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Detail from envelope illustrated by Sumner Grant

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Unit of Service: Battery A, 906th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion; Panama Coast Artillery Command
  • Location of Service: Panama; Japan; Pacific Theater
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/20970

View full service history

Sumner Grant was an architecture and design student at The Cooper Union in New York before he joined the Army. He served during World War II in the Panama Coast Artillery Command and, after the Japanese surrender, in the Army of Occupation. From 1944 to 1945, he illustrated a cartoon strip called "FUBAR," which ran in an Army publication "The Forty-Niner." While in Panama, he covered one wall of the mess hall with a humorous mural depicting many of his fellow GIs. His Veterans History Project collection consists of illustrated envelopes he sent to his fiancee in the Bronx. After his death in 2000, she donated the envelopes to the Project. Grant chronicled the highs and lows of GI life so well that the drawings are like letters in themselves.

[ Soldier climbing telephone pole, color illustration on envelope ]

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[ Cutting the grass, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Soldier with pass, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Soldier on furlough, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Two soldiers relaxing, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]

Show more resources (146)

[ Sawing logs, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Three soldiers in line, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Snake charming bugle boy, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Shoe shine boy, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Waiting for a shower, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Soldiers playing dice, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Soldier and island girl, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ On K.P., peeling potatoes, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ Soldier and monkey, color illustration on envelope [May 1944] ]
[ "G.I. Laundry," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Climbing a palm tree, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Snap," dice players, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Covert operations, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Invasion!" D-Day, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Tatooing Done Here," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Soldier in jeep, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Dancing girl, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Girl leaving canteen, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Shots Cheap," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Soldier and mosquito, color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Time on My Hands," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Blitz," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "Hike," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "How to make points," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ "5th War Bond Drive," color illustration on envelope [June 1944] ]
[ Cigar smoker and pal with gas mask, color illustration on envelope [July 1944] ]
[ Going to the mailbox, color illustration on envelope [July 1944] ]
[ "Making Points," color illustration on envelope [July 1944] ]
[ Soldier posing for photo, color illustration on envelope [July 1944] ]
[ "You are always in my heart," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "Besame Mucho," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "No letter today," ink drawing on envelope [July 1944] ]
[ Dentist "Hy Tension," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "Furloughs, passes, lans, etc.," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "This is the Army," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "Port Arms," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "New York Times: Snow Storm Rages," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "Empty," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Matador and bull, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Soldier with picture of his sweatheart, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Dreaming of furlough, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "Short timer," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Island girl and soldier with Dick Tracy comic, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "How to make friends," color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ "Picking flowers, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ In the doghouse, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Taking the dog to the vet, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Service man using a machete to cut grass, color illustration on envelope [July1944] ]
[ Bugler and snake, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Soldier with broom, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Soldier pulling flower color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Wet Paint," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Playing ping pong, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Curve ahead...Soft Shoulders," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Coney Island," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ A soldier and his monkey friend, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Pssst," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Island Beauty leaning against a palm tree, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Soldier and barkeep in the cantina, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Soldier with a yellow bird perched on his finger, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Jungle Tales," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "How to speak Spanish," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Mail empty," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ A soldier receives a letter from his sweetheart, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ Soldiers reading a bulletin board, color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Buy a war bond," color illustration on envelope [August 1944] ]
[ "Military discipline," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Received your pictures," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Soldiers playing table tennis ]
[ "A Natural," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Intermission," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Before the Game?" color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Soldier at play with cats and dog, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Photographing the artist at work, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Guitar-playing soldier and a native, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Soldier photographing a dog, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Even here," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Monkey playing guitar for sad soldier, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Soldiers marching with company colors, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Work detail, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "He learned that his girl can cook," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Daydreaming of furlough papers, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Buying dog biscuits, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Sorry no mail," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Not again??" Color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Gloom," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ Soldier upset at being assigned a painting detail, color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "You heard me, knot tieing (sic.) class!" Color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "He heard the word furlough, Sir," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Finally got his furlough," color illustration on envelope [September 1944] ]
[ "Sorry, no idea today," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Broke soldier, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Begging money from a friend, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Strike three he's out," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Mousie," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ By the seat of his pants, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Again??" color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Reporting to the Battery Commander, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "What!!! Another show pass??" Color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Two soldiers watching another two soldiers at work, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Shattered Dreams," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Chow Hound," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Tied in a knot, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Snapping to attention, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Howling with a dog, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Love," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Watching a boxing match (and losing a bet), color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Who done it??" ]
[ Dripping wet, color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "To be censored, Sir," color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "You can't do this to me!!!" Color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ Which way to go? Color illustration on envelope [October 1944] ]
[ "Mosquito Orderly," color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ "Mail??" Color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ Trying to draw but feeling gloomy, color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ "Barbed Wire," color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ "Good conduct," color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ "Merry Xmas," color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ "Good detail," color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ Envelope with no illustration [November 14, 1944] ]
[ "Firing line," color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ Thinking of Helen, color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ Inspecting a soldier's footlocker, color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ The devil and the angel, color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ The passing of the bugle, color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ Soldier and Island Native with bugle, color illustration on envelope [November 1944] ]
[ "Ye old scissor," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "It's mine," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "Just when I thought I was sleeping," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "Pep Talk," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "Practice Period," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ Piercing a vein, color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ Dreaming of the corner of Watson and Elder, color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ Daydreaming of furlough, color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "Aha!!!" color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "Jungle hike," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "No idea today," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ "Reveille," color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ It's better to watch another man dig, color illustration on envelope [December 1944] ]
[ Ouch! color illustration on envelope [July 28, 1945] ]
[ "No mail on Sunday," color illustration on envelope [July 30, 1945] ]
[ Private Grant meeting a Japanese woman, color illustration on envelope [November 25, 1945] ]
[ Private Grant drinking tea with a Japanese woman, color illustration on envelope [November 26, 1945] ]
[ Private Grant playing dice with a Japanese woman, color illustration on envelope [November 27, 1945] ]
[ Private Grant staring at Japanese woman, color illustration on envelope [December 5, 1945] ]
[ Newsclipping from "Yank" magazine: "G.I. Makes mess murals of fellow chow hounds." [October 1944] ]

About this Item

Title

  • Sumner Grant Collection

Names

  • Grant, Sumner
  • Grant, Helen

Home State

  • New Jersey

Headings

  • -  Grant, Sumner
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army
    • Unit of Service: Battery A, 906th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion; Panama Coast Artillery Command
    • Location of Service: Panama; Japan; Pacific Theater
    • Highest Rank: Private First Class
    • Dates of Service: 1942-1946
    • Military Status: veteran

Materials

  • Manuscript: Creative works [152 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1944-1945)
  • Manuscript: Clippings [1 item] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1944-10)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/20970

Cite as

  • Sumner Grant Collection (AFC/2001/001/20970), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Grant, Sumner, and Helen Grant. Sumner Grant Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.20970/.

APA citation style:

Grant, S. & Grant, H. (1942) Sumner Grant Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.20970/.

MLA citation style:

Grant, Sumner, and Helen Grant. Sumner Grant Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.20970/>.