Mildred and William H. Finger papers

Collection — Container: 18.0027 - Box 1

Identifier: 18.0027

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Mildred and William H. Finger papers detail Private William H. Finger's experiences as a member of Company E, 160th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division in the United States Army during World War II. Finger provides insight into his time during basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama and his time spent overseas in the Philippines. His wife Mildred wrote back and forth to him about his family and the significance of letter writing while he is away from home. The collection contains letters and documents.

Dates

1943-1981
Other: Majority of material found within 1943-1945
Other: Date acquired: 08/28/2018
Other: Date accessioned: 2018-08-31

Creator

Finger, William H. (Person)
Finger, Mildred (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

William "Bill" H. Finger was born in 1925 in Tennessee and his wife Mildred was born on July 4, 1923. Mildred graduated from Stair Technical School while William enlisted into the United States Army in mid-1943 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Before William enlisted, Mildred worked at the Tennessee Eastman Company. William completed basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama where Mildred visited him frequently. During mid-1944, William was sent overseas with the 160th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division of the United States Army to the Philippines. While overseas, Mildred gave birth to their son William, Jr. "Billy." William was involved in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in Luzon, the Philippines in January of 1945. After the war, he worked for the Alcoa Aluminum Company. Mildred passed away on June 24, 2017, and soon after on August 14, 2017, Bill passed away.

Extent

.5 Linear Feet (1 half box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

Letters are arranged chronologically.

Custodial History

This collection was donated by Kerry Brown. The collection was acquired by the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience on August 28, 2018.

Custodial History

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Subjects

Fort McClellan (Ala.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Fort Oglethorpe (Ga.) Subject Source: Lcnaf
Letters Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Lingayen Gulf (Philippines) Subject Source: Lcnaf
Tennessee Subject Source: Lcnaf
Tennessee Eastman Company Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States. Army--Military life Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States. Army. Infantry Division, 40th Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 160th Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Philippines--Luzon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings