Among its first manuscript acquisitions were the extensive official and personal papers of General Johnson himself, who donated them to the Military History Research Collection upon his retirement from the Army.
During his term, he approved a recommendation to establish at Carlisle Barracks a library and a repository of documents to encourage the study of military history.
Among its first manuscript acquisitions were the extensive official and personal papers of Johnson himself, who donated them to the Military History Research Collection upon his retirement from the Army.
The collection's holdings expanded rapidly during the 1970s and began to draw serious researchers from across the country; in 1972 an annual visiting professor position was created, with Theodore Ropp of Duke University as its first holder.
Although configured as a scholar-in-residence program, in practice most holders of the chair assumed informal roles within the Army War College itself, engaging with student seminar groups and teaching elective courses.