Finding Aid for the Eric T.

Carlson Papers, 1944-1947 (bulk

1944-1946)

MS-3498

Collection Processed by:

Angelo Roselle, February 28, 2009

Finding Aid Written by:

Angelo Roselle, February 28, 2009

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION:

Origination/Creator: Carlson, Eric T.

Title of Collection: Eric T. Carlson Papers
Date of Collection: 1944-1947 (bulk 1944-1946)
Physical Description: 1.0 linear foot
Identification: MS-3498
Repository: University of Tennessee Special Collections Library,
Knoxville, TN
Abstract: The Eric T. Carlson Papers, 1944-1947 (bulk 1944-1946),
document the personal, academic, and military life of Ted Carlson
during the final years of World War II and post-war. The bulk of
this collection is in the form of letters from Ted to his parents, and
from his parents and friends to him during 1944-1946. These
papers also contain Ted Carlson’s academic and military records
and correspondence and they are evidence for his movements
around the United States while at college and in the army.

RIGHT AND RESTRICTIONS:

Access Restrictions:Collection is open for research.

Copyright: The copyright interests in this collection remain with the
creator. For more information, contact the Special
Collections Library.
Acquisition Method: This collection was purchased from a private manuscripts dealer
on January 4, 2006.
BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORY NOTE:

Eric Theodore Carlson [born 1923?] was called “Ted” by his family and friends. He was
the son of Mr. & Mrs. E. V. Carlson and grew up in Middletown, Connecticut. His
parents moved from Middletown, Connecticut to Norwich, Connecticut in 1944. Ted
received his B.A degree from Wesleyan University in February 1944 and was awarded
High Distinction in Chemistry. He was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa while at Wesleyan
University. Ted began graduate school majoring in Organic Chemistry at Iowa State
College in Ames, Iowa in the Spring of 1944; however, he was inducted into the army on
August 1, 1944 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. He was sent to the Chrysler Corporation in
Detroit, Michigan where he was then transferred to the Enlisted Reserve Corps and
worked as a Laboratory Engineer. On October 15, 1945, he was recalled to active duty at
Fort Sheriden, Illinois. He received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, and
then was ordered to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Afterwards, he was assigned to the Monsanto
Chemical Company in Dayton, Ohio. He was discharged from the army on April 7, 1946.
In 1946 Ted Carlson had a wife. It appears that in the Fall of 1946, he entered medical
school at Cornell in New York City.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE:

The Eric T. Carlson Papers, 1944-1947 (bulk 1944-1946), document the personal,
academic, and military life of Ted Carlson during the final years of World War II and
post-war. The bulk of this collection is in the form of letters from Ted to his parents, and
from his parents and friends to him during 1944-1946. These papers also contain Ted
Carlson’s academic and military records and correspondence and they are evidence for
his movements around the United States while at college and in the army.

Series I: Personal & Military Correspondence of Eric T. (“Ted”) Carlson, 1944-

1947, contains correspondence between Ted and his family, friends, university faculty,
and the military. Included in this series (Subseries A) are letters to Ted from his friends:
Sam Massie (friend from Iowa State College), Bob (friend from Iowa State College), Rog
[Roger Noter?], Dot & Arvid, Al, and Chet. Subseries A also contains letters from Ted’s
parents. The letters from his parents (except the last letter from 1947) are signed Mother
& Father, but all appear to be written by his father. Subseries B are the letters from Ted to
his parents and to the military. The bulk of the correspondence in these papers are the
letters he wrote to his mother and father during 1944-1946, everything from his daily
routine, friends, and stamp collections to politics, war, and the atom bomb. Some letters
were written by hand, and others were typed on a typewriter. In a letter dated October 10,
1944, Ted writes about the build-up to the 1944 presidential election and mentions men
such as FDR & Dewey, and then in a letter dated November 8, 1944 he writes “the
election is over and FDR is still with us.” Other letters include his May 8, 1945 “Victory
in Europe Day” letter in which he discusses the potential aftermath of the war. Several of
his letters to his parents discuss the atom bomb and he gives his thoughts on the use of
atomic power. In a letter dated August 7, 1945 he talks about the Bomb and mentions he
“contributed” to working on it in some capacity, although he doesn’t go into specifics. In
a subsequent letter dated August 14, 1945, Ted writes, “If this war does end so soon I like
to feel that it is our work on the atomic bomb that brought the war to such a successful
conclusion” and in the same letter he writes “Japanese have accepted fully our
terms…MacArthur-Japs Boss.” Remaining papers in this series consist of military (e.g.
Army Service Forces and Corp of Engineers) and academic (Iowa State University and
Wesleyan University) correspondence.

Series II: Records, 1944-1946, contain military records (subseries A), and
academic records (subseries B). Included in the military records are orders to report for
physical examination, orders to report for induction, orders for transfer and inactive duty,
appointment as technician 4th grade, commissary card, class “A” pass for Special
Engineer Detachment, and an Inter-Plant Pass. Included in the academic records are
Ted’s Iowa State College ID card and Time Card for the Chemistry Department.

Series III: Other Documents, 1946, contains a bulletin of the Dayton Association of
Scientists on Atomic Energy Legislation in which Ted Carlson is credited as an editor.

CONTAINER LIST:

Series I: Personal & Military Correspondence of Eric T. (“Ted”) Carlson, 1944-

1947

Subseries A: Letters to Eric T. (“Ted”) Carlson, 1944-1947

Box 1 Folder 1: From Mother and Father, 1944

Folder 2: From Mother and Father, 1945
Folder 3: From Father, 1947
Folder 4: From Sam, 1944-1945
Folder 5: From Bob, 1944-1945
Folder 6: From Rog, 1944
Folder 7: From Chet, 1945
Folder 8: From Al, 1945
Folder 9: From Dot and Arvid, 1945
Folder 10: From Military, 1944-1946
From 11: From Wesleyan University, 1944
From 12: From Iowa State College, 1944

Subseries B: Letters from Eric T. (“Ted”) Carlson, 1944-1946

Box 2 Folder 1: To Mother and Father, 1944

Folder 2: To Mother and Father, 1945
Folder 3: To Mother and Father, 1946
 Folder 4: To Military, 1945-1946

Series II: Records, 1944-1946

Subseries A: Military Records, 1944-1946

Box 2 Folder 1: Military Records, 1944

Folder 2: Military Records, 1945
Folder 3: Military Records, 1946

Subseries B: Academic Records

Box 2 Folder 1: Academic Records, 1944

Series III: Other Documents, 1946

Box 2 Folder 1: The Dayton Scientist,1946