Inventory of the B-26 Marauder Archives, Henry C. Beck Jr. Collection 1928-1992

Biography of Henry C. Beck Jr.

Henry C. Beck Jr. was the Chief Photo-intelligence Officer of the 397th Bombardment Group (M)

Henry C. Beck Jr. (1919-2004) was born to Henry C. Beck Sr. and Lorena Black Beck of Cleveland, Ohio on February 16, 1919. His interest in photography began at the age of 12 when he was part of a school program for talented children. He graduated from Kent State University with a four year degree in 1941 and enlisted in the U.S. Army that October. He requested to be a photographer in the Army Air Corps. A week after the attack on Pearl Harbor he was asked to attend Officer Candidate School and after a short assignment in Boca Raton, Florida he attended air intelligence school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Upon completion of the air intelligence school he was sent to MacDill Field in Tampa, Florida and assigned as a photo interpreter in the 397th Bomb Group. The 397th moved to England in April of 1944 and was assigned to the 9th Air Force. From their base in Rivenhall the 397th helped prepare for D-Day by attacking coastal defenses, V-weapon facilities, bridges, airfields and marshalling yards. The 397th moved to France in August of 1944 and Holland in April of 1945 providing support for the allied drive to Germany. Beck rose to become the Chief Photo Intelligence Officer for the Bomb Group. In 1946 Beck edited and published a collection of photographs from the Bomb Group entitled The 397th Bomb Group: A Pictorial History. Beck married Carol Nellie Crites on September 3, 1950. He worked as a color editor and photo editor for various newspapers and in 1960 returned to Kent State University to teach Press Photography. Retiring from the university in 1984 he remained active travelling, planning exhibits and as a member numerous organizations including the B-26 Marauder Historical Society and Ninth Air Force Association.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of photographic material from Beck's service in the 397th Bomb Group and German postcards and souvenir photographs. Of particular note in this collection are the combined mission reports and strike photographs of the 397th Bomb Group from April 20, 1944 through April 20, 1945. The series of print material includes Beck's collection of photographic intelligence, interpretation and equipment manuals. Other print material includes newspapers from 1938 and 1945, souvenir books, photocopies of magazine articles with commentary, and a picture book about Hunter Field. The artifact series consists of objects used or collected by Beck. Of note in this series are the examples of propaganda leaflets that were to be dropped over enemy territory, a message pouch, aircraft recognition models, and a saw blade from an escape kit.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Restrictions on Access

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

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Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], B-26 Marauder Archives, Henry C. Beck Jr. Collection, Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio.

Detailed Description of The Collection