LT. GENERAL JAMES G. HARBORD - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 12/30/1940 - HFSID 24208

JAMES G. HARBORD
Pershing's former Chief of Staff writes to "Stars and Stripes" cartoonist Wally Wallgren.
TLS: "J.G. Harbord", 1p, 7¼x10½. New York, 1940 December 30. To Mr. A.A. "Wally" Wallgren, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. In full: "I was delighted to get your letter of December 17th with the card of Season's Greetings from you and your boss. The card seems to indicate a certain amount of conviviality in the Wallgren family, but I suppose it is all right as long as you do your drinking with your own wife. I was very glad to be definitely informed that the Publicity Commission of the American Legion Monthly has rescinded their action to cut off your product. Aside from my personal interest in wanting to have it continued for your sake, I felt very deeply that they would destroy the one continuing interest which the Legion Monthly has for all of us who were in France. Your friend the Saluting Demon was in my office this morning. As you know, he is an editor of our Foreign Broadcast Service. He looks like a million dollars and the years have passed over his head without a trace as far as I can see. I very much appreciated your letter. I send you and your wife my best regards and best wishes for the New Year." Harbord accompanied General John J. Pershing to France in World War I as Chief of Staff, American Expeditionary Forces. In May 1918, he took command of the U.S. Marine Corps Brigade in the 2nd Division and then, in July 1918, the division itself. Although Harbord's command was brief (July 15-28), it included one of the decisive battles of the war, the Battle of Soissons. This fight, lasting from July 18 to 26, 1918, was part of the overall Second Battle of the Marne. The smaller component battles comprising the Second Battle of the Marne (such as that at Soissons) were the opening phases of a continuous series of limited offensives that were intended to wear down Imperial Germany's Army. After the war, Harbord served as President then Chairman of the Board of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Cartoonist A.A. "WALLY" WALLGREN was on the staff of the soldiers' newspaper, "The Stars and Stripes", in France during World War I. Light paper clip impression at upper left edge. Fine condition.