Husband Edward Kimmel Papers

Husband Edward Kimmel Papers, 1907-1999

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Kimmel, Husband Edward, 1882-1968
Title: Husband Edward Kimmel Papers
Dates: 1907-1999 (inclusive)
Date of CollectionDate of Collection
Quantity: 25.15 cubic ft. (56 boxes)
Collection Number: 03800
Summary: Admiral Husband E. Kimmel was commander-in-chief of the U.S. Fleet at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The collection contains documents gathered by Kimmel and used in the preparation of his book, "Admiral Kimmel's Story" (1955) along with biographical information, correspondence, and other materials used for his defense.
Repository: American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions: Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
Languages: English
Sponsor: The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid has been made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Husband E. Kimmel (1882-1968) was a career officer in the U.S. Navy, 1904 to 1942. He attained the rank of rear admiral in 1938 and then admiral February 1, 1941, assuming command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and combined U.S. Fleet in Pearl Harbor. As senior officer along with Lt. General Walter C. Short on December 7, 1941 at the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, he was held responsible for lack of preparedness, was replaced, demoted, and retired. Kimmel was finally able to defend himself through the publication of his book, "Admiral Kimmel's Story" (1955) after documents held secret during World War II were made available for his research. Kimmel was posthumously restored to the full rank of admiral in 1999 by the U.S. Congress.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains documents and materials used by Admiral Kimmel for the preparation of his defense and also used for his book, "Admiral Kimmel's Story," published in 1955, which is his challenge to the accusation that he was responsible for the lack of preparedness of the Navy when attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Documentation includes correspondence, official dispatches, testimonies, exhibits and statements used in investigations, related “Congressional Record" citations, memoranda, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and other printed material, both official and published. Biographical material on Kimmel and other officers involved in Kimmel's defense is also included. A card file of proper names and dates of individual letters and some documents is included along with other indices. A large portion of the collection is available on microfilm.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Box Number, Husband Edward Kimmel Papers, 1907-1999, Collection Number 03800, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Alternative Forms Available

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:8180/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~83~83.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Husband E. Kimmel at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Captain Thomas K. Kimmel, 1971, 1973, 1982, 1991; Thomas K. Kimmel Jr., 1999

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was updated and re-keyed by Mary Kenney.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Background MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
	Sub-series I. Biographical
Box
1	Barnes, Harry Elmer
1	Brownlow, Donald G., "The Accused" (reel-to-reel tape)	1969
1	Cannon, Clarence	1958
1	Churchill, Winston	1941-1942
1	Keefe, Frank B.	1945
1	Kimmel, Husband E.	1939-1942
1	Kimmel family genealogy	1956
1	Safford, Laurance	1953
1	Stark, Harold R.	1941
1	Other personalities related to Pearl Harbor Attack	1941-1962
1	Letter to Captain Thomas K. Kimmel from Geraldine A. Weeks	July 13, 1982
1	Resolution by Pearl Harbor Survivors Association	December 8, 1986
1	Posthumous Advancement of Rear Admiral (retired) Husband E. Kimmel and Major General (retired) Walter C. Short on retired lists	October 14, 1999
1	Brit Hume interview with Stephen Ambrose , Fox Special Report	July 5, 1999
	Sub-series 2. Topical
Box
1	Airplane Torpedoes	1932-1941
1	Congressional Extension of Statue of Limitations	1944 - 1945, 1957 - 1958
1	Public Addresses	February 1, 1941 - March 30, 1954
1	Public Reports, including February , 1941 Change of Command; Wire-tapping Legislation and Pearl Harbor Attack; "The Time is Now" by Rupert Hughes; Congressman Melvin J. Maas; James Forrestal; Kimmel television broadcast	1941-1954

Series II. CorrespondenceReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description

Box	Folder
2	1	Letters from Husband E. Kimmel to his mother and to Singleton	1907-1909
2	2	Correspondence	1924-1940
2	3	Correspondence	January 1 - January 11, 1941
2	4	Correspondence	January 12 - January 31, 1941
2	5	Correspondence	February to March, 1941
2	6	Correspondence	April to August, 1941
2	7	Correspondence	September to December, 1941
SAFE		Letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 7, 1941
Box
3		January to February, 1942
3		March to December, 1942
3		1943
3		January to March, 1944
3		April to May, 1944
4		June to July, 1944
4		August, 1944
4		September, 1944
4		October to November, 1944
4		December, 1944
5		January to February, 1945
5		March to April, 1945
5		May to June, 1945
5		July to August, 1945
5		September to December, 1945
SAFE		Letter from President Harry Truman	November 25, 1945
Box
6		January, 1946
6		February to March, 1946
6		April to June, 1946
6		July to December, 1946
6		January to April, 1947
6		May to December, 1947
6		1948
6		1949
6		1950
6		1951
6		1952
7		January to July, 1953
7		August to December, 1953
7		January to April, 1954
7		May to November, 1954
7		December, 1954
8		January to February, 1955
8		March to December, 1955
8		1956
8		January to June, 1957
8		July to December , 1957
9		January to July, 1958
9		August to October, 1958
9		November to December, 1958
9		January to April, 1959
9		May to December, 1959
10		1960
10		January to July, 1961
10		August to November, 1961
10		December, 1961
10		January to February, 1962
11		March to May, 1962
11		June to July, 1962
11		August to December, 1962
11		January to April, 1963
12		May to September, 1963
12		October to December, 1963
12		January to May, 1964
12		June to December, 1964
12		January to June, 1965
12		July to December, 1965
13		January to August, 1966
13		September to November, 1966
13		December 1-6, 1966
		December 7, 1966
Box
13		December 8, 1966
14		December 9-12, 1966
14		December 13-18, 1966
14		December 19-31, 1966
14		January, 1967
14		February, 1967
15		March to April, 1967
15		May to August, 1967
15		September to December, 1967
15		1968
15		undated
15		Husband E. Kimmel to Harold R. Stark, letters and extracts from letters and official dispatches, with notes, (Kimmel file 1-A)	January 27, 1941 - December 2, 1941
15		Husband E. Kimmel to Harold R. Stark (selected copies)	January 27, 1941 - December 2, 1941
16		Husband E. Kimmel to Harold R. Stark, Photostat copies of letters and extracts from letters and official dispatches (Kimmel file 1-A)	January 27, 1941 - December 2, 1941
17-18		Photostat copies of correspondence, reports, and dispatches relating to Pearl Harbor with Index	October 7, 1940 - December 13, 1941

Series III. Official Communications: Dispatches and MemorandaReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
	Dispatches
Box
19	Dispatches File C-1, with Index for Files C-1, C-2, C-3, and notes in binder	January 2, 1941 - December 18, 1941
20-22	Dispatches, File C-2 through C-4	January 3, 1940 - December 18, 1941
22	Translated Dispatches	December, 1940 - December, 1941
	Memoranda
Box
35	Memoranda	1938-1940
35	Memoranda	1941
35	Memoranda	1942-1943
35	Memoranda	1944
35	Memoranda	1945
35	Memoranda	1946-1967
35	Memoranda	undated

