Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Anthony Lanza World War II Letters and Photographs, 1925-1946, undated

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0910
Creators:
Lanza, Kenneth
Lanza, Anthony, 1925-1995
Dates:
1925-1946
undated
bulk 1940-1946
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some notes are in
Japanese
.
Physical Description:
1.33 Cubic feet
2 boxes
Repository:
World War II personal papers, photographs, and printed material of Anthony R. Lanza, who served in the U.S. Army in Japan between 1944 and 1946.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection documents Anthony Lanza's United States Army service in Japan during World War II, mostly through letters and photographs. Also included are miscellaneous items such as newsletters, clippings, drawings, Japanese travel and language guides, and official military papers. Particular research value lies in the photographic documentation of Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped, photographs of the Enola Gay, and an eyewitness account by a survivor.
Series 1, Photographs, 1925, 1944, 1945, 1946, undated, contains documentation of Lanza's time in Japan during World War II, divided by subject matter. Many of the photographs are annotated on the reverse side. Included in the collection are photographs of the Enola Gay, Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped, and the 308th General Hospital in Japan. There are also several photographs of landscapes and Japanese citizens. The folder containing street scenes includes one formal portrait of a Japanese family Lanza encountered in his travels. There are also photographs not taken in Japan, including images of Niagara Falls.
Series 2, Personal Papers, 1940s, undated, contains various papers that belonged to Lanza, including his diary, several letters to his mother written from Japan, a scrapbook, a first person account of the Hiroshima bombing written by Reverend John A. Siemes, military papers (special orders, immunization records, payroll information, and discharge papers), military newsletters, newspaper and magazine clippings, and various sketches and notes. The newspaper and magazine subjects contain information regarding a relative, a blurb about a DDT insecticide experiment, and information regarding musical performances.
Series 3, Materials Related to Japan, 1945, undated, contains two Japanese language books, a tourist magazine, and a book created for tourism about Japan dated 1945.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series.
  • Series 1, Photographs, 1925, 1944, 1945, 1946, undated
  • Series 2, Personal Papers, 1940s, undated
  • Series 3, Materials Related to Japan, 1945, undated

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Dr. Anthony R. Lanza was born July 20, 1925, in New York City. He was inducted into the United States Army in March of 1944, worked at the 308th General Hospital in Japan, and received an honorable discharge in May of 1946. He attained the rank of Master Sergeant and received the American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Lanza later worked as a public school teacher in Union, New Jersey, and Valley Stream, New York, as well as a faculty member of the School of Education at New York University. He also served as Chief of the NESA Education Branch in AID/Washington, as an Education Advisor in Turkey for nine years, and as a USAID Chief Education Officer in Guatemala, Afghanistan, and Pakistan for twelve years. He went on to work as Regional Education Officer for Africa for the Office of Overseas Schools in the U.S. State Department.

Administration

Author
Kiley Orchard
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Anthony Lanza's son, Kenneth Lanza, donated this collection in 2005 and additional materials were donated in 2007.
Processing Information
Processed by Kiley Orchard (intern), 2008; supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves.
Preferred Citation
Anthony Lanza World War II Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Related Materials
World War II Bomb Damage Photographs contains photographs of the aftermath of the bombings in Nagasaki, Japan, and Manila in the Philippines. Emilio Segre Collection documents research relating to the development of the atomic bomb.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Atomic bomb Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings -- 1940-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diaries -- 1940-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japan -- World War, 1939-1945 Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hiroshima-shi (Japan) -- History -- Bombardment, 1945 Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese language -- 1940-1950 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nuclear warfare Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Military occupation -- Japan Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century. Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Travel -- Japan Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1940-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1939-1945 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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