Description
Inscribed first edition of They Called It “Purple Heart Valley:” A Combat Chronicle of the War in Italy by Margaret Bourke-White, first female war correspondent of World War II.
Octavo, viii, 182pp,[1]. Beige cloth covers, titles stamped on spine. No additional printings listed on copyright page. Light wear to boards, fold at lower corner of frontispiece and half-title, otherwise a fine example. In the publisher’s scarce dust jacket, chipping along edges, $3.00 retail price on front flap, bright illustrations.
Inscribed on the front free endpaper: “For Ace Williams, who photographed me the first time I put on this war correspondent’s uniform – and this is a pleasant memory. Sincerely, Margaret Bourke-White.”
Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971) was the first known female war correspondent of World War II. In 1941, she traveled to the Soviet Union as German forces were advancing on Moscow, documenting the battle. She covered U.S. army operations in North Africa, Italy and Germany. While in Italy, she became the first female war correspondent to fly on a combat mission. Later in the war, she documented the Buchenwald concentration camp while covering General George S. Patton.
