Marion Fischer Collection
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This photograph originates from the extensive Type 1 photo collection of Mrs. Marion Fischer, a civilian who played a unique role in preserving U.S. military history. During World War II, Fischer worked with the Emergency Aid of Pennsylvania, initiating an independent project to send comfort kits—containing toiletries, writing materials, and small keepsakes—to U.S. Marines. She personally appealed to friends, donors, and celebrities to support the effort.
Following the war, Fischer began writing to Marine Corps officers requesting photographs, biographical notes, and memorabilia to document the war effort. Over the years, she assembled a private collection of over 500 original press and personal photographs—primarily Navy and USMC—spanning from Pearl Harbor through the Korean War. Many of the images in her collection appear to have never been officially published.
Fischer displayed these items in her home and welcomed Marines to view them. After her death, parts of her archive were accessioned by the U.S. Marine Corps and are now preserved as Coll/858 in the USMC Archives. Other materials, including this photo collection, were retained by her estate and later dispersed through private sales and auctions.
This photograph forms part of that privately held segment and maintains a clear chain of custody linking it to Fischer’s original World War II–era documentation efforts.
Marion Fischer Collection (COLL/858) at the Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections