Strom Thurmond Collection Military Assistant Series Mss.0100.14 This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on February 02, 2018. Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives 230 Kappa St. Clemson, SC 29634 [email protected] URL: http://library.clemson.edu/depts/specialcollections/ Strom Thurmond Collection Military Assistant Series Mss.0100.14 Table of Contents Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3 Background Information ................................................................................................................................ 3 Scope and Content Note ................................................................................................................................ 4 Arrangement ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................ 7 Related Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Controlled Access Headings .......................................................................................................................... 8 Collection Inventory ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Military Assistant Series 14, 1962 - 1987 .................................................................................................. 9 Subject File ............................................................................................................................................... 9 Bills ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 Contractors .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Projects .................................................................................................................................................... 31 Cases ........................................................................................................................................................ 33 Oversize ................................................................................................................................................... 33 - Page 2 - Strom Thurmond Collection Military Assistant Series Mss.0100.14 Summary Information Repository: Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Creator: Thurmond, Strom Title: Strom Thurmond Collection, Military Assistant Series ID: Mss.0100.14 Date [inclusive]: 1951-1986 Date [inclusive]: 1970-1980 Physical Description: 22.05 Cubic Feet Language of the English Material: Mixed Materials 1-50 [box]: ^ Return to Table of Contents Background Information The Military Assistant was responsible for all military affairs except veterans' cases, which were handled by the Projects section. The Military Assistant prepared legislation, floor statements and speeches, monitored military publications and assisted individuals with military problems and companies with contract complications. This individual maintained liaison with the Armed Services Committee and all military branches, and advises Senator Thurmond on special interests, such as the South Carolina Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and the Prisoner of War (POW)/Missing In Action (MIA) issue. The Military Assistant was also responsible for the military academy program-providing applications and instructions, maintaining files of applicants, advising on program policies, preparing data for the Senator for his selection of nominees, etc. Daniel J. Carrison served as the Military Assistant from 1967-1968, and Colonel Kay Kipling "Kip" Cowan served in that position from 1969 onward. From 1955 to 1966 there was no staff member designated as the military assistant; it is likely that these duties were performed by the Administrative, Legislative and research assistants. The Subject Correspondence series is likely to contain material similar to what is in this series for those years. ^ Return to Table of Contents - Page 3- Strom Thurmond Collection Military Assistant Series Mss.0100.14 Scope and Content Note The bulk of the records of this series dates primarily from the 1970's to the 1980's. The material consists of announcements of committee meetings and appointments, blueprints, charts, clippings, correspondence (agency, constituent and many "Dear Colleague" letters from other Senators) and copies of Senator Thurmond's replies, copies of bills, drafts of speeches and statements, "fact sheets," legal documents, lists, maps, memoranda, newsletters, notes, petitions, plans, press releases, questions for witnesses, reports and telegrams. All of this material relates to the duties of the Military Assistant and the staff. The Subject File subseries (Subseries A, 1962-; 8.775 cu. ft.) contains background material used by the Military Assistant for possible legislation (if used for this, the file was transferred to the Bills subseries), to brief the Senator, or for their own information. Most of the types of material described in the paragraph above for the entire series can be found in this subseries. There is some overlap with all of the other subseries in the Military Assistant series. Material on the Armed Services Committee and the Tactical Air Power Subcommittee can be found here (as well as in the Subject Correspondence series). Topics covered include civil affairs units in the military, civil defense, the drafting of women, foreign policy (mainly in county files), pardons for Vietnam era draft evaders, prisoners of war (POW) and missing in action (MIA) personnel from the Vietnam War, the Vietnam War and the volunteer army. There are files for each of the armed services. Locally important issues, such as the annexation of Fort Jackson land for a Richland County school, the contracting-out of services at the Charleston Naval Shipyard and the curtailment of medical services at Moncrief Hospital (Fort Jackson) are also covered in this subseries. And current events also are covered; in addition to files on the Mayaguez and the Pueblo, there are casualty lists and documentation of the Senator's office efforts to notify next of kin in regard to the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, the invasion of Grenada, and the U.S.S. Stark incident. Other, more unusual subjects are reflected in this subseries. For example, the raising of a WWII era B-25 bomber from the bottom of Lake Greenwood is chronicled. There are several files concerned with the strategic necessity of the U.S. pinion gear industry and the threat of foreign (Swiss) competition. And there is material relating to such topics as medical supervision of optometrists, the abolition of the Veterinary Corps and recovery efforts after the fire at the Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The Bills subseries (Subseries B, 1968-; 9 cu. ft.) was originally arranged by bill number. This has been changed to an alphabetical arrangement by subject / folder titles, with the bill number included as part of the title. Because of the overlap between bills of different Congresses and the creation of separate constituent mail files for some subjects, the arrangement within a topic may depart from a strictly chronological sequence. The material in this subseries pertains to the drafting of legislation concerning military affairs by the Military Assistant, especially those bills concerned with pay and benefits. Topics include the Survivor Benefit Plan, "Catch 62" (a quirk in the laws governing military-civil service retirement), Reserve retirement, "Forgotten Widows" (another retirement law issue), former military spouses' medical care, the Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) and the Skilled - Page 4- Strom Thurmond Collection Military Assistant Series Mss.0100.14 Enlisted Reserve [Military] Training Act (SERTA). There are also several files relating to legislation concerning Vietnam War POW's and MIA's, and a few private relief bill files. There is a great deal of constituent correspondence in this subseries, as individuals describe their problems to the Senator and plead for relief. This sub-series also documents the role that national military organizations, such as the National Association for Uniformed Services, the Reserve Officers Association, the National Association of Military Widows, the Society of Military Widows and the Ex- Partners of Servicemen (Women) for Equality (EXPOSE) play in the drafting of legislation-providing position papers and statements by members, draft legislation and even statements for the Senator's use. It also documents the close working relationship that sometimes develops between members of these organizations and the Senator's staff. The Contractors subseries (Subseries C, 1969-; 2.69 cu. ft.) is comprised of material documenting Thurmond's efforts to assist South Carolina contractors, especially small businesses. Much of the correspondence concerns trying to assist contractors in receiving contracts, or in appealing adverse decisions