William A. Spratt Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-1100

Collection Organization

The William A. Spratt Papers consist of correspondence, photographs, scrapbook material and printed items related to his service during World War II with both the U.S. Third and First Armies. Early letters written while he was at Fort Sam Houston as the driver for General Courtney H. Hodges cover news of camp life, activities of his father Lester, war news, and details of his own assignments. Only three letters are included after William was assigned to Europe, written while he was in England in May of 1944, with stamped notations that they were passed by the censors. The postwar correspondence is primarily of a social nature as responses to Christmas cards sent to military friends.

Using the correspondence as well as personal interviews, William A. Thompson, a nephew of William Spratt produced a biography “The Travels of Uncle Bill Spratt” that covers both his experiences in the war and post-war life. Additional printed material in the collection focuses primarily on the War, with numerous books related specifically to the European Theater of Operations, the battles and generals involved, with a couple of items dealing with a postwar reunion tour Spratt took in 1971 and general reunions of the Third Army or special observances or anniversaries.

The photographic segment of the collection, while small, includes several personally signed and inscribed photos from Generals Hodges, Bradley, and Keen along with snapshot photos of various places Spratt visited while serving as a driver. While William Spratt’s wartime experience might not be seen as typical, his service as a driver does provide a glimpse of a personal aspect of the war.

Correspondence, January-October 1943

 File – Box 1, Folder: 1-2
Dates
Creation: January-October 1943

Correspondence, May 5-10, 1944

 File – Box 1, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: May 5-10, 1944

Correspondence, 1947-1972

 File – Box 1, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1947-1972

Biography - The Travels of Uncle Bill Spratt, 2004

 File – Box 1, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 2004

Loose clippings, 1933-2006 (scattered)

 File – Box 1, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1933-2006 (scattered)

General Hodges’ Ft. Leavenworth induction, 1976

 File – Box 1, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1976

William Spratt obituary, 2007

 File – Box 1, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: 2007

Map of Germany around Dusseldorf, 1945

 File – Box 1, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: 1945

Booklets, 1913-1971 (scattered)

 File – Box 1, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: 1913-1971 (scattered)

Patton Centennial material, 1985

 File – Box 1, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: 1985

Third Army reunion rosters and miscellaneous, 2004-2006

 File – Box 1, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: 2004-2006

U.S. Army. Third Division. Spearhead in the West, 1941-1945

 File – Box 1, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1941-1945

Whiting, Charles. Battle of the Ruhr Pocket, 1971

 Item – Box 2, Item: 1
Dates
Creation: 1971

Elsob, Peter. Bastogne, the Road Block, 1968

 Item – Box 2, Item: 2
Dates
Creation: 1968

Thompson, R.W. D-Day, Spearhead of Invasion, 1968

 Item – Box 2, Item: 3
Dates
Creation: 1968

Stock, James W. Rhine Crossing, 1973

 Item – Box 2, Item: 4
Dates
Creation: 1973

Odom, Charles B. General George S. Patton and Eisenhower, 1985

 Item – Box 2, Item: 5
Dates
Creation: 1985

Blumenson, Martin. Eisenhower, 1972

 Item – Box 2, Item: 6
Dates
Creation: 1972

Mason, David. Breakout, Drive to the Seine, 1969

 Item – Box 2, Item: 7
Dates
Creation: 1969

Whiting, Charles. Bradley, 1971

 Item – Box 2, Item: 8
Dates
Creation: 1971

Bradley, Omar N. A Soldier’s Story (inscribed to Spratt), 1951

 Item – Box 2, Item: 9
Dates
Creation: 1951

D-Day, the Normandy Invasion in Retrospect, 1971

 Item – Box 2, Item: 10
Dates
Creation: 1971

Tute, Warren. D-Day, 1974

 Item – Box 3, Item: 1
Dates
Creation: 1974

Eisenhower’s Own Story of the War: the Complete Report, 1946

 Item – Box 3, Item: 2
Dates
Creation: 1946

Dupuy, Trevor N. European Land Battles, 1943-1962 (scattered)

 Item – Box 3, Item: 3
Dates
Creation: 1943-1962 (scattered)

Ryder, Hal. Operation Friendly Invasion, 1984

 Item – Box 3, Item: 4
Dates
Creation: 1984

American History Illustrated, 1969-1972 (scattered)

 Item – Box 3, Item: 5-7
Dates
Creation: 1969-1972 (scattered)

VFW Magazine, August 1984

 Item – Box 3, Item: 8
Dates
Creation: August 1984

MVPA Supply Line, March 1996

 Item – Box 3, Item: 9
Dates
Creation: March 1996

Military Vehicles Magazine, September-October 1998

 Item – Box 3, Item: 10
Dates
Creation: September-October 1998

MVPA Army Motors, Spring 2000

 Item – Box 3, Item: 11
Dates
Creation: Spring 2000

Newspapers (various), 1945-1974 (scattered)

 File – Box 4, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1945-1974 (scattered)

Photo album, 1943-1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1943-1945

Loose photographs, circa 1941, n.d.

 File – Box 4, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: circa 1941, n.d.