Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Audio Recording David L. Quaid Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) (Merrill's Marauders); Chinese 38th Division; British 36th Division; Mars Task Force; 164th Signal Photo Company
- Location of Service: China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater; California
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
David Quaid didn't just see action in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II; he filmed it. Before the war, he had been a freelance news cameraman, so he made sure that once he was drafted he got assigned to the Signal Corps. Not satisfied with carrying a camera rather than a rifle, Quaid sought out the front lines, first working with the legendary general Vinegar Joe Stilwell and then hooking up with Merrill's Marauders. His collection includes a lengthy audio interview as well as his own video history of the Marauders, complete with some of his own footage and interviews with many surviving comrades.
More Resources
David L. Quaid Collection
Interview / Recording
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PlayUsing friends who were in the Signal Corps to put in a good word for him as a photographer; training on an Imo, a 35mm film camera that weighed only 15 pounds; getting transferred into the Signal Corps and offered a commission, which he turned down. 00:15:22.5 - 00:23:06.9
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PlayOn maneuvers, in charge of three tough guys who beat him up to see if he would fight back. 00:26:15.4 - 00:30:03.3
David L. Quaid Collection
Interview / Recording
David L. Quaid Collection
Interview / Recording
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PlayCarrying a picture of himself signed by Lt. General Stilwell with the message that Quaid be accorded anything he wanted; tracking a tiger; finding a booby-trap instead. 00:00:02.5 - 00:05:42.5
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PlayDifficulty of working with the Chinese; Quaid refusing to use chopsticks; another more deadly case of not wanting to lose face; during the battle of Myitkina, trying without success to warn a Chinese boy of the danger of gunfire. 00:06:52.4 - 00:16:25.0
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PlayHis friendship with "Newsreel" Wong; Japanese suicide attacks against tanks; a disagreement over directing footage; Wong saying the Japanese had a bounty on his head for a famous shot he took of an abandoned Chinese baby in a Shanghai train station. 00:17:12.4 - 00:24:55.7
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PlayPhotographing Stilwell; getting orders to document the construction of the Ledo Road, so he went AWOL to stay with the Marauders; Stilwell and another officer turning their backs on his camera as they discussed secret plans. 00:25:03.1 - 00:30:59.6
David L. Quaid Collection
Interview / Recording
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PlayA close shave with a Japanese machine gunner; the chaplain putting himself in danger; though he was not permitted to shoot casualties, he did for a buddy who had saved his life; chaplain lecturing his buddies on Quaid's responsibilities. 00:07:43.6 - 00:12:01.8
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PlaySending his footage back to be developed with a wounded soldier; plane crashed and film was nearly discarded, but a reporter for Yank rescued one box and took it back with him. 00:15:54.2 - 00:18:17.6
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PlayGetting hit with a bag of mule feed free-dropped from a C-47 and surviving; meeting a doctor he had seen earlier; in traction for five months; refusing another commission; flying home; arriving the day that FDR died. 00:19:34.1 - 00:31:19.0
David L. Quaid Collection
Interview / Recording
Show more resources (8)
About this Item
Title
- David L. Quaid Collection
Names
- J. Swan
- Quaid, David L.
- Piazza, Philip
- Swan, A.
- Merrill's Marauders Association
State of Birth
- NY
Home State
- MA
Headings
- - Quaid, David L.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- Veteran
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) (Merrill's Marauders); Chinese 38th Division; British 36th Division; Mars Task Force; 164th Signal Photo Company
- Location of Service: China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater; California
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1942-1945
- Military Status: Veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran refused a commission twice.
Materials
- Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [6 items] -- (collected 1944 - 1946)
- Manuscript: Printed matter [11 items] -- (collected 1944)
- Audio: Audio Cassette [3 items] -- Oral history interview (collected 08/27/2005)
- Video: VHS [2 items] -- Motion picture film (collected 1995)
- Video: VHS [2 items] -- Reference copy (collected 04/10/2007)
- Manuscript: Clippings [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2/26/2010)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/29895
Cite as
- David L. Quaid Collection (AFC/2001/001/29895), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
Service Unit
- 164th Signal Photo Company
- 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) (Merrill's Marauders)
- British 36th Division
- Chinese 38th Division
- Mars Task Force