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William Knight Thompson collection, 1942-1989, Date acquired: 2018-04-25, bulk 1942-1968

 

Summary

Creator:
Thompson, William Knight
Extent:
.5 Linear Feet 1 half box
2 items
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], William Knight Thompson collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_18_0010.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection relates to U.S. Army Chaplain William Knight Thompson who served in New Guinea at Oro Bay and the Philippine Islands in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After active duty service, Thompson remained in the U.S. Army Reserves until his retirement with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1958. The collection includes photographs, documents, and ephemera. Many photographs include native peoples of New Guinea. Several unpublished photographs include actor Gary Cooper during his visit to Oro Bay, New Guinea in 1944.

Biographical / historical:

William Knight Thompson was born on December 27, 1907, in Wilmington, N.C. He moved to Tampa, FL at an early age and was educated at Hillsboro High School. He attended Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC and graduated in 1929. He received his theological education at Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA in 1934. His first ministry was as an Assistant Pastor in Wilmington, NC where he met his wife, Marguerite Crawford. Thompson later moved to Miami, FL where he lived when entering active duty as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army on April 7, 1942. Thompson served in New Guinea and the Philippines before his discharge but continued in the U.S. Army Reserves until retirement in 1968. Thompson became the pastor of the Palmetto Presbyterian Church, Palmetto, FL in March 1955. Thompson passed away in Manatee, FL on August 18, 1993.

Acquisition information:
Robert Hunt
Custodial history:

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], William Knight Thompson collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_18_0010.

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA