Anthony Lanza World War II Letters and Photographs
name: label: Creator
content: Lanza, Kenneth
label: Creator
content: Lanza, Anthony, 1925-1995
place: label: Place
content: Japan -- World War, 1939-1945
label: Place
content: Hiroshima-shi (Japan) -- History -- Bombardment, 1945
topic: label: Topic
content: Atomic bomb
label: Topic
content: Japanese language -- 1940-1950
label: Topic
content: Nuclear warfare
label: Topic
content: Military occupation -- Japan
label: Topic
content: Travel -- Japan
label: Topic
content: World War, 1939-1945
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Anthony Lanza's son, Kenneth Lanza, donated this collection in 2005 and additional materials were donated in 2007.
creator: label: Creator
content: Lanza, Kenneth
label: Creator
content: Lanza, Anthony, 1925-1995
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthony Lanza World War II Letters and Photographs
abstract: label: Summary
content: 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.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Dr.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.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.33 Cubic feet (2 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1925-1946
label: Date
content: undated
label: Date
content: bulk 1940-1946
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0910
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Diaries
label: Type
content: Letters (correspondence)
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: 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
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Kiley Orchard (intern), 2008; supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings -- 1940-1950
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries -- 1940-1950
label: Genre/Form
content: Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1940-1950
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: 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.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: 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.