MS 017

HARMON C. RORISON

PRIVATE PAPERS, 1903-1976

Description

 

            These papers consist largely of letters, articles, and documents concerning the war record and civic activities of Harmon Chadbourn Rorison of Wilmington, NC.  Rorison served in both world wars and the Russo-Polish War immediately following WWI.  These papers reflect Rorison’s war experiences in letters home; copies of military general orders (U.S. and Polish); a November 11, 1918, Wilmington Dispatch declaring the end of World War I and picturing several of Wilmington’s servicemen; a newspaper photograph of Rorison receiving the Virtuti Militari at Poland’s Legation in Washington, D.C., in 1921; a March 4, 1945, copy of a military newspaper, Stars and Stripes; and two articles about experiences in different wars.

 

            One, written by Rorison, is a light description of his purchase of a copper urn in Italy, after which he had to return to his base in a few hours with no means of transportation.  The other article, written by his brother-in-law, Max W. Lippitt, Sr., is entitled “An Unchronicled American Battle Front:  Wings Over Poland.”  It relates the part played by the Kosciuszko Aerial Squadron in the Russo-Polish War.  Gen. Budenny led the Cossack Army.  Lippitt spelled his name Budienny as did Merian C. Cooper, another Kosciusko Squadron member, who wrote Rorison after escaping from a Russian Prison,  A reading of Lippitt’s Article will facilitate comprehension of the rest of the papers concerning the war.

 

            Rorison’s war memorabilia are in the Air Force Museum at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.  This group includes correspondence concerning Rorison’s donation to, and a brochure on, the museum.  Photographs in this group are of Rorison and/or war related pictures.

           

            At home, in civilian life, Rorison was a banker and an active civic member of the community of Wilmington, NC.  Certificates of appointment and appreciation for service rendered document his activities, as do anniversary and birthday letters from Rorison to his wife, Margaret Lippitt Rorison, that attest their close relationship.  The papers were donated by Mrs. Rorison between 1976-1977.

 

            The Rorison Papers have been designated Accession Number 17 of the Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections Department, William Madison Randall Library, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-3297.

Biographical Sketch

 

            Harmon Chadbourn Rorison was born April 15, 1893, in Bakersville, NC, the son of Elizabeth Chadbourn Rorison and Richard Baskett Rorison.  After his mother’s death, he and his brother, John Lee Rorison, moved to Wilmington, NC, to live with their aunt, Serena Chadbourn, and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Harmon Chadbourn.  Rorison was educated in Wilmington public schools, Jefferson School for boys of Charlottesville, VA, the University of Virginia, and the University of Georgia, where he was awarded the Bachelor of Law degree in 1916.

            Rorison’s war record covers two world wars and the Russo-Polish War immediately following World War I.  In the first world war, Rorison volunteered for the army, serving in the aviation section of the Signal Corps as an officer and pilot.  He flew in Europe and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

            Then the Russo Polish War broke out over the border between the newly independent Poland and Bolshevist Russia.  Rorison joined Poland’s 7^th Squadron, made up of the American aviators and called the Losciuszko Aerial Squadron in honor of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Polish patriot who entered the American continental army as a volunteer in 1776.[1]  The Kosciuszko Squadron was commanded by Cedric E. Fauntleroy and second in command was Merian C. Cooper.  Rorison had several close calls and returned home before the end of the war because of wounds.  On March 14, 1921, Rorison was invited to the Legation of Poland in Washington, D.C., where he was awarded the Virtuti Militari, Medal of Valor.

            Cooper was shot down in July of 1920 and captured by the Russians.  The Bolshevists’ policy was to shoot the officers and imprison the common men, so Cooper pretended to be a corporal rather than a lieutenant colonel.  As such, he survived for a year in a Russian prison camp near Moscow, until he learned friends were seeking his release.  Fearing his identity would be revealed, he escaped prison on April 12, 1921, returning to Poland on April 27.[2]  The Treaty of Riga was signed in 1921, returning to Poland almost all of its eastern frontier of 1793.[3]  On May 10, 1921, Cooper and other Kosciuszko Squadron members were honored by President Pilsudski in Warsaw, Poland, at ceremonies marking the demobilization of their squadron.[4]  At some time after Cooper’s escape, he wrote to Rorison, who was at home in Wilmington, NC.  Cooper became a writer, motion picture producer and director.  He created, co-produced, and co-directed the original King Kong movie as well as several other motion pictures.[5] 

            In Wilmington, NC, Rorison Worked for the Citizen’s Bank, the Murchison Bank, and the North Carolina Bank and Trust Company.  When the Security National Bank opened in August of 1933, Rorison was elected vice-president and manager of the Wilmington branch.  He held that position until his retirement in 1958, with the exception of two years for military leave of absence during World War II.  In that war, Harmon Rorison served the British Eighth Army and First French Army as a volunteer ambulance driver.

Rorison was a board member of the Community Chest/United Fund, YMCA, L’ Arioso German Club, Security National Bank, Wilmington Public Library, Surf Club, and the Local (Wilmington Draft) Board No. 66, North Carolina.  He was also appointed to the Morehead Scholarship Committee, Third District.  Harmon Rorison belonged to several Wilmington clubs, worked for many years with Boy Scouts, and was a member of the St. James Episcopal Church.

Rorison married Margaret Devereux of Wilmington on January 31, 1924.  Their two daughters are Margaret L. Rorison and Mary Ann Rorison Caws.  Harmon C. Rorison died on February 27, 1976.

Inventory
Manuscript Number/Box Number/File Numbers (See Book 1 for a comprehensive listing of the individual items)

Box 1

017/1/1

Items 1-10 with correspondence and documents written from August 15, 1903 through Jan 27,1945.  Items 1-2 moved to Oversize Manuscript Collection Box #5.

017/1/2

Items 11-15, with "Wings Over Poland;" Kosciuszko Squadron; letter to wife; partial letter 1944; postcard.

017/1/3

Items 16-23, with letter and postcards to wife and daughter, 1944-45.

017/1/4

Items 24-25, with The Sunday Stars and Stripes Mediterranean, March 4, 1945.

017/1/5

Items 26-32, with postcards; letters to wife; Saga of a Copper Urn (1945).

017/1/6

Items 33-41, with letters to wife (1956-57); 2 certificates; newspaper clipping announcing retirement (with photo).  Item 36 moved to Oversize Manuscript Collection Box #5.

017/1/7

Items 42-50, with letters to wife; letter re: Air Force Museum; pamphlet; obituary.

017/1/8

Items 51-67, photographs (military; pilots/planes, etc.).

 

Box 2 (Addition 1)

017/2/1

Items 1-11; includes Cape Fear Recorder 1919, correspondence 1900-1918, and a history sheet of pilot John C. Rorison, 1917-1918.

017/2/2

Items 12-19; includes photo identity and passport, correspondence, and a notebook of notes from daughter and wife.

017/2/3

Items 20-26; includes letter appointing Rorison to Local Board No. 66 and Sunday Star News article.

017/2/4

Items 27-35 (mislabeled 37-45); includes various photos.

017/2/5

Items 36-45; includes various letters and photocopied documents concerning the Rorison family.

017/2/6

Items 46-50; includes the Chabourne family genealogy, family anecdotes, and Lippit reminiscences.

017/2/7

Items 51-57; includes a photocopy of "Forebears" (Lippit); Lippit genealogy; several family crest diagrams.

 

Box 3 (Additions 2 & 3)

017/3/1

Items 1-7; includes Bible history and Christmas box (1925)

Items 1-1 to 1-5; includes RAF Wings; Lorraine Cross; fraternity pin; Liberty-head quarter.

017/3/2

1 item, typescript of an article regarding HCR.

 

Box 4 (Addition 4)

017/4/1

Item 1, frontispiece.

017/4/2

Item 2, obituary.

017/4/3

Item 3, Kosciusko flyers.

017/4/4

Items 4-8; includes childhood scraps (tram tickets to Wrightsville Beach; Harmon & John Lee's first job); photo of M. Rorison [?].

 

Box 5 (Oversized; temporarily located on top of shelf)

017/5/1

Items 1-2; includes child's letter and Certificate of Appointment to selective service board.

017/5/02

Item 3, article from The Wilmington Dispatch, "Wilmington Boys Who Helped Settle Issue," Nov 11, 1819.