Albert Fall Chase papers
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0023
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of a file kept by Clarence Cornell Chase on the activities of his son, Albert Fall Chase, during World War II. A large portion of the collection is correspondence exchanged by Chase with the families of the P.O.W.’s, the government and later soldiers who had served with and were imprisoned with Lt. Chase. Included in this correspondence is a photocopy of letter from Douglas MacArthur to Mrs. Fall and numerous letters from Era Rentfrow, New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts Registrar about alumni soldiers’ deaths. In addition to letters from the army, there is also a copy of Bulletin No. 8 of the Bataan Relief Organization of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Other items include correspondence and documents concerning Chase’s estate and posthumous medals, newspaper clippings and government bulletins. The photographs consist of group photographs with Fall marked on each picture.
Dates
- 1941-1951
Biographical / Historical
Albert Fall Chase was born in 1918, attended New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, and entered the U.S. Army in 1940 with an ROTC commission. As were many New Mexico troops, he was sent in 1941 to the Philippines, where he trained native troops on Los Negros for the Philippine Scouts, 73rd Regiment. They fought on Mindanao and Cebu until they were captured by the Japanese in 1942. Chase was a prisoner of war in Camp No. 2, at Davao, Mindanao for two and a half years. He was killed aboard a Japanese ship transferring prisoners to Formosa, when the ship was torpedoed by U.S. forces on September 7, 1944. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart in 1945 and the Bronze Star Medal in 1946.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (1 Box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Prisoner of War of the Japanese in the Philippines during World War II. Includes Correspondence, Government Bulletins, and Newspaper Clippings relating to Chase’s P.O.W. internment and death aboard a prison ship torpedoed by U.S. forces; also includes Correspondence and Legal Documents settling his estate and military claims.
Processing Information
Merleen Dibert, January 1980
- Title
- Guide to the Albert Fall Chase papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Merleen Dibert
- Date
- January 1980
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository