to wear the "V" device for valor on the Bronze Star ribbon. Woodward attained the rank of Major.
In 1955, Woodward became a partner and later executive vice president of the Anderson and Thompson Ski Company, the firm that patented and marketed the first laminated skis. Woodward obtained a patent for the first flexible heel-release ski binding. During his twenty-five year career, Woodward traveled extensively throughout Europe to promote the company's products.
Woodward was named to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1998. At age 90, he was a member of the United States Ski Association's Alpine Masters Western Regional ski racing team. In 2007, at age 92, Woodward was recognized as the oldest active ski racer in the world. In 2008, he continues to ski during annual meetings of the Ancient Skiers Association at Sun Valley, Idaho. He won the Nastar national championship for the 90-plus class in 2007 and 2008.
Extent
1 box(es)
3 photo boxes
1 OVFF
Language of Materials
English
Other Finding Aids
PROVENANCE:
Gift; John Woodward; 1989, 2010.
SIZE:
Number of Boxes: 1 (.25 linear feet)
Number of PhotoBoxes: 1 (.25 linear feet)
Number of Photo OVBoxes: 1
Oversize: 1 OVFF
LOCATION:
TMD83
PROCESSED AND ENCODED BY:
Dennis Hagen
November 2008
REVISED AND ENCODED BY:
Dennis Hagen
February 2010
PROJECT MANAGER:
Ellen Zazzarino
- Black-and-white photographs. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Camp Hale (Colo.) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Camp Swift (Tex.) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Color photographs. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Color slides. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Military maneuvers -- Cold weather conditions. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Personal papers. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Scrapbooks. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Ski troops. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Soldiers -- United States ?v Photographs. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. -- Army. -- Infantry Regiment, 87th.
- United States. -- Army. -- Mountain Division, 10th.
- Woodward, John B., -- 1915- -- Archives.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, American. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- JOHN B. WOODWARD PAPERS
- Date
- Revised February 2010
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository
