John and Mary McLeod Grier Family World War II Collection

1936-1949, undated
Manuscript Collection #1099
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Creator(s)
Grier, Mary Adell McLeod; Grier, John Davidson
Physical description
3 Cubic Feet, 6 boxes, consisting of correspondence, photographs, and a banner
Preferred Citation
John and Mary McLeod Grier Family World War II Collection (#1099) East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
The collection is open for research.

Correspondence (1942-1945) between Mary A. McLeod, through her work in South Carolina with the USO, and several members of the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II; and correspondence (1936-1949, undated) between Lt. John D. Grier and his family in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area during his military service before and during World War II. Other correspondence in the collection is between Grier and his brother who was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II. The collection spans 1936-1949 and includes correspondence, photographs, and a Blue Star Service Banner which would have been displayed in the front window of a home where a family member was serving in the U.S. MaryArmed Services during World War II. Mary A. McLeod and John D. Grier were married in 1948.

Biographical/historical information

John Davidson Grier was born March 14, 1920, in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, to Reverend James Chalmers Grier and Julia Cork Grier of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He served as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. In 1948 he married Mary Adell McLeod and in 1949 they settled in Greenville, North Carolina. She was born on March 10, 1920, in Kershaw County, South Carolina, to Add Ladson McLeod and Minnie Grier McLeod, and raised in Camden, South Carolina. The Griers had two daughters: Rebecca Loraine Grier Kay and Mary Adele Grier. John Davidson Grier died on November 1, 2002, and Mary McLeod Grier died on November 29, 2008, and they are buried in Camden, South Carolina.

Sources: Obituaries for John Davidson Grier and Mary Adell McLeod Grier and Ancestry.com.

Administrative information
Custodial History

November 11, 2025 (unprocessed), 3 cubic feet; Correspondence (1942-1945) between Mary A. McLeod, through her work in South Carolina with the USO, and several members of the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II; and correspondence (1936-1949, undated) between Lt. John D. Grier and his family in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area during his military service before and during World War II. Other correspondence in the collection is between Grier and his brother who was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II. Also included are photographs, and a Blue Star Service Banner which would have been displayed in the front window of a home where a family member was serving in the Armed Services during World War II. Mary A. McLeod and John D. Grier were married in 1948. Gift of Mary McLeod Grier.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Mary McLeod Grier

Copyright notice

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Metadata Rights Declaration

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Container list
Box 1 Folder a Bradley, Thomas A., Private First Class, 35th MAT Squadron, 25th Air Base Group, Orlando, Florida letter to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina , 1942
Box 1 Folder b Busch, Albert I., Corporal, 651st Bomb Squadron, 411th Bomb Group, Florence Army Air Field, Florence, South Carolina letter to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina , 1943
Box 1 Folder c Chandler, Ernest J., 59th Training Group, Squadron. 207, Kessler Field, Mississippi letter to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina , 1943
Box 1 Folder d Floyd, Jack A., Private First Class, K Battery, AA Artillery Troop, 2nd Defense Battalion, United States Marine Corps, San Francisco, California letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina , 1943
Box 1 Folder e Greene, Henry J., Oak Ridge, Tennessee, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina , November-December 1945
Box 1 Folder f Hill, Hoyt B., Jr., Lieutenant, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division, Camp Livingston, Louisiana, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, SC.[Includes newspaper clipping and photo of unit marching in Australia] , 1941-1942
Box 1 Folder g Honea, Crump B., Corporal, 673d Bomb Squadron (L.), New Guinea, Philippines letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. 15 items. [Includes photographic prints of Honea & Mary McLeod] , 1943-1945
Box 1 Folder h Jackson, Chesley Carlyle, Captain, 2nd Battalion, 133d Infantry Regiment, North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, Italy, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , February 1943-1944
Box 1 Folder i Jackson, Chesley Carlyle, Captain, 2nd Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Northern Ireland and England letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. , 1942-January 1943
Box 1 Folder j McClam, Marvin, Ensign, USS Landing Craft Tank (6) 820, Somewhere in the Philippines letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina., January-July 1945
Box 1 Folder k Tachet, Maurice, Jr., Sergeant, Squadron O, 127 Bombardment Unit, Florence Army Air Field., Florence, South Carolina, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. , 1945
Box 1 Folder l Dennis, Raymond L., Lieutenant, Camp Lee, Virginia, and Camp Ellis, Illinois, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina , March-May 1943
Box 1 Folder m Dennis, Raymond L., Lieutenant, Camp Lee, Virginia, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina., June-December 1943
Box 1 Folder n Dennis, Raymond L., Lieutenant, 608th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, Camp Ellis, Illinois., New England, Northern Ireland, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , January-March, 1944
Box 1 Folder o Dennis, Raymond L., Lieutenant, 608th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, Camp Ellis, Illinois., Northern Ireland, England, Germany, France, letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , April-June 1944
Box 1 Folder p Dennis, Raymond L. ,Lieutenant, 608th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, Camp Ellis, Illinois., France, Belgium, Holland, Letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , July-September 1944
Box 2 Folder a Dennis, Raymond L., Lieutenant, 608th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, Camp Ellis, Illinois., France, Belgium, Holland, Letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , October 1944-January 1945
Box 2 Folder b Dennis, Raymond L., Captain, Headquarters, 9th Army, Quartermaster Section, Holland, Germany, France, Letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , February-April 1945
Box 2 Folder c Dennis, Raymond L., Captain, Headquarters, 9th Army, Quartermaster Section, Germany, France, Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Letters to Mary McLeod, Florence, South Carolina. [Includes V-Mail] , May-September 1945
Box 2 Folder d Photographic Prints (n.d., 1944-1945) of Raymond Dennis in Ireland, Holland & Germany. Various sizes. Black & white. 5 items. 5 p. , 1944-1945
Box 2 Folder e Photographic Prints of street scenes in Paris, France taken by Raymond Dennis. 2.5" x 3.5". Black and white. Includes views of Arch de Triumph, Opera House, Petit Palaise, Notre Dame de Paris, Grand Palaise, Royale Palaise, Gallia Palace Hotel, Eiffel Tower, Université de Paris , ca. May 13th, 1945
Box 2 Folder f Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Photographic print, black and white , ca. 1942
Box 2 Folder g Postcard Correspondence , 1934 & 1936
Box 2 Folder h Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Letter of recommendation for Army training. Draft typescript., ca. 1942
Box 2 Folder i Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Hunter Field, Georgia. Family passes. , March 22nd-23rd, 1945
Box 2 Folder j Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Postcards with Scenes of Fort Riley, Kansas; Scott Field, Belleville, Illinois, 1942, undated
Box 2 Folder k Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Telegrams, 1942-1943 &1945
Box 2 Folder l Grier, John D., Aviation Cadet Detachment, Scott Field, Belleville, Illinois, Letters to family, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Rev. and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , January-April 1942
Box 2 Folder m Grier, John D., Aviation Cadet Detachment, Scott Field, Belleville, Illinois and Marshall Field, Fort. Riley, Kansas. Letters to family, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , May-July 1942
Box 2 Folder n Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Marshall Field, Fort Riley, Kansas, Letters to family, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , August-December 1942
Box 3 Folder a Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Marshall Field, Fort Riley, Kansas and Keystone Army Air Field, Keystone Heights, Florida Letters to family, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , January 4th-April 26th, 1943
Box 3 Folder b Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Tactical Headquarters, Alachua Army Air Field, Gainesville, Florida Letters to family, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , May 17th-September 6th, 1943
Box 3 Folder c Grier, John D., Lieutenant, 75th Airdrome Squadron, Hunter Field, Georgia, Letters to family, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , September 14th-November 29th, 1943
Box 3 Folder d Grier, John D., Lieutenant, 75th Airdrome Squadron, Hunter Field, Georgia, Letters to Family , Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents) and Miss Julia Grier (sister) , December 1943-February 13th, 1944
Box 3 Folder e Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Signal Section, Headquarters 93rd Sub-Depot, Hunter Field, Georgia. Correspondence with family, Charlotte and Montreat, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , February 27th-June 19th, 1944
Box 3 Folder f Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Physical Training Department, Hunter Field, Georgia, Correspondence with family, Charlotte and Montreat, NC. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , June 26th-September 11th, 1944
Box 3 Folder g Grier, John D., Lieutenant , Physical Training Department., Hunter Field, Georgia Correspondence with family, Charlotte and Montreat, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , September 19th-November 7th, 1944
Box 4 Folder a Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Physical Training Department, Hunter Field, Georgia. Correspondence with parents, Charlotte North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents) , November 8th-December 15th, 1944
Box 4 Folder b Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Physical Training Department, Hunter Field, Georgia, Correspondence with parents, Charlotte, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents) , December 16th, 1944-February 26th, 1945
Box 4 Folder c Grier, John D., Lieutenant, Physical Training Department and Station Hospital, Hunter Field, Georgia, Correspondence with family, Charlotte and Montreat, North Carolina, etc. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents); Miss Julia Grier (sister); James C. Grier, Jr. (brother) , March 1st-August 24th,1945
Box 4 Folder d Grier, John D., Lieutenant , Hunter Field Georgia and New York City, New York. Letters to parents, Charlotte and Montreat, North Carolina. Note: Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier (parents) , September 5th, 1945-April 22nd, 1946
Box 4 Folder e Grier, John D., Lieutenant, New York City, New York and Jacksonville, North Carolina. Letters to parents, 1946-1949
Box 4 Folder f Grier, James C., Jr., Private First Class, Headquarters Company, 112th Infantry Regiment. Correspondence relating to military service and prisoner of war experiences; also clippings. Originals and transcripts. Note: Son of Reverend and Mrs. James C. Grier of Mulberry, near Charlotte, North Carolina. James C. Grier, Jr. was captured by Germans during the Battle of the Bulge, 12/17/1944; he was liberated from Stalag Number 9B, at Bad Orb, Germany, 4/5/1945. , 1944-1945
Box 4 Folder g Grier, James C., Jr., Private First Class, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment. Letters to John D. Grier (brother). Note: Includes V-Mail , 1943-1944
Box 5 Folder a Grier, James C., Jr., Private First Class, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment Letters to John D. Grier (brother). Note: Includes V-Mail , 1944
Box 5 Folder b Grier, James C., Jr., Private First Class, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment. Letters to John D. Grier (brother). Note: Includes V-Mail. Correspondence relating to military service and prisoner of war experiences. James C. Grier, Jr. was captured by Germans during the Battle of the Bulge, (12/17/1944); he was liberated from Stalag Number 9B, at Bad Orb, Germany, (4/5/1945). , 1944-1945
Box 5 Folder c Museum Object: Blue Star Window Banner and Hanging Rod with String (ca. 1942-1945) Note: Displayed by parents with children serving in the Armed Forces., ca. 1942-1945