Colonel Elliot White Springs, decorated war veteran

May 30, 2011

As we reflect on our military history and personnel this Memorial Day, it seems appropriate to honor Colonel Elliot White Springs, former chairman of Springs Cotton Mills and grandfather to Springs Creative’s owner, Derick Close.

Elliott White Springs • 1896-1959

SC ETV’s Legacy of Leaders series described Elliott White Springs as “a man of so many talents that it would be difficult to choose any one of his accomplishments as his most outstanding.” At his death, he was chairman of Springs Cotton Mills, the seventh-largest textile company in the United States, and the world’s largest producer of sheets and pillowcases. He was the creative genius behind the innovative series of humorous, risqué ads that made Springmaid sheets a household word and changed the course of American advertising. Springs was also a leading philanthropist founding the Springs Foundation, Inc. in 1942; a world renowned author of several books including “The Diary of an Unknown Aviator,” a WWI classic, and the fifth ranked Flying Ace of WW I.

A native South Carolinian born in Lancaster, Elliott White Springs was educated at Culver Military Academy and the Princeton University. After graduation in 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corps aviation section. Springs trained with the Royal Flying Corps at Oxford University, and by age 22, was the squadron commander attaining the rank of top sergeant serving with 85th Squadron. After recovering from wounds received in action on 27 June 1918, he was reassigned to the USAS’s 148th Aero Squadron in France under the operational control of the RAF.

By the end of the war; he was the fifth ranked U.S. WW I Flying Ace credited with 16 confirmed combat victories, 11 during the Allied advance on the Cambrai Sector. He received the US Distinguished Service Cross, the British Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Aero Club of America Medal of Honor and Merit awarded in recognition of valor and distinguished service during World War 1.

Springs also served in World War II joining the US Army Corps in 1941 and attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1942 as the Executive officer, Charlotte Air Base at Morris Field.

Sources:
Springs Close Family Archives, Fort Mill, SC
WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA, V 31, (1960-1961)
South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame1992
HYPERLINK “http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/springs.php” The Aerodrome - Elliott White Springs
HYPERLINK “http://www.foundmedia.org/wb_1.html” Foundation for New Media - Elliott White Springs
HYPERLINK “http://www.knowitall.org/legacy/laureates/Elliott%20White%20Springs.html” South Carolina Business Hall of Fame profile
HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_White_Springs” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_White_Springs
HYPERLINK “http://www.thespringsclosefoundation.org/” http://www.thespringsclosefoundation.org/

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