Basic training (Military education)

Scope and Contents

The William R. Auld papers include over 800 photographs taken by Major William R. Auld who served with the 31st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron of the Ninth Army Air Force following General George S. Patton throughout the United States, England, France, and Germany.  The William R. Auld papers also include various sketches done by one of his comrades, a promotion notice, and two poems.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of several papers donated by Geraldine Brooke Greene. Geraldine became a "wandering wife" during the war, following her husband Staff Sergeant Julian John "Jack" Brooke until he was sent to Europe. Jack was eventually killed in action. Geraldine later remarried.

Scope and Contents The Hurtis "Jack" Lowell Enlow papers consist of a diary and various documents relating to his service as an ambulance driver for the 482nd Medical Collection Company. Sergeant Enlow's diary illustrates what life was like as an ambulance driver during the war. He describes in detail the casualties he witnessed, fighting during the Battle of the Bulge, traveling through Europe, basic training, prisoners of war, and the Buchenwald concentration camp. While some descriptions are graphic, they depict the true nature of the war. His documents include photographs taken at Buchenwald, basic training notice, a German train ticket, German advertisement, one Victory Mail letter, post-war customs...

Abstract Charlotte Mansfield enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (W.A.A.C.) in 1942 to pursue work in photograph processing for the military. She was part of the first all-women graduating class from Lowry Field Photo School in Colorado, where she was trained to be a photo technician that developed primarily aerial shots in photography labs. Mansfield was stationed at various locations throughout the United States before being transferred to lab work overseas in England and Germany. By this time, W.A.A.C. had transitioned to Women’s Army Corps (W.A.C.). Throughout her military service, Mansfield took numerous personal photographs that featured her friends and surroundings. They provide...

Scope and Contents

The Sergeant Robert L. Wilson transcript describes his experiences as a truck driver in the 63rd Infantry Division in France and Germany during World War II. Wilson describes his basic training, the poor leadership among his officers, the backgrounds of his comrades, German civilians, traveling from city to city, losing supplies, the Allied victory, seeing Dachau, the Nuremberg Trials, coming home, and resuming his education at Duke University.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of letters and postcards written by Harry L. Lewis who served with the U.S. Army’s 158th Postal Company that was deployed to England and later France. The collection also consists of several additional letters and postcards from other Patterson residents to Lawrence Anderson of Patterson, New Jersey.