Lt. John E. Binnion World War II Collection
Lt. John Edward Binnion (1918-2002) was a World War II veteran, professor, and president of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The bulk of this collection consists of letters written by John E. Binnion documenting his time serving in the military during World War II. Also included are photographs and news clippings documenting Binnion's military service and life afterwards.
Biographical and Historical Note
Lt. John Edward Binnion (1918-2002) was a World War II veteran, professor, and president of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He was born in Paris, Texas, and attended the University of Texas before enlisting in the Texas National Guard in 1940. He was selected for Officers Candidate School in 1942 and after graduating was deployed as a first lieutenant in North Africa and Italy. He was wounded by an artillery shell explosion in February 1944, and later served on General George Patton's staff. After returning to the United States, he served in the Colorado State Guard, had a career as an accounting professor and dean of business administration at Cleveland State University. He also was national commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart as well as president of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Foundation.
Collection Overview
The bulk of this collection consists of letters written by John E. Binnion documenting his time serving in the military during World War II. Most of these letters were written 1941-1942 to his parents, although there are a few letters from 1943-1944. Other items in the collecion include photographs, mostly from Binnion's World War II service; news clippings about Binnion, Texas politician John Nance Garner, and former soldier James M. Caviness; and scrapbook and wallet materials including poems, photos, some army documents, postcards, genealogy and family tree materials, and a certificate of appreciation from the Democratic National Committee, 1996.
Administrative Information
- Publication Information
- Processed by Kate Trathen, 2025 December
- Access Restrictions
- This collection is open for researchers.
- Copyright Notice
- The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
- Preferred Citation
- Lt. John E. Binnion World War II Collection (MS1011), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.