A Guide to the World War II Soldiers' Collections, 1941-1945


Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	World War II Soldiers
	Title:	World War II Soldiers' Collections
	Dates:	1941-1945
	Abstract:	Letters, diaries, military records, newspaper clippings and ephemera (circa 1910 – circa 1986, [bulk 1941-1945]), document the experiences and views of approximately fifty American soldiers who served during the Second World War.
	Accession No.:	2004-072
	Extent:	13 feet, 6 inches
	Laguage:	Materials are written in English.
	Repository:	Center for American History,The University of Texas at Austin

Biographical Note

See each soldier's Creator's Sketch and Scope Note

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The collections include writings by eighteen members of the United States Army Infantry, fourteen members of the United States Army Air Corps, three in clerical divisions, two in the United States Army Signal Corps and others who served with military bands, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Women’s Army Corps. Seventeen of the soldiers served within the United States, ten served in the European Theater, eight in the Mediterranean Theater and others in various parts of the world. Major themes include loneliness and longing, frustration with military bureaucracy, desire for promotion, the rigors of service, food, and events of daily life. Each soldier’s papers form a separate series within the general collection.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Unrestricted access

Use Restrictions

Unrestricted use

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Index Terms


		World War, 1939-1945 United States
		World War, 1939-1945 Aerial operations, American
		World War, 1939-1945 Personal narratives, American
		Soldiers-United States
		Soldiers-Religious life
		World War, 1939-1945 Women

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

World War II Soldiers’ Collections (1941-1945), the Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

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Detailed Description of the Papers

LEONARD A. CAMPBELL PAPERS,
1943-1944
(2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

United States Army Air Corps Pilot Leonard A. Campbell of Dallas, Texas married Louie Pearl (Moody) Campbell in March 1943. From September 1943 to July 1944 he was stationed in Hawaii. He flew a PBY seaplane, with extended tours to the Marshal and Fiji islands.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Campbell’s 131-page manuscript diary contains daily entries from September 1943 to July 1944. Entries describe flights guarding convoys and other maneuvers in the Hawaiian Islands, the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, Wake Island and Fiji. The diary also includes accounts of accidents and the deaths of fellow servicemen, Campbell’s Catholic devotions, movies, sports, events on base, maintenance of his seaplane “Old Fearless,” and other incidents of life and war. The collection includes ephemera and photographs of two postwar airplane wrecks.

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2J25

Diary, 1943-1944

Ephemera 1939-1962

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3T261

Photographs, 1968 and [ca. 1950]

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SERGEANT E. RAY CARSON PAPERS,
1941-1943
(9 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Sergeant E. Ray Carson served with the 107th Marine Cavalry Band from 1941 through 1943, at various locations including Camp Young and Fort Ord, in California. In 1943 he married Eleanor Gross. Their daughter, Joan Dianne Carson, was born on August 1, 1944. During 1944 Ray Carson served with the 122nd Army Band at a base in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. In the early 1950s the Carson family moved to Akron, Ohio.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred and twenty one letters and telegrams (1942-1944) by Ray Carson to Eleanor Carson recount his experiences during training, playing music at military venues, and details of life on various military bases. Thirty-five letters by Eleanor Carson (1943-1944) to her family describe her life in California and the birth of her child. The collection also includes letters by various family members to Eleanor and Ray Carson, a notebook kept by Eleanor Carson containing instructions for operating a manual calculator, a small amount of World War I ephemera, and an undated map of the Central Valley Project, California.

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2J25

Correspondence, January 1935 – July 1943

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2J26

Correspondence, August 1943 – December 1955

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3S186

Map, [ca. 1950]

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MAJOR WILLIAM B. COLGAN PAPERS,
1942-1945
(4 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

William B. Colgan of Waycross, Georgia was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corps in June, 1942. After basic training at Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi, he trained at army air bases including Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado and the Advanced Flying School in Eagle Pass, Texas. He instructed other students and continued his studies into 1943, flying a PT 19A Fairchild. He also played on and managed Army Air Corps baseball teams. In 1943 Colgan was transferred to North Africa; by November he was in Sicily where he served through 1945, flying a P-40 pursuit airplane. In April 1945 his airplane was hit over Germany; he tried to eject and ended up hanging from the open cockpit, then regained control and landed. He received the Purple Heart.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Colgan’s sixty-two letters to his family in Waycross, Georgia (1942-1943) describe his experiences during training, sightseeing tours, daily events and baseball games. Several letters describe maneuvers that Colgan performed in his airplane, his and other pilots’ concern over maintaining their night vision, and the funeral of a trainee killed during night maneuvers. Letters from Italy (1943-1945) mention Colgan’s disgust with army food, his longing for home, bar fights, overturned jeeps and other incidents including the 1945 air attack over Germany.

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2J26

Correspondence, 1918, January 1942 – December 1945

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3T261

Photographs, 1942-1945

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LIEUTENNANT FRANK CUTTER PAPERS,
1942-1944
(4 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Lieutenant Frank Cutter piloted a P51 for the 486th Fighter Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps. During 1943 Cutter was stationed in Portsmouth, England.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred letters written by Frank Cutter to Eleanor Gross describe experiences on base and in flight, Cutter’s love of flying, his concerns about the past and the future, drunken parties and hangovers, activities around base, and the deaths of fellow servicemen.

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2J26

Correspondence, April 1942 – June 1942

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2J27

Correspondence, May 1942 – September 1944

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PRIVATE PETER G. FAZIO JUNIOR PAPERS,
1942-1945
(16 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Private Peter G. Fazio, Junior (b. 1922) of Belleville, New Jersey worked as a night club singer under the nickname “Silky Boy.” In 1939 he was incarcerated for stabbing a man. In 1942 he was inducted into the army and sent to Camp Crowder, Missouri where he continued to have discipline problems, but scored high on army intelligence tests. He was assigned to the 114th Signal Radio Intelligence division, trained at various bases in Missouri and Tennessee, and went to England in February, 1944. From late 1944 through 1945 he served in Belgium and France. After the war he married Daisy Del Guercio of Belleville.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Peter Fazio’s 435 letters to Daisy Del Guercio cover his training in the USA and subsequent service in Europe. Letters from 1942-1943 recount Fazio’s experiences during training, his disgust with army discipline, his visits to the honkey tonks and “cat towns” of St Louis and Memphis, and relations with “ward boys” from his old neighborhood who had been posted to the same bases as himself. Letters from overseas record his experiences as a radio man and digressions upon topics such as Catholicism and "The Rubiyat of Omar Khayyam." The collection includes German propaganda leaflets in English, and pages from war-era newspapers that Fazio enclosed in his letters.

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2J27

Correspondence, 1937 – May 1943

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2J28

Correspondence, June 1943 – June 1944

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2J28b

Correspondence, July 1944 – June 1945

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2J121

Correspondence, July 1945 – January 1957

Ephemera, 1937-1945

Newspaper clippings, 1945

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3T261

Photographs, 1943 - 1945

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3S186

Newspaper clippings 1945

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FIRST LEIUTENANT HERBERT FINE PAPERS,
1944-1945
(16 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Herbert Fine served with the United States Army 219th Field Artillery, Batallion A, at military bases in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In 1944 he joined the 175th Field Artillery, C Battery, and served at various locations in Italy until September 1945. He married Edith Schreider upon returning to the United States in 1945.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Four hundred and forty letters by Herbert Fine to Edith Schreider of the Bronx, New York recount Fine’s loneliness and longing to return home to his “darling.” The letters also describe daily activities, army hikes, travels in the Naples region, and Fine’s opinions about movies and shows. Some of the letters enclose newspaper clippings from Stars and Stripes and other papers, souvenirs and sheet music. The collection also includes 28 letters (1945) from members of the Fine family to Edith Shreider concerning her upcoming wedding.

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2J121

Correspondence, August 1944 – September 1944

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2J122

Correspondence, October 1944 – June 1945

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2J123

Correspondence, July 1945 – December 1946

Ephemera, 1945-1946

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3T261

Photographs, 1945

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3S186

Newspaper clippings, 1944 – 1945

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CORPORAL PAUL GITTEMY PAPERS,
1943
(3 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Paul Gittemy trained as an aircraft maintenance technician at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, California, then served with the 81st Squadron, 436th Troop Carrier Group at Baer Field, Indiana, the Alliance Army Air Base in Nebraska, and the Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base in North Carolina, all during 1943.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Seventy-two letters to Orpha Yarnell of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania recount Gittemy’s activities, his interactions with superiors and fellow soldiers, airplane maintenance, movies and training films, and incidents of daily life around the bases where he was stationed.

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2J123

Correspondence, March 1943 – June 1943

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2J124

Correspondence, July 1943 – August 1943

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PRIVATE ANTHONY GONNELLA PAPERS,
1942-1943
(2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Private Anthony Gonnella served with the 176th Infantry, Company H at Fort Benning, Georgia.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Anthony Gonnella’s collection consists of about 70 letters written by him and other members of his family. Letters written to his brother Bonaventure (“George”) Gonnella, a priest at the Passionist Monastary in Springfield, Massachusetts, describe conditions at Fort Benning and circumstances of Gonnella’s life there. Correspondence with his friend Vera de Rosa concerns social engagements and incidents related to the remodeling of the de Rosa jewelry factory in New York City. The collection includes several letters written to Bonaventure Gonnella by other Fort Benning soldiers, and four clippings from the 176th Infantry newspaper, "The Spirit of 176."