Series IV. Investigations of the Pearl Harbor Attack: Exhibits and Document FilesReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
	Exhibits
Box
24--27	Exhibits #1 through #156	1945-1946
28	Exhibit B of Clausen Inquiry	1945
28	Exhibits, Hart Inquiry	1944
28	Exhibits, Hewitt Investigation	1944
28	Exhibits, Naval Court of Inquiry	1944
	Document Files
Box
29	Organization of Office of Chief of Naval Operations	October 23, 1940
29	Destruction of Codes, Ciphers and Other Devices	December 15, 1941
29	Distant Air Reconnaissance	1944
29	Material distributed to committee but not used as exhibits	1941
29	Pearl Harbor Estimates	June 10, 1944
29	Japanese Prisoners Version of Pearl Harbor Attack	December 8, 1944
29	Joint Congressional Pearl Harbor Committee (includes index)	1946
29	Pearl Harbor, magazine articles	1941-1948
30	Organization of Orange Fleet and Orange Activities in mandated islands	August 7, 1941
30	Patrol Plane Expansion Program	August , 1941
30	Admiral Kimmel's notes on Pearl Harbor	undated
30	Communications Intelligence Summary, Magic Summary	1941, 1943
30	Senate Bill 805 with background history, Safeguarding Military Information	1945
30	U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (Pacific)	1945
30	Questions and Outline of Testimony given by Admiral Kimmel before Naval Court of Inquiry	August, 1944
30	Useful data messages and letters to and from CINPAC	1940, 1941
30	U.S. coded messages (selected)	May, November, December 1941
30	"Winds Message"	December 1941
30	Outline of Kimmel's Defense with supporting letters, memoranda, newspaper transcripts et al.	December 1941
31	Kimmel file 1-B, Documentation for Robert's Commission, pre-attack	1941
31	Kimmel file 1-D, Documentation for Robert's Commission, Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Stark	1941
31	Kimmel file 1-E, Documentation for Robert's Commission, Fleet Training and Readiness	1941
31	Kimmel file 1-F, Documentation for Robert's Commission, Plans and Orders in Effect in Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941	1941
50	Tracings, original copies for files 1-D, 1-E, 1-F, and 1-G	1941
31	Kimmel file 3-C, Documentation for Robert's Commission, Rear Admiral Theobald comments	February, 1941-December, 1941
31	Miscellaneous Documentation for Kimmel defense	1941, 1944
31	Summary of pre-attack situation in U.S. Fleet in Pacific	undated
31	Charles Rugg's Findings and Minority Actions (Minority Report to Robert's Commission	1942
32	Indices to Witnesses, Statements, and Materials sent to Kimmel from Washington	1946
50	Navy Basic War Plan O-1, Rainbow Five, WPPac-46	July 25, 1941
50	Interpretation of Cooperation between United States and British Commonwealth in Pacific Ocean, attachment to Navy Basic War Plan O-1, Rainbow Five	September 5, 1941

Series V. Manuscripts and ResearchReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description

Box
33	"Instructions Governing the Use of Naval Communication Facilities at Washington, D.C."	1939
33	Interviews: Capt. McCollum, Admiral Murfin, Vice Admiral Jacobs, Justice Roberts, Tyler Gatewood Kent	1944, 1945, 1963
33	Lists	undated
33	Book Reviews	1955
33	"Facts About Pearl Harbor" by Husband E. Kimmel	1958
33	Magazines with Pearl Harbor related articles	1941, 1942, 1954-1955
34	Manuscript by C.C. Hiles on events leading up to Pearl Harbor	1962
34	Brief manuscripts dealing with Pearl Harbor by miscellaneous authors	1933-1962
34	"Bataan: The Judgment Seat" by Allison Ind	1944
34	Army Historical Section's drafts with Kimmel's comments	undated
23	Excerpt from "United States Navy Security Manual from Classified Matter"	1951
23	Robert's Commission Report	January 23, 1941
23	Investigations of National War Effort, Interim report (construction on Defense projects in Pacific area included)	June 14, 1944
23	Department of State Bulletin, "The War"	December 13, 1941
23	"How Secret Diplomacy Obscures War Policy", press release, McClure Newspaper Syndicate	February, 1944
23	Pearl Harbor Intercepted Diplomatic Messages Sent by Japanese Government	between July 1 and December 8, 1941
23	Transfer reports and letters of congratulation on Kimmel's assumption of command of U.S. Fleet	February, 1941
23	Congressional Record, comment on Pearl Harbor probe, Keefe v. McCormick	March 27, 1946
23	Japanese War Plans, "Combined Fleet Top Secret Operation Order 1"	November 5, 1941
23	"The Puzzle of Pearl Harbor", by Carter W. Clarke	1962
23	"Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941", Department of State	1942
23	United States Navy Security Manual for Classified Matter	May 24, 1948
23	Joint Action of the Army and the Navy, revised edition	1935
41	Kimmel's notes for "Admiral Kimmel's Story" (ring binder)	1953
41	Message to Garcia (pamphlet)	1916
41	Change of Command, Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet (pamphlet)	February 1, 1941
41	United States Espionage Act and Sabotage Statute(pamphlet)	1943
41	"The People vs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, -Defendant" (pamphlet), by Milo O. Bennett	1944
41	Private Enterprise and Personal Liberty vs. States Socialism, communism, Slavery (pamphlet), by Joseph S. Kimmel	1944
41	"Naval Bases - Past and Future" (reprint) , by H. Gard Knox, Rear Adm. Frederic R. Harris, and Rear Adm. Husband E. Kimmel	1945
41	More Truth About Vietnam (pamphlet) , by Robert Welch	1967
41	Newsletters	1944-1966
41	Patent, sludge pumping apparatus	July 25. 1945
41	Poems	undated
41	Document receipts for investigations	1944-1946
41	Office Orders, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations	July 15, 1941
41	Press releases (3 items)	1941-1943
41	Reprints of articles about Pearl Harbor	1943-1960
41	Resolution of U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association in support of Adm. Kimmel	1957
41	United States Fleet Regulations	1941
50	Kimmel's miscellaneous notes, letters and documents	1941-1946

Series VI. News Clippings Return to Top

Container(s)	Description

Box
36	1938 through January 25, 1942
36	January 26, 1942 - February 1, 1942
36	February 6, 1942 - October 13, 1943
36	March 1, 1944 - June 16, 1944
37	June 20, 1944 - September 1, 1944
37	September 6, 1944 - October 20, 1944
37	October 22, 1944 - December 4, 1944
37	December 5, 1944 - August 7, 1945
38	August 8, 1945 - September 22, 1945
38	September 23, 1945 - December 12, 1945
38	December 13, 1945 - March 22, 1946
38	April 15, 1946 - May 11, 1952
39	June 2, 1952 - December 2, 1956
39	December 6, 1956 - April 24, 1959
39	October 30, 1959 - December 5, 1966
39	December 6, 1966 - December 10, 1967
39	Undated
39	Loose clippings	undated
39	Scandal of missing documents, Congressional Bi-partisan Committee	1946
40	Kimmel's South American Cruise	1939
40	Typescripts taken from Honolulu "Advertiser" and Honolulu "Star-Bulletin" (3 copies)	November 27, 1941-December 7, 1941
40	Clippings dealing with "Pearl Harbor: The Story of the Secret War" by George Morgenstern	1947
40	Clippings dealing with "The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor" by Robert A. Theobald	1951, 1954
40	Clippings dealing with "Admiral Kimmel's Story"	1954-1955
40	Official Record of the Yalta Conference	1955

Series VII. Reports Return to Top

Container(s)		Description

Box
42		Army Pearl Harbor Board (3 copies)	July 12, 1944
42		Clarke Report, testimonies and findings of handling of certain top secret documents	July 13, 1945
42		"Unification of the War and Navy Departments", vol. 1, James Forrestal Report	September, 1945
42		Knox Report, Secretary of the Navy to the President (4 copies)
42		Robert's Commission	1941-1942
	Folder
43	1	Fitness Reports on Husband E. Kimmel	1906-1941
43	2	Navy Court of Inquiry, Finding of Facts	1944
43	3	Navy Court of Inquiry, Pearl Harbor Report (2 copies)	August 29, 1945
44		Narrative Statement of Evidence at Navy Pearl Harbor Investigations, Vol 1 and 2 (2 copies) and appendix	1945
	Folder
43	4	Report about Submarine Contact	February 3-4, 1941
43	5	Readiness Report , U.S. Pacific Fleet, "Are We Ready?"	February 28, 1941
43	6	Readiness Report , U.S. Pacific Fleet, "Are We Ready? III"	July 9, 1941
43	7	Officer's Record of Fitness, Husband E. Kimmel	1906-1940

