Guide to the Clifford L. Alderman Papers, 1950-1991

Clifford Lindsey Alderman was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on August 5, 1902. Alderman, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1924, resigned from naval service, June 4, 1924. In 1942 he re-joined the military as a Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve, resigning as a Commander in 1954. Among his reserve duties, Alderman served as ordnance and gunnery instructor, Naval R.O.T.C., Holy Cross College, and commanding officer of the Navy V-12 units at Millsaps College and Middlebury College.

Clifford Alderman was a professional writer, who authored a large number of books (primarily young adult non-fiction) and contributed short stories and articles to national magazines. In his earlier career, he performed editorial and public relations work and was editor of Shipping News, Our Navy and Via Port of New York. He also studied chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked briefly as fourth officer on a Ward liner and as a fuels engineer, U.S. Bureau of Mines. Clifford Alderman died June 14, 1988.

The Clifford L. Alderman Papers span the years 1950 through 1991 and consist of letters from Alderman to his friend and former schoolmate, Moritz A. Kuhn, a photocopy of the typescript of Alderman’s book, The Perfect One with related correspondence, a bibliography of Alderman’s books, and periodical clippings. Among the correspondence (with envelope postmarked May 18, 1976) is a wrought iron nail from one of Benedict Arnold’s ships that fought at Valcour Island.