Missing in action; Military hospitals; Military discharges; War casualties;
A friend of Jim's writes to Ellis after Jim is goes missing. He says that he and Jim shared a birthday and read each other's mail to the other. In doing so, they came to know the other's mother quite well. He tells Mrs. Lardner that he would...
Convalescent hospitals; Military hospitals; Reading;
Caption on postcard: Departamento de hidroterapia. James writes to his brother about being injured by shrapnel and is currently reading Marxist literature in the hospital.
Commendation card awarded posthumously to James Lardner. David Gordon (Lardner24) had a card made for Lardner before the International Brigade left Spain. Gordon was detained at a French concentration camp in February 1939 and in 1948,...
Missing in action; War casualties; Memorabilia; Photographs; Veterans' organizations; Veterans;
Copy of letter. Sheean discusses going through Jim's things after his death, destroying his papers, but keeping passport photos for himself, Walter Kerr, and Mrs. Lardner, for when she is ready. He has also doled about Jim's clothing and food to...
Franco's agent in the United States' responds to Mrs. Lardner's letter that presumably asks for help in locating Jim. De Cardenas promises he will do his best to help Mrs. Lardner.
Gordon writes to Ring in order to pass along Jim's posthumous commendation for fighting fascism in Spain. Gordon apologizes for the long wait. He writes that when he was detained and searched at the French concentration camp of St. Cyprien in...
James is currently away from fighting and tells his mother it is a miracle he wasn't hit. Promises to wire a note assuring her he is safe once he is far enough away from the artillery. He is glad to have gotten his mother's letter which caught him...
Newspapers; Wounds & injuries; Military hospitals; Bombardment; Bombers; Air warfare; Convalescent hospitals;
James recounts his being wounded during the Ebro Offensive. He describes his wounds and the bombardment. He is currently in a hospital with nothing to read. He intends to write a newspaper piece about his ordeal and have Walter Kerr of the Herald...
James relates the story of his tooth abscess. He concerned about the dental bill and is prepared to put up a fight if he is overcharged; he will visit the dentist for his twentieth follow-up. He discusses having a bout of eczema, which has cleared...
James writes that he is about to go into battle but is not at all nervous. He is now a corporal and in charge of four men. He talks about the long march to his current location and going into a nearby town where he had an omlette and wine. Censor...
James writes to his mother explaining his new appearance: tan skin, shorter hair, slimmer. He will be sending this letter through Joe North of the Daily Worker who will send it air mail from Barcelona to Paris.
James writes to his mother that contrary to the advice of Vincent "Jimmy" Sheean, he has decided to enlist to fight. He also asked Ernest Hemingway for advice; he thought it was a noble idea, but a personal one. James includes on page two his...
Military life; Military maneuvers; Military training; Censorship; Fascists;
Jim describes his daily routine and training to his mother. Mentions that he has seen Jimmy Sheean, Joe North, and Leigh White and they have brought him two letters, one of which is from Mrs. Lardner. He asks his mother to stop asking him to come...
Postal service; Postal service employees; Correspondence; War; Sunburns; Machine guns; Cannons; Military life;
Jim describes to his mother the excitement of receiving mail and, as he writes the letter, the postman is standing on a barrel calling out recipients' names. Jim says that he just stepped outside and he can hear the cannon fire and see flashed on...
Jim discusses reading material with his brother. Gives Ring an update on the current politics of Spain. Discusses the Communists and the Radical Socialists, who are anti-fascist but seem not to be pro-Popular Front. He discusses the government of...
Military hospitals; Convalescent hospitals; Wounds & injuries;
Jim reports on the progress of his injuries. He has walked into town without a limp and has been enjoying the easy life at his hospital. He believes there is still a piece of shrapnel in his leg. He compares his hospital to "an old people's...
Military training; Political issues; Politics & government;
Jim tells his brother that in the two months he has been in the Lincoln Battalion, he has not seen a single day of fighting. Nonetheless, he spends his time practicing infantry techniques. Jim says that he can't give Ring the inside scoop on the...
Jim tells his mother he will be going to Spain for his vacation, but promises to stay out of harm's way. He hopes that his research in Spain will lead to his writing a book. He has started taking Spainish lessons in preparation of his trip and...
Typewriters; Military occupations; Fascists; Weddings; Employment; Newspaper industry; Travel; Homesickness;
Jim writes to his brother about working with a difficult writer, Marcel Rivet, who has taken Jim's typewriter. He has enclosed a story by Rivet that Jim helped edit in English. He is hoping that if Ring can sell the story, it might encouraged...
Communism; Politics & government; Political parties; Fourth of July celebrations; Fruit; Olive trees;
Jim writes to his mother about her feelings on communism. He tells her about the communist ideology and that communists are not violent, unless the government has been forcibly overthrown. He thinks she has not given Soviet Russia the credit it...