Series VIII. Statements and Testimony Return to Top

Container(s)	Description

Box
45	Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, U.S. Navy, retired, before Naval Court of Inquiry (4 copies)	September 27, 1944
45	Statements before Joint Committee on Investigation of Pearl Harbor Attack (extra copies of statements of Kimmel, Safford, and Stark)	1945
45	Walter C. Short before Joint Committee on Investigation of Pearl Harbor Attack	January, 1946
45	Vice Admiral P.N.L. Bellinger before Joint Committee on Investigation of Pearl Harbor Attack
45-46	Other drafts and outlines of Kimmel's statements	October 19 and October 29, 1945
46	Summary of Testimony before the Robert's Commission	1941-1942
46	Agreement for Use of Testimony and other evidence taken during examination ordered by Secretary of Navy	February 12, 1944
46	Kimmel's notes for preparation of statement for Joint Committee	September, 1945
46	Vice Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson to Kimmel, Lavender, and Rugg	February 19, 1945
46	Rear Admiral Arthur H. McCollum	May, 1961
46	Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald	March 20, 1944
47	Rear Admiral Claude Charles Bloch (2 copies)	1941-1944
47	Admiral Husband E. Kimmel (2 copies)	1941-1944
47	Lt. Col. Kendall J. Fielder and Lt. Col. George W. Bicknell before Robert's Commission	1941
48	Admiral Kimmel before Naval Court of Inquiry	1944
48	Rear Admiral Kimmel, U.S. Navy, retired, before Army Pearl Harbor Board	August 25, 1944
48	Excerpts from Admiral Kimmel's testimony	1944
48	Commander Alwin D. Kramer before Navy Court of Inquiry	July 24, 1944
48	Captain Alvin D. Kramer, U.S. Navy before Hewitt Investigation	May 22, 1945
48	General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff	1941-1944
48	Vice Admiral John Henry Newton (4 copies)	undated
48-49	Major General Walter C. Short (2 folders)	1941-1944
49	Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations (3 copies)	1941-1944
49	Captain Ellis M. Zacharias	undated
49	Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner before Naval Court of Inquiry (4 copies)	1944
49	Summaries of testimony of officers attached to CINPAC	undated

Series IX. Microfilm and Card Files Return to Top

Container(s)	Description
	Card File
Box
51	Card File by name and date for correspondence, topical headings (Manuscript, Newspaper Clippings, Newsletters), exhibits, and Christmas cards	covering documents from 1907-1967
52	Copy of cards in Card File
	Microfilm of Kimmel papers, Original microfilm (21 rolls, 1 missing)	1907-1965
Box
53	Admiral Kimmel Index, genealogical records, instructions	undated
53	Correspondence (and other contents of Box 1)	1907 to January 23, 1941
53	Correspondence	January 23, 1941-January 30, 1941 (original missing, see second generation)
53	Correspondence	January 29, 1941-March 23, 1944
53	Correspondence	March 24, 1944-December 4, 1944
53	Correspondence	December 4, 1944-October 23, 1945
53	Correspondence	October 23, 1945-November 21, 1952
53	Correspondence	January 2, 1953-July 10, 1955
53	Correspondence	June 30, 1955-January 15, 1959
53	Correspondence	June 11, 1955-1965
53	Correspondence	December 14, 1958-March 7, 1962
53	Correspondence	January 7, 1962-June 11, 1962
53	Correspondence	December, 1966
53	Kimmel/Stark letters	1966-1968
53	Kimmel CINPAC correspondence
53	Kimmel Testimony #1
53	Kimmel Testimony #2
53	Stark Testimony
53	Kimmel Reports and Testimony
53	Kimmel Statements
54	Kimmel: Testimony, War Plans, miscellaneous
54	Kimmel: Reports, Statements vol. 1 and 2
54	Exhibits 1 - 18
54	Exhibits 18 - 64
54	Exhibits 64 - 113
54	Exhibits 119 - 131
54	Kimmel Exhibits , Hewitt Exhibits, Files
54	Kimmel Dispatches, Documents
54	Kimmel Instructions, Memoranda	1938-September 1943
54	Kimmel Memoranda, News Clippings
54	Kimmel News Clippings	September 7, 1943-December 7, 1961
54	Kimmel News Clippings, Newsletters, Notebooks, Orders
54	Kimmel Files
54	Kimmel Files, Findings, Reports
54	Kimmel Pamphlets, Findings, Reports
54	Microfilm Record of letters about the book, "Admiral Kimmel's Story" (1955)
	Microfilm of Kimmel papers, Second Generation microfilm (20 rolls)
Box
55-56	Second Generation microfilm complete; no copy of microfilm record of letters about the book, "Admiral Kimmel's Story" (1955)	1907-1965

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941

Personal Names

Barnes, Harry Elmer, 1889-1968
Bloch, Claude Charles, 1878-1967
Cannon, Clarence, 1879-1964
Kimmel family
Safford, Laurance F.
Short, Walter Campbell, 1880-1949
Stark, Harold R. (Harold Raynsford), 1880-1972

Corporate Names

Roberts Commission on the Facts of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor (U.S.)
United States Navy

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