Clell Thorpe World War II Photographs, 1941-1960
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| Creator: | Thorpe, Clell |
| Title: | Clell Thorpe World War II Photographs |
| Dates: | 1941-1960 |
| Abstract: | Clell Thorpe served as a Marine Corps photographer documenting the activities of Marines in the South Pacific during World War II. The bulk of this collection dates from the years 1943 through 1945.The material is arranged in five series: Naval School of Photography, Marine Bombing Squadron (VMB - 613), Pacific Atoll, Tarawa, and Miscellaneous. |
| Identification: | 1971-003 |
| Quantity: | 4 boxes, 2.6 linear feet |
| Repository: | Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries |
Clell Thorpe served as a Marine Corps photographer documenting the activities of Marines in the South Pacific during World War II. During the period [1944?] - 1945, he traveled to several islands that had been taken from Japanese in earlier battles, such as Tarawa (captured in November 1943) and Kwajalein (captured on February 1944).
In 1943, Thorpe trained as a Marine Corps photographer at the Naval School of Photography in Pensacola, FL (the Marine Corps is administratively part of the U.S. Navy).
One of Thorpe's assignments involved photographing the Marine Bombing Squadron (VMB-613). The squadron trained in Boca Chica, Florida and Newport, Arkansas during 1944, then went to the home base for the VMB 613 as the squadron participated in operations in the Marshall Island throughout the war.
Thorpe took many photographs on a Pacific atoll in the Marshall Islands, which was not identified due to wartime censorship.
Thorpe also photographed on Tarawa Island in 1945.
Thorpe is known to have lived in Houston, Texas during 1947, and probably other years.
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The bulk of this collection dates from the years 1943 through 1945. The collection mainly contains black and white photographs taken by Clell Thorpe, as well as some 4×5” negatives, one letter, one manuscript, and some miscellaneous items.
The material is arranged in five series: Naval School of Photography, Marine Bombing Squadron (VMB - 613), Pacific Atoll, Tarawa, and Miscellaneous.
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Access Restrictions
Open for research.
Use Restrictions
Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, locating copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian.
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| Terms are either Library of Congress Subject Headings or taken from local sources. |
| Subjects(Persons) |
| | Thorpe, Clell |
| Subjects |
| | World War, 1939-1945 -- Pictorial works. |
| Formats |
| | Photographs |
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This collection was donated to the UH Libraries by Clell Thorpe in 1971.
Monika Zarzycka and Julie Grob, 2000 - 2001.
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Naval School of Photography
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| This series contains black and white photographs taken at the Naval School of Photography in Pensacola, FL. The series includes pictures of airplanes, the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, and Clell Thorpe himself. |
| box | folder |
| 1 | 1 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 2 | | Naval School of Photography. June 19, 1943 |
| 3 | | Naval School of Photography. Oct. 25, 1943 |
| 4 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 5 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 6 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 7 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 8 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 9 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 10 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 11 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 12 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 13 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 14 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 15 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 16 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 17 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 18 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 19 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 20 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 21 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 22 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 23 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 24 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 25 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 26 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 27 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 28 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 29 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 30 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 31 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 32 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 33 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 34 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 35 | | Naval School of Photography. Aug. 28, 1943 |
| 36 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 37 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 38 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 39 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
| 40 | | Naval School of Photography. ca. 1943 |
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Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB-613)
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| Black and white photographs document life for the Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB-613), probably on Kwajalein Island. Subjects include various buildings used by the squadron, the men in various departments such as the Engineering Department and the Medical Department, and squadron sports teams. Also included are photographs of planes with their crews, and planes flying with a convoy near Eniwetok Atoll. |
| box | folder |
| 2 | 1 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 2 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 3 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 4 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 5 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 6 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 7 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 8 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 9 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 10 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 11 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 12 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 13 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 14 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 15 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 16 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 17 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 18 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 19 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 20 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 21 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 22 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 23 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 24 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 25 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 26 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 27 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 28 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 29 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 30 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 31 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 32 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 33 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 34 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 35 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 36 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 37 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 38 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 39 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 40 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 41 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 42 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 43 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 44 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 45 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 46 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 47 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 48 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 49 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 50 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 51 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 52 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 53 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 54 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 55 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 56 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
| 57 | | Marine Bombing Squadron 613 (VMB - 613). ca. 1944-1945 |
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Pacific Atoll
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| Small black and white photographs in this series depict Japanese soldiers surrendering to American Marines, and the daily life of island natives on an unidentified atoll in the Marshall Islands. While a number of these pictures have typed captions glued on the bottom of the print, the names of people given in the captions are mostly satirical. This series also includes photographs of dead bodies after a battle, and some negatives. |
| box | folder |
| 3 | 1 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 2 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 3 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 4 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 5 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 6 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 7 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 8 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 9 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 10 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 11 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 12 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 13 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 14 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 15 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 16 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 17 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 18 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 19 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 20 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 21 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 22 | | Pacific Atoll ca. 1945 |
| 23 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 24 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 25 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 26 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 27 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 28 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 29 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 30 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 31 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 32 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 33 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 34 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 35 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 36 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 37 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 38 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 39 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 40 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 41 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 42 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 43 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 44 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 45 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 46 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 47 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 48 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 49 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 50 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 51 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 52 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 53 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
| 54 | | Pacific Atoll. ca. 1945 |
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Tarawa
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| This series includes a letter written by Clell Thorpe about the Battle of Tarawa, and a typescript titled Tarawa Today which describes a group of 4×5” negatives also found in this series. In addition there are four small black and white photographs of Tarawa Island. |
| box | folder |
| 4 | 1 | | Tarawa. July 13, 1945 |
| 2 | | Tarawa. 1945 |
| 3 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 4 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 5 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 6 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 7 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 8 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 9 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 10 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 11 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 12 | | Tarawa ca. 1945 |
| 13 | | Tarawa ca. 1945 |
| 14 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 15 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 16 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 17 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 18 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 19 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 20 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 21 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 22 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 23 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
| 24 | | Tarawa. ca. 1945 |
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Miscellaneous
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| This series includes miscellaneous photographs and other materials. The front sections of the Houston Chronicle and Houston Post with headlines about the bombing of Pearl Harbor are part of this series. |
| box | folder |
| 4 | 25 | | Miscellaneous. Nov. 26, 1942 |
| 26 | | Miscellaneous. July, 1943 |
| 27 | | Miscellaneous. undated |
| 28 | | Miscellaneous. undated |
| 29 | | Miscellaneous. July 20, 1947 |
| 30 | | Miscellaneous. Dec. 7, 1941 |
| 31 | | Miscellaneous. Dec. 8, 1941 |
| 32 | | Miscellaneous. Dec. 8, 1941 |
| 33 | | Miscellaneous. undated |
| 34 | | Miscellaneous. Nov. 14, 1960 |
| 35 | | Miscellaneous. Nov. 16, 1960 |
| 36 | | Miscellaneous. [1886] |
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