Theodore Harrington collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 98.0371

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Theodore Harrington Collection contains items gathered by Theodore Harrington's mother and pertain to his time as an airman on the home front during World War II. The majority of the collection centers around his years of service in the Army Air Corps, from 1944-1945. Contained in the collection are folders with material created by Harrington or those around him, including letters, journal and memoir entries, and photographs. The letters are primarily from Harrington to either friends or his parents. The photographs feature servicemen posing with women or are of Harrington's family.

The remainder of the collection includes newspaper clippings, church bulletins, postcards, military documents, poems, and similar written or printed material. There is also a box containing memorabilia, most are either Air Corps pins or presidential campaign buttons. Many of the letters, postcards and other material come from, and focus on, Greenville Army Flying School, in Greenville, Mississippi, or Harlingen Army Airfield in Harlingen, Texas. Some also come out of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Harrington's hometown, or Foster Field, an Air Corps pilot training center near Victoria, Texas. Also included are a couple of items relating to Harrington's father's time as an air raid warden, and his dog's time in the K-9 Corps.

Dates

Created: 1942-1945
Other: Majority of material found in 1944-1945
Other: Date acquired: 06/16/1998

Creator

Harrington, Theodore (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

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.

Biographical or Historical Information

Theodore J. Harrington Jr. was born on January 31, 1926, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His parents were Theodore and Elsie Harrington. He attended Seton Hall University after World War II. During the early part of the war, he served with the civilian defense medical unit because he had a background in first aid and in the Boy Scouts. He enlisted while still in high school and was called into service eight days after his graduation, on June 29, 1944. He served from that day until November 1945 in the United States Army Air Corps. He was a member of the American Legion. Harrington reported to Fort Dix in New Jersey. From there he transferred to Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi, Greenville Army Flying School in Greenville, Mississippi, and Harlingen Army Airfield in Harlingen, Texas. He served on the home front in these various locations as a physical training instructor, a swimming instructor (Harlingen), and in Air Corps training. Theodore married his wife, Jean Harrington, in 1949 at the age of 23. They had two sons and four daughters. He passed away at the age of 90 on November 25, 2016.