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2J124

Correspondence, November 1942 – December 1943

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PRIVATE CLARENCE GRACE PAPERS,
1932-1945
(17 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Clarence (Sam) Grace of Vandalia, Ohio attended Ohio State University and later worked for General Motors Aeroproducts. In 1943 he volunteered for military service along with a group of other propeller experts from General Motors and was sent overseas. He served with the U.S. Army Air Corps at Base Air Depot #1 in England, France and Germany. He returned to the United States in 1945.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Correspondence (approximately 440 letters, July 1943 – December 1945) between Clarence Grace and his wife Betty (Daughters) Grace recount their loving relationship and yearning to be together after the war. Letters from 1945 primarily concern plans for the future. A group of 110 pre-war letters (1936-1937) written by Clarence Grace to his family, cover his experiences at Ohio State University. The collection includes cards and holiday letters received by the Graces during their 1945 “second honeymoon” in Ogden, Utah. Ephemera with the collection includes military records, souvenir post cards, a broadside of the Ocean News, and dance cards from social events hosted by the Pershing Rifles, a military fraternal organization.

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2J124

Correspondence, January 1932 – December 1943

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2J125

Correspondence, January 1944 – June 1945

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2J126

Correspondence, July 1945 – December 1945

Correspondence, [1943-1945]

Military records, 1943-1945

Newspaper clippings, [1943-1945]

Postcards, [1943-1945]

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3T261

Photographs, [1943-1945]

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3S186

Broadside, [ca. 1944]

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SERGEANT HARLEY N. GROSSMAN AND PRIVATE WILLIAM KOUGH PAPERS,
1941-1945
(5 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

United States Army staff sergeant Harley Grossman of Omaha, Nebraska served from 1941 to 1945 with the 4th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group in the Mediterranean and North Africa. His unit received a Presidential citation for escorting bombers over Vienna on June 9, 1944. In later years he lived in Seattle, Washington and coordinated the activities of the “Fourth Fighter Squadron Reunion Association.” Private William Kough of Meadville, Pennsylvania, worked for the American Viscose Corporation until being drafted in 1942. He trained in San Antonio, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico, then at the Embry-Riddle School of Aviation in Florida during 1943, and later served in North Africa as an airplane mechanic and “sheet metal man” with the 41st Air Depot Group.

Archivist’s Note: The connection between Harley Grossman and William Kough is unclear. They both served in the Mediterranean theater during approximately the same time period, but there appears to be no material in the collection that directly links them. The Center for American History acquired these materials as a single collection and has kept them together, because the photographs and memorabilia may include items from both men.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Sergeant Grossman’s collection includes four small manuscript diaries with entries from November 1942 through June 1945, when Grossman was discharged and which he called “the best day in the world.” Entries record tent life in Corsica and various missions, as well as Grossman’s comments on the war news. There are two additional notebooks with class notes on airplane maintenance, two address books, and a file of correspondence from Grossman’s army buddies concerning reunions during the 1980s.

Private Kough’s materials consist of one small diary (January 1944 – July 1944), covering his advancement from rock hauler to mechanic. The diary includes brief notes of maintenance on airplanes with names such as “Windy City” and “Satan’s Kids,” and other events around the base. Kough’s scrapbook contains clippings and photos from his time in Albuquerque and San Antonio, military flight and driver licenses, army newsletters and some items concerning the American Viscose Corporation.

A file of approximately 100 photographs in the collection may contain items from either or both men.

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2J126

Harley Grossman, diaries and notebooks, 1941-1944

Harley Grossman, correspondence, 1982-1986

William Kough, diary, 1944

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2J127

William Kough, scrapbook, 1941-1945

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3T261

Photographs, [ca. 1900], [ca. 1941-1945]

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2.116/OD1275

Map, undated

William Kough, newspapers, 1943

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PRIVATE LESLIE HAAS PAPERS,
1943-1955
(18 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Leslie Haas was born in Montana in 1923. He was inducted into the United States Army in March 1943, trained at Camp Shelby in Mississippi, and served with Company B of the 202nd Engineers. Between 1943 and 1945 he served at various locations in England, Holland, Belgium, France and Germany. In 1945 Haas was wounded by a German Sniper and subsequently recuperated at the Moore General Hospital in Swannanoa, North Carolina. In 1946 he toured the western United States with his younger brother Leland, who subsequently entered the army, trained at Fort Lewis, Washington and served in Korea. During the 1950s Leslie Haas lived in Ohio.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred and forty three letters and 65 postcards (1943-1945) by Leslie Haas to his family recount his experiences and frustrations during training and his adventures in Europe, including capturing German soldiers, touring various cities and other incidents of war. Letters from 1945 concern Haas’ recuperation from a sniper wound and his experiences at the Moore Hospital. A letter from June 12 describes his meeting with Helen Keller. Post-1945 correspondence concerns Haas’ travels, his brother Leyland’s experiences in Korea, and the situation of his friend Edna Mead of El Paso, Texas, on trial for killing her mother in 1949. The collection also includes 150 letters by friends and family to Haas, and fourteen from an admiring French lady, Janice Raison of Saint Brieuc. In addition to correspondence, the collection includes a brief diary (1943) kept by Haas during his training in Mississippi, postcards and military records.

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2J127

Correspondence, April 1940 – March 1945

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2K152

Correspondence, April 1945 – December 1949

Correspondence, 1950-1951 and [ca. 1950-1951]

Correspondence, [1940-1951]

Newspaper clippings, [1943-1945]

Diaries, 1943, 1945, 1947

Bibles, 1941

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2K153

Certificates and ephemera, 1940-1950

Military Records, 1943-1945

Postcards, 1943-1945 and [ca. 1943-1945]

Postcards, 1948-1950

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3T261

Photographs, [circa. 1930 – circa. 1950]

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2.116/OD1275

Pocket map and clippings, [circa. 1943, circa. 1945], 1949

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SERGEANT FRANCIS J. HEALY PAPERS,
1943-1944
(9 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Francis Healy of Savannah, Georgia served with the United States Army Ski Cantonment at Camp Hale, Colorado. In 1943 he began corresponding with Jane Zdunowski of Bloomfield, New Jersey. After brief stints in Texas and Kansas, he was sent overseas. From June, 1944 he served with an artillery battalion near the front lines in France, and later in Germany as the front moved. At times Healy’s battalion was so close to the front that they were showered with allied propaganda leaflets intended for the Germans. During 1945 he was stationed at a former concentration camp in Germany.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred and fifty seven letters by Francis Healy to Jane Zdunowski of Bloomfield, New Jersey describe Healy’s experiences in training and at various military bases in the United States and Europe. Letters from 1943 mention army drills, mock battles in the snow at Camp Hale, and meetings of his informal drinking club, the Lower Basin Street Society. Some of the letters are round-robins, with paragraphs written by different people in the drinking club. Letters from 1944 (the bulk of the collection) describe military life in England, France and Germany, including comments about racial integration, action on the front, artillery barrages, attacks by Luftwaffe fighter planes and other incidents.

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2K153

Correspondence, August 1943 – September 1944

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2K154

Correspondence, October 1944 – December 1945

Correspondence, [1943 – 1945]

Ephemera, 1944 and [1944]

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3T261

Photographs, 1944

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3S186

"Yank" magazine clippings, 1944

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LIEUTENNANT JOHN JACOBSON PAPERS,
1942-1944
(7 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

John A. Jacobson served at Fort Lewis, Washington from September 1942 until May 1943. He completed basic training, served in Company Administration and applied for Officer Candidate School. He was accepted into the Quartermaster training program and transferred to Camp Lee, Virginia in early June 1943. There he completed his training and made preparations to bring his wife to Virginia with him.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Two hundred and twenty letters (1942-1944) from Jacobson to his wife in Sultan, Washington include detailed descriptions of Jacobson’s work, gossip and stories of events on base, concerns about the United States war effort, salary allotments, frustrations with army management, and arrangements for meetings and visits. Significant portions of the letters concern his Officer Candidate School (OCS) application and the interviews and tests related to it. Letters from Virginia include comments about OCS training, Jacobson’s concerns about his eventual reassignment, reflections on church sermons, and events at Camp Lee.

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2K154

Correspondence, September 1942 – July 1943

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2K155

Correspondence, August 1943 – January 1944

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REVEREND JOHN ELIAS JONES PAPERS,
1942-1945
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

The Rev. John Jones, a Presbyterian minister, lived in Richmond, Indiana during 1942-1945.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection consists of 22 letters received by Rev. Jones from male and female soldiers serving in various parts of the world, including bases in Texas and Indiana, Italy and New Guinea. The letters include social greetings, inquiries about the health of mutual friends in Indiana, and requests for information about military service options for theology students.

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2K155

Correspondence, 1942-1945

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SERGENT WARREN KINNEY PAPERS,
1943-1950
(10 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Warren Kinney served with the 316th General Hospital division. From 1943 to 1945 his assignments included support of German POWs at the 717th Military Police barracks in Hackettstown, New Jersey and similar duties at Fort Lewis, Washington and Camp Crowder, Missouri. He traveled with prisoners to Alabama, New Mexico and other states. In 1944 he served at the Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver. Kinney was transferred to the Philippines in April of 1945, where he lived in a tent at an army base near Manila. He was discharged in 1945 and later worked at a hospital in Schenectady, New York.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred and fifty-four letters (1942-1950) by Kinney to Thelma Sloff of Trenton, New Jersey include comments about his work on prisoner detail, his hopes for the future and family affairs. Letters from the Philippines mention Kinney’s work at the base and his frequent visits to Manila to watch movies or visit clubs. Letters from 1946 through 1950 recount details of Kinney’s work at the hospital in Schenectady. The correspondence includes a few letters and V-mails received by Thelma Sloff from other writers.

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2K155

Correspondence, March 1943 – June 1945

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2L389

Correspondence, July 1945 – December 1949

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2L390

Correspondence, 1950

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SERGEANT ALBERT LAMB PAPERS,
1946
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Albert Lamb of Sweetwater, Tennessee served in Belgium and later at the Bremerhaven Staging Area in Germany during 1946. He worked as a dispensary clerk and later as the clerk for an army dentist. He was made sergeant in August, 1946.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Twenty letters to Lamb’s family in Sweetwater, Tennessee mention hitchhiking through Germany on leave days, travel between various occupation zones, meeting fellow soldiers in various cities including Hamburg, explosions of leftover munitions, driving on “Hitler’s autobahn” with its bombed-out bridges, and other incidents in occupied Germany.

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2L390

Correspondence, 1946

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AGNES LEGAT PAPERS,
1940-1943
(13 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Agnes Legat lived with her mother in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 1940. In 1942 she moved to Brooklyn, New York. She had two brothers, John and Paul Legat, both in military service, and one sister, Catherine, who lived in Columbus, Ohio.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Agnes Legat’s collection consists of 350 letters written to her by various people between 1940 and 1943. The letters written by soldiers concern romance and possible marriage. Some of the letters have brief notations on them in the handwriting of Agnes Legat, indicating whether she answered the letter and other impressions. A group of general correspondence includes letters by soldiers, friends, acquaintances and family members. Other groups consist of letters written by individual soldiers including:

Corporal Stanley Dominick (35 items, 1942-1943) who served with the United States Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and later at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.
Sergeant Hartford Hartley (12 items, 1942-1943), who served at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.
Private John Legat (30 items, 1942-1943), Agnes Legat’s brother, who trained at Camp Lee, Virginia, Fort Lewis, Washington and later served in Alaska.
Private Paul Legat (20 items, 1943), Agnes Legat’s bother, who served at Fort George Mead, Maryland and Camp Wheeler, Georgia.
Private Rodney Pike (12 items, 1942), who served at Fort Jay, New York.
Sergeant Andrew Shouran (14 items, 1943), who served at Shreveport, Louisiana and the Desert Training Center at Indio, California.
Private William van Wagner (15 items, 1943), who served at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts and Sault Saint Marie, Michigan.
Private Warren Wooten (25 items, 1942-1943), who served at Fort DuPont, Delaware; Fort Harrelton, New York and in North Africa from April, 1943.

A group of undated correspondence includes a draft letter by Agnes Legat to a soldier’s mother, apologizing for his misrepresentations of their marriage. The collection also includes two pieces of sheet music, ephemera, photographs and one hand-colored Hawaiian postcard.

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2L390

General correspondence, January 1940 – May 1943

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2L391

General correspondence, June 1943– November 1943

General correspondence and drafts, [1942 – 1943]

Letters from Cpl. Stanley Dominik, July 1942 – November 1943

Letters from Sgt. Hertford Hartley, April 1942 – February 1943

Letters from Pvts. John and Paul Legat, August 1942 – November 1943

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2L392

Letters from Pvt. Rodney Pike, July – October 1942

Letters from Sgt. Andrew Shouran, July – December 1943

Letters from Pvt. William Van Wagner, March – May 1943

Letters from Pvt. Warren Wooten, June 1942 – September 1943

Sheet music and Ephemera, [1940 – 1943]

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SEAMAN (SECOND CLASS) CHARLES PICKERING PAPERS,
1943-1944
(1 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Charles Pickering served at the Brunswick Naval Air Station, Maine (1943) before being transferred to the Saint Simons Naval Air Station, Georgia (1943-1944), where he worked as a mechanic and carpenter, then later as a clerk.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Thirty-eight letters (1943-1944) by Pickering to his family in Ithaca, New York mention work at Saint Simons, social activities and trips to nearby towns. Several letters describe visits to Silver Springs nature park in Ocala, Florida. A letter of June 7, 1944 mentions Pickering’s reaction to news of the D Day invasions. A letter of June 28 mentions hunting alligators with a spotter plane and Thompson machine gun.

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2L392

Correspondence, September 1943 – June 1944

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PRIVATE DAVID RAGGIO PAPERS,
1943-1945
(5 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

David Raggio of Natchitoches, Louisiana served with the 879th Airborne Engineers at various bases in Louisiana and Massachusetts. He was later transferred to England, North Africa and India.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred thirty-six letters (1943-1945) by Raggio to his family and to Miss Lou Emer, whom he later married, concern his experiences in training and events on base, rifle range training, and descriptions of the countryside and agriculture in the regions where he was stationed. Letters from India include Raggio’s impressions of local people and their agriculture, foraging in the Himalaya foothills, Japanese raids and incidents in camp.

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2L392

Correspondence, 1943-1944

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2L393

Correspondence, 1945

Correspondence, June – December, [circa 1943-1945]

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HERBERT R. RICH PAPERS,
1943-1945
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Herbert Rich of Portland, Maine, served as an Army Air Force pilot. He left the United States in April 1943, stopped in Brazil and then crossed the Atlantic to Morocco. In July 1943 he took part in “Operation Husky,” the invasion of Sicily. Rich was in England at the time of the D-Day Invasion. In September his plane was hit by German anti-aircraft fire over Holland and returned to England with great difficulty.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Brief, vivid entries (April – September 1943) recount Herbert Rich’s activities. The collection includes three duplicate typescripts of the diary, a fragmentary manuscript letter describing the attack over Holland, and an undated clipping concerning the Sicilian invasion.

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2L393

Diary, April – September 1943

Correspondence and clippings, 1945, [circa 1945]

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SERGENT ENOCH M. ROBBINS PAPERS,
1942-1944
(6 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Enoch Robbins of Muncie, Indiana served at the New Orleans Army Air Base. His wife Helene joined him in July 1942 and they lived together in New Orleans. After brief stints in the Signal Corps and as an army cook, in August 1942 Robbins joined the 853rd Military Police, eventually rising to the rank of Sergeant. He performed police duties, worked as a “prisoner chaser” and later as a clerk in the personnel office. Helene worked as a retail clerk in New Orleans and later for the Greyhound Bus Lines.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred fifty-eight letters by Robbins to his family recount his efforts to bring his wife to New Orleans, family concerns, his activities as an MP, financial matters and plans for the future.

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2L393

Correspondence, April 1942 – May 1943

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2L394

Correspondence, June 1943 – January 1944

Correspondence, [circa 1942]

Military Ephemera, 1942, [1943]

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SERGENT JACK ROBBINS PAPERS,
1943-1945
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Jack Robbins trained in Arizona and California with the Army Corps of Engineers. In August 1943 he arrived in Australia where he worked building roads. During 1944 he made roads and airstrips on the islands of Los Negros, Wadke, Middleburg and Morotai. On Wadke and Morotai his company endured sustained bombardment by Japanese forces. From January to September 1945 he served in Manila. From October, 1945 he served in Tokyo and Niigata, Japan.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Robbins’ thirty-four page manuscript diary opens with a list of his Pacific landings. A ten page entry covers events from July 1943 to November 1944. Regular entries until May 1945 describe Japanese raids on American bases in Morotai and Wadke, and Robbins’ experiences in Manila. Two entries from late 1945 give impressions of Tokyo and Niigata. The collection includes names and addresses of Robins’ company, a ballad about the Corps, an informal “Neptune” certificate commemorating Robbins’ first crossing of the equator, photographs and service ribbons.

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2L394

Diary, July 1943 – October 1945

Ephemera, 1943, undated

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3T261

Photographs, [circa 1943]

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SERGENT WILLIAM ROBINSON PAPERS,
1944
(3 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

William Robinson of Gloucester, Massachusetts served in Italy with the United States Army, 17th Signal Radar Maintenance Unit. From August through December, 1944 he worked and trained at a depot in a small fishing village near Naples. In early November of that year his wife Blanche gave birth to a baby girl.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Seventy-one letters (1944) by Robinson to his wife include descriptions of travel to Naples, Sorrento and Pompeii as well as Robinson’s search for cameos and figurines. Letters of October 22-23 describe Robinson’s meeting with the Italian artist Leon Giuseppe Bruno (1888-1976). Letters from November recount his excitement on learning of the birth of his daughter Leslie. The collection includes religious tracts and ephemera.

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2L394

Correspondence, August – September 1944

Correspondence, October – December 1944

Religious tracts, [circa 1944]

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MAJOR F.E. SCHROECK PAPERS,
1943-1944
(1 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

F.E. Schroeck of San Antonio, Texas served as a planning officer for the 9th Air Force in North Africa, Sicily and Italy during 1944. In January of that year he was stationed in Bougarea near Algiers. He traveled several times to various parts of Italy, Spain and The United States. Later in the year he was stationed at Caserta near Naples.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

A 215 page manuscript diary recounts Schroeck’s experiences from January to October, 1944. Entries from February and March provide details about life in Algiers, planning missions to Italy in the wake of “Operation Shingle,” and visits to Caserta near the front lines. Other subjects include his loneliness and concerns for promotion, his experiences escorting a captured German officer to New York, a visit to Gibraltar and plans for the Allied invasion of southern France. Later entries describe camp life near Naples, including the explosion of a large ammunition dump. The collection includes ephemera and an address list of fellow soldiers.

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2L394

Diary, January - October 1944

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2L395

Ephemera, 1943-1944 and [circa 1943-1944]

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3T261

Photographs, [circa 1943-1944]

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ERNEST SWARTZ PAPERS,
1942-1943
(1 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Ernest Swartz lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during 1942-1943, where he had some connection with music or musical training. He received letters from soldiers serving in different parts of the world during the Second World War, all of whom played in military bands or were somehow connected with musical performance.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The bulk of the collection consists of forty-five letters written by Corporal William Wilder, who served with the United States Army 33rd Ferry Squadron in British Guiana and later in Natal, Brazil during 1942-1943. Wilder’s letters describe his activities playing the trumpet, trying to find work in a local band, experiences on base and in the clubs and bordellos of the town. The collection also includes ten letters from several other soldiers.

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2L395

Letters by William D. Wilder, 1942-1943

Correspondence, 1942-1943

Ephemera, 1943-1944

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STAFF SERGEANT HOWARD G. TALLMAN PAPERS,
1936-1945
(15 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Howard Tallman of Vienna, West Virginia worked at the Parkersburg Iron and Steel Company before joining the United States Army in 1943. He served with the 195th Ordinance Supply Depot Company in England, Germany and France. In September, 1944 his company landed at Normandy, moved into Belgium and traveled rapidly into central Europe. By February 1945 he was near Koln (Cologne), Germany. He remained in the town of Wetzlar for several months, handling parts requisitions for GMC trucks. In July 1945 his company received a distinguished service plaque. He spent most of September 1945 at the United States Army Study Center in Biarritz, France, before rejoining his company at his own request. He spent late 1945 at Camp Washington near Laon, France, awaiting return to the United States and to his wife Elsie.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Six hundred and fifty letters and V-mails (1943-1945) by Tallman to his wife in West Virginia recount Tallman’s love for his wife and desire to be with her, as well as family concerns. Some letters include incidental descriptions of his work at the supply depot, meals, concerns about bathing and washing clothes, United Service Organizations (USO) shows, movies, and other details of life in wartime England, France and Germany. Until 1945 the letters contain few specifics about places or movements; some of the earlier letters were cut by military censors. Letters from 1945 cover Tallman’s time in Wetzlar, Biarritz and at Camp Washington. The collection also includes a few 1936 letters related to employment, financial records and a football flyer from Camp Washington.

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2L395

Correspondence, 1936, August 1943 – August 1944

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2L396

Correspondence, September 1944 – October 1945

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2L397

Correspondence, November 1945 – December 1945

Correspondence (V-mail), 1943-1945

Ephemera, [1936-1945]

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3T261

Photographs, [1945]

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PRIVATE SEYMOUR TAUBIN PAPERS,
1942-1943
(4 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Seymour Taubin served as a shipping clerk for Company L, 1339 RC at Fort Dix, New Jersey. In February 1943 he was promoted to Noncommissioned Officer in charge of Administration for a newly formed Company G. In September 1943 he married Fran Zimmer of Brooklyn, New York.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred and thirty five letters (1942-1943), by Taubin to his wife primarily concern his love for her and desire to be with her. The letters also describe scheduling for visits, and include comments about family matters and Taubin’s acquaintances at Fort Dix.

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2L397

Correspondence, May 1942 – August 1943

Correspondence, [1942-1943]

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PRIVATE HELEN L. TAYLOR PAPERS,
1945-1946
(1 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Helen Taylor worked as a clerk in the billing department of the Standard Brands Corporation before joining the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in December 1944. During the next 14 months she served as a clerk and typist at bases in Iowa, Michigan and Illinois. She was honorably discharged in 1946.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Helen Taylor’s collection primarily consists of a United States Army service diary. Handwritten entries note her postings, meals and duties at army bases, daily activities and comments about the WACs’ mascot dogs “KP” and “V-J.” Newspaper clippings and ephemera pasted into the diary concern life among the WACs. The collection also includes a photograph of a WAC company, a school report card (1932-1933), military records, medals and a memorial card.

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2L398

Diary and copy of WAC Life (Women’s Army Corps handbook), 1945-1946

Documents and Certificates, 1932, [ca 1945-1946]

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3T261

Photographs, 1945

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FIRST LIEUTENANT JACOB R. WORST PAPERS,
1941-1945
(2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Jacob R. Worst of Millvale, Pennsylvania served with the 39th Air Base Group of the United States Army Air Corps. From 1941 through 1942 he worked in the payroll division at Gowen Field near Boise, Idaho. He and his wife Jerry were married in November, 1942. During 1943 he served at McLellan Field near Sacramento, California. In late 1943 Worst was ordered overseas, but the order was cancelled when his physical examination uncovered heart trouble. He was formally retired from the army on January 1, 1944 and subsequently worked as a professional draftsman. In April 1945 his brother, Lt. William Worst, died in an airplane wreck over West Virginia.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Jacob Worst’s service diary contains brief daily entries from December 1941 until October 1945. Entries mention his marriage, movies and shows, buying ration coupons, illness and time spent in hospital, transfers, letters received from his family in Pennsylvania, the birth of his daughter, his retirement from the army and later work. The collection also includes a clipping from the New York Times dated April 16, 1945 concerning his brother’s death, and his army uniform with insignia.

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2L398

Service diary, December 1941 – September 1945

Bible, [circa 1941]

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PRIVATE CLIVE L. WRIGHT PAPERS,
1944-1946
(8 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

Clive Wright of Jamestown, New York was inducted into the United States Army Infantry in May 1944. He trained at Camp Croft, South Carolina where doctors rated his vision as poor. He unsuccessfully applied to Officer Candidate School in August 1944, and petitioned his father in New York to use political connections to expedite a transfer. In October 1944 he was reassigned to the Army Air Corps. He served briefly at Camp Pickett, Virginia and Keesler Field, Mississippi before being sent to work as a military librarian in Miami Beach, Florida. In January 1946 he was transferred to the Miami Air Depot.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

One hundred seventy-five letters by Wright to his family (bulk 1944) describe life during basic training and events such as night marches, machine gunnery practice and “wayfinding problems” in the forested country near Camp Croft. A letter dated June 6, 1944 describes his own and other soldiers’ muted reactions to news of the D-Day invasion. Other subjects include Wright’s experiences with military doctors and his transfer out of the infantry. Letters from January, 1946 describe Wright’s transfer to the Miami Air Depot. The collection includes maps, souvenirs, military orders and other ephemera.

Archivist’s Note: Clive Wright’s letters were glued into a scrapbook, along with numerous pieces of ephemera. The letters and some ephemera were removed and placed in folders for preservation. Some glued items remain in the scrapbook. A series of photographs documenting the scrapbook’s appearance before disassembly is included in the collection.

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2L398

Correspondence, April – December 1944

Correspondence, January 1945, January 1946

Scrapbook ephemera , [1944-1945]

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3T261

Photographs, [1944-1945]

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2.325/D16i

Scrapbook, [1944-1946]

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[UNKNOWN] BOMBER CREW OFFICER DIARY,
1941-1943
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

The officer who kept this diary was stationed during 1941 at Langley Field, Virginia and then at a base near Bangor, Maine. In early 1942 he traveled with his platoon on the Queen Mary to Ranwick Field near Sydney, Australia, where he worked as a mechanic and construction supervisor. In June 1942 his platoon was sent to support the 43rd Bomber Group at a base near Charleville, Queensland. He was promoted to supply sergeant, continued to supervise construction, and handled supplies for 43 men. In February 1943 he participated in four bomber raids over Rabaul, New Guinea.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The diary contains brief entries covering January – May 1941; September 1941 – May 1942; and February 1943. Entries from 1941 describe events in Virginia and Maine. Entries from 1942 recount events at Ranwick and the social scene in Sydney. Entries during February 1943 recount his transfer to Charleville and mention five bombing raids over Rabaul.

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2L399

Diary, January 1941 – February 1943

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[UNKNOWN] MEDICAL OFFICER DIARY,
1943
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

The medical officer who wrote this diary served in Constantine (Qustantînah), Algeria as a surgeon with the 95th Squadron of the United States Army Air Force during the first half of 1943. He spoke French and served as an interpreter with local people.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

An eighty-seven page manuscript diary contains entries (January – May 1943), describing missions flown by the 95th Squadron, treatment of wounded soldiers and flyers, raids, airplane wrecks, scrounging for gear, and other details of life in camp. The diary also includes a list of eighty-nine correspondents in the United States of America, and a list of officers of the 95th with killed and “quit” dates for some.

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2L399

Diary, January - May 1943

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[UNKNOWN] NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER DIARY,
1944-1945
(1/2 inches)

CREATOR’S SKETCH

The noncommissioned officer named John who kept this diary joined the United States Army in May 1944 at Camp Millard, Ohio. In December 1944 he was transferred to Camp Shanks, New York for transit to Europe. His regiment crossed the Atlantic on the USS George Washington, arriving in England on January 8, 1945. After a few weeks near Southampton he crossed the channel to France, passed through Le Havre and Duclair and worked at a maintenance facility near the German border.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The forty-eight page manuscript diary begins with a lengthy retrospective entry covering John’s experiences in transit to New York. Daily entries chronicle his Atlantic crossing. Later entries are frequent through February 1945 and sporadic until May 21, 1945.

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2L399

Diary, December 1944 – May 1945

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TABLE OF CONTENTS