Marshall A. Webb papers online

We are pleased to announce that the Marshall A. Webb papers have been digitized and are now available on ExploreUK.

Marshall Webb (1922-2004) was a World War II veteran and lifetime resident of Campbellsville, Taylor County, Ky. He served in the 5th Army, 85th Infantry Division, 339th Infantry Company E. from 1942-1945, earning a purple heart medal and a bronze star.

Webb’s papers comprise primarily photographs, poetry notebooks (digitized copies only), a diary/address book/photograph album, and a memorial scrapbook of copied and original items, all documenting Webb’s U.S. military service during World War II, 1942-1945. He served mainly in Italy. Military photographs include photographs of prison camp Dachau; Adolf Hitler; and two panoramic group images of the 5th Army, 85th Infantry Division, 339th Infantry Company E in 1942 when Webb was mustered in. Webb included handwritten notes about his military service on the cardboard backing of the panoramic photographs.

The collection also includes other poetry he wrote while in service; military orders and other records; two V-mail cards (1944-1945); his wife, Opal Keen’s, ration book (Grant Park, Ill.); personal and family photographs (1890s-2000s). There are also items related to Webb’s oral history interview, including an address book/diary in which he records the name of the prison camp he could not remember during the interview with interviewer Colonel Arthur Kelly; and his 50th wedding anniversary citation from the Kentucky State Senate on a motion from Col. Kelly’s son, Senator Dan Kelly (1997).

 

The full finding aid can be viewed here. The UK Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History recorded an interview with Marshall Webb in 1986, which can be heard here.