Clyde Mitchell Collection, 1937-1999 and undated

/in /by

KC Manuscript Collection 253

INTRODUCTION:

Title:Clyde Mitchell Collection, 1937-1999 and undated

Collection Number:Kingsport Community Manuscript Collection (KCMC) 253

Physical Description: 3 boxes and 2 oversized frames

Creator:Clyde Mitchell

Repository: Archives of the City of Kingsport

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Provenance: The Clyde Mitchell Collection was donated to the Archives of the City of Kingsport by Clyde Mitchell in February and March 1997. Additions to the collection were made in 1999.

Access/Restrictions: There are no restrictions on use of this collection for research purposes. The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Processed By:

Brianne Johnson processed the collection and developed the finding aid in March 2008.

COLLECTION CITATION:

This collection should be cited as:

Clyde Mitchell Collection, 1937-1999 and undated. KC Manuscript Collection 253, Archives of the City of Kingsport, Tennessee

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE

Clyde Edward Mitchell, son of Bessie Goodman and Guy Nelson Mitchell, was born March 2, 1915 in Greeneville, Tennessee. Mitchell joined the Army in 1937. After serving two years in the artillery division, Mitchell returned home but soon joined the service again. In 1944, Mitchell saw action in the Battle of the Bulge. When the war ended in 1945, Mitchell was assigned to the American Military Government and guarded German SS prisoners for seven months at Kornwesteim, Germany, a POW camp that housed 1,800 inmates.

In January 1946 as Mitchell was preparing to end his assignment at the camp he was presented a number of drawings and various souvenirs produced by several of the SS prisoners. The gifts were tokens of their gratitude for Mitchell’s kindness towards them; however, Mitchell saw his actions not as kind but merely fair.

Clyde Mitchell died June 11, 2005 at the age of 90.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Clyde Mitchell Collection contains drawings, many of which are framed, that were presented to him by German prisoners for whom he was responsible for after WWII. The collection also contains war memorabilia, postcards, photographs, and an autobiographical account of Mitchell’s war experiences. Include in the collection are notes and the layout pages used to produce the booklet, A Kingsport Veteran Remembers: World War II and My Story.

SUBJECTS

Art, German

Mitchell, Clyde Edward (1915-2005)

Prisoner of War Camp (Kornwestein, Germany)

Schutzstaffel (SS)

World War II, 1939-1945

World War II biographies

World War II Recorded History Collection

 

BOX AND FOLDER LIST

Box 1

 

  1. Color copies of POWs’ artwork, original date to 1945
  2. Discharge papers, February 5, 1946 and Certificate of Appreciation, January, 1999
  3. Exploring Switzerland: A Pictorial Guide-Map for Tourists,      1939
  4. Handwritten Manuscript of Clyde Mitchell’s autobiography (copies), undated
  5. Heidelberg, Germany, 1945
  6. A Kingsport Veteran Remembers: World War II & My Story, 1999
  7. Miscellaneous materials used in booklet, undated,      1 of 2
  8. Miscellaneous materials used in booklet, undated,      2 of 2
  9. Newspaper articles, 1995
  10. Photographs, 1937, 1949, and undated
  11. Postcards, 1945 and undated

 

Box 2

 

  1. Portrait of Mitchell., 1945 (framed)
  2. Framed picture, undated

 

Box 3

 

  1. Roosevelt’s Message to Congress, Dec. 8, 1941 (copy)
  2. Framed medals and pins, undated
  3. Certificate- Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, undated

 

Oversize Materials

 

  1. Three POW prints in frame

 

2.   Three POW  prints in frame