Claude E. Fike Collection

Claude Edwin Fike, son of Claude Edwin and Rosa Pegram Fike, was born in Delmar, Maryland, on March 31, 1920, and grew up in North Carolina. Shortly after completing his B.A. degree at Duke University in June 1941, Fike enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve's V-7 Officers Training Program.

He was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in 1942 and served for four years on active duty in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters as a watch officer, commanding officer of a coastal transport, senior watch officer and gunnery officer on an attack transport. he was released from active duty in 1946 as a lieutenant commander.

Dr. Fike was a teaching fellow at the University of Illinois. He served as an instructor at the Carnegie Mellon University and as assistant professor and associate professor at the College of Charleston (S.C.).

Dr. Fike joined the University of Southern Mississippi as an associate professor of history in 1957 and attained professor status. He was named Dean of the College of Liberal Arts in 1961 and served in that capacity until 1976. From 1976 until his retirement in 1986, he served as University Archivist and Director of the William David McCain Library and Archives.

Fike was active in all aspects of campus life at USM, serving on faculty and student committees and councils. He was recognized as outstanding teacher of the year at USM in 1960 and won the American Security Council Excellence award in 1967, the Sons of the American Revolution Meritorious Service Medal in 1983 and the Silver Good Citizenship Medal in 1985.

He was a longtime member of the Mississippi Historical Society, contributed to Mississippi historiography through publications, was active part of the Hattiesburg Arts Commission, Hattiesburg Historical Society, and the Kiwanis Club.

Claude Edwin Fike, III, passed away August 4, 1994 at the age 74.