Research Collection at USAHEC
Ridgway Hall at the United States Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) is one of the largest military history libraries in the world and is constantly acquiring new material. It is a robust collection comprised of over 14 million pages of manuscripts and 3 million photographs. The archives also include veteran surveys, oral histories, books, classified documents, military publications and periodicals, maps and artifacts. The Army Heritage Center Foundation supports and promotes efforts to enhance this invaluable collection.
The library plays a key role in developing the advancement of both military and civilian strategic leaders. Ridgway Hall is open to the public, yet requires an online reservation to schedule a research appointment. The waiting period is normally seven days. Walk ins are not permitted. USAHEC is working hard to digitize the collection and make it available to the public using a commercial search engine. You can access this by clicking the Search Collection link below.
Researcher-for-Hire
The Army Heritage Center Foundation contracts highly skilled researchers who are familiar with the vast resources Ridgway Hall has to offer. The Researcher-For-Hire service is provided to assist patrons who are unable to conduct on-site research. Our researchers carry out simple small-scale searches to find information on family or unit history to lengthy detailed searches into military campaigns, documentaries and graduate level dissertations. The turn around time for this service is roughly two weeks. If applicable, a quote for the cost of digital documents or photo reproductions will be provided. The archives have the ability to produce high resolution reproductions for a fee.
Research Fellowships
In honor of Lieutenant Colonel John William Whitman, the Army Heritage Center Foundation is pleased to announce the LTC John William Whitman Research Grant. This grant of up to $1,750 is designed to provide monetary support to unfunded independent researchers who are working on under-explored topics of military history. Funded research is to be conducted at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) in Carlisle, Pa. Applicants interested in the LTC John William Whitman Research Grant should submit an application including a proposed project budget, to the Army Heritage Center Foundation not later than May 1. Awarding of the grant will occur not later than May 31. Grant funds must be expended not later than August 31, 2024.
Graduate students in good standing may apply for the annual Ruth Fellowship. One student will be selected to receive a $1,500 research fellowship to engage in a concentrated 3 week summer research program with the Army Heritage Center Foundation (AHCF) at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Funding for the award is graciously provided by AHCF Board Member, Christopher Gleason, in memory of and to honor the service of two members of his family.
Applicants are not limited to topics of military history but may apply to work on any topic that can be supported by the USAHEC collection. Applicants are encouraged to consult USAHEC’s online catalog and identify resources they would like to utilize for their research and include in their application. Currently, research at USAHEC is by appointment only, so the awardee will need to coordinate with USAHEC staff for an appointment and provide a pull list of materials in advance.
Applications are due to the Foundation by May 1 for review. Notification will be provided to the recipient by May 15.
Reference Bibliographies
To aid researchers, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center offers bibliographies of source materials and research guides. Notable is a World War I Holdings reference bibliography compiled in honor of Ms. Louise Arnold-Friend, former Chief, Processing Branch, and in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I.
USAHEC WWI Holdings Reference Bibliography
General Maxwell Thurman and Dr. Faris Kirkland Oral History Interviews
On Saturday, February 18, 2023, the Army Heritage Center Foundation took possession to 17 oral history interviews of GEN Maxwell Thurman. Thurman was a significant leader in the Army during the 1970s and 1980 and played a key role in the renaissance of Army Recruiting Command and the Volunteer Army in the late 1970s.
Dr. (LTC) Faris Kirkland conducted the interviews while GEN Thurman was undergoing medical treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center between 1993 and 1995. Dr. Kirkland’s Literary Executrix, Ms. Linette Sparacino, with the consent of the Kirkland Family, decided to make these interviews available as public documents with the intent that they will be useful for military scholars and others interested in various aspects of military leadership and military affairs.
A Preface is available to provide context about how the interviews came about, as well as facilitating understanding and use of these interviews. This document is listed as a link below.
The Foundation has placed the digital versions of the tapes on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnGXJ1-GLYGJjXCyOr4uVrQ). The tapes and the transcripts were transferred to the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in July 2023.
Transcription of the Thurman Kirkland Interviews