Arnold Busch papers
Scope and Contents
This collection includes letters written to Arnold Busch, a basketball coach for Calvary Methodist Church in Lakewood, Ohio, by the students he previously coached. Whether drafted or enlisted, many of the men kept up a correspondence with Busch throughout the war years. This collection also includes Calvary Church newsletters and pamphlets, pamphlets regarding persons registered for service, ration books and other rationing documents, and letters returned to Busch because their recipients were MIA, deceased, or relocated. Also included are photographs of Calvary Church activities on the Homefront, the basketball team, and the Calvary Church’s V-J Day service as well as a copy of an article in which the photograph was featured.
The letters included in this collection discuss subjects such as classes, training, camp life, and local towns wherever they are posted. Some letters contain some sexually explicit material.
Dates
- Created: 1934-1946
- Other: Majority of material found in 1943-1946
- Other: Date acquired: 08/06/2007
Creator
- Busch, Arnold (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to all researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Biographical or Historical Information
Arnold Busch was born January 23, 1915. He coached three youth basketball teams for Calvary Methodist Church in Lakewood, Ohio. Throughout the war and after, Busch kept in touch with the men he had coached. Some letters were returned to Busch, and he kept track of the men he had coached who were killed in action or went missing.
One of the men who was killed in action was PFC Eugene Oesterle. Oesterle was born March 4, 1925, and he received most of his training at Camp Blanding and Camp Robinson. Oesterle was an infantryman with the 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was sent overseas in June of 1944 and was first stationed in Italy. He then moved through France, Belgium, and Germany. His last letter to Busch was sent from Alsace-Lorraine on February 13, 1945. On March 24, the 30th Infantry Regiment crossed the Rhine River. On March 27, Oesterle was killed in action after being struck in the right arm and leg by German shell fragments.
Busch also wrote to and received letters from Corporal John Sprosty who served with the 61st Squadron, 39th Bomb Group. Sprosty served as a tail gunner on B-29 #44-69895, which had taken off from Tinian on a bombing mission. During their flight, they were rammed by a Japanese kamikaze pilot and crashed somewhere at sea. Sprosty was declared missing on April 28, 1945. Some of the crew was sighted in rafts, but due to poor weather, they could not be rescued. By the time the weather had cleared, they had disappeared. Sprosty was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Busch passed away on November 9, 2002.
Extent
2.00 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.
Source of Acquisition
Karen Maddox
Method of Acquisition
Donation.
- B-29 (Bomber) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Columbus (Ohio) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Honshū (Japan) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Japan--History--Allied occupation, 1945-1952 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lakewood (Ohio) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Pornography--United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Prostitution Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Prostitution--Japan Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Racism Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sexism Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Air Force
- United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 30th (1901-1957)
- United States. Marine Corps
- United States. Marine Corps. Marine Regiment, 26th
- United States. Navy
- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--France Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Great Britain Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Religious aspects Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Women Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Arnold Busch papers
- Author
- Zoe Hume
- Date
- 07/21/2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- eng
Repository Details
Part of the FSU Special Collections & Archives Repository
116 Honors Way
PO Box 3062047
Tallahassee FL 32306-2047 US
850-644-3271
lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu