World War, 1939-1945--England

Content Description This collection relates to Lieutenant David E. Bail Jr. who serves as a bombardier with the 335th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group in England during World War II. He attended University of Florida and enlisted in Spring of 1942. He flew two missions over France before he was shot down over Hanover, Germany on July 26, 1943 and killed in action. This collection contains seven folders includes Bail’s personal letters to his family from December, 1941 up to his death, letters from the War Department to Bail’s family first declaring him MIA, then later confirming him KIA, two photographs of Bail and his crew, and a letter from his sister to Bail’s parents recounting her interview with Bail’s...

Content Description The collection includes 236 letters with some postcards and V-mails that "Cliff" wrote to his mother, Gladys Shirley, letters written to Gladys Shirley from some relatives of a soldier-friend of Cliff's who'd died in an accident, letters to Cliff from a woman he'd befriended in South Wales, and from his deceased friend's mother, to whom he'd written a note of condolence. News clippings, ephemera, and documents are also included. Cliff's letters express worries about post-war life and jobs, the desire for furlough, the point system, railroad strikes, Churchill, FDR, prices and wages, blackouts, housing problems in the US, draft dodgers, poor conditions in Germany (children begging GI's...

Content Description

This collection relates to Melvin Brown who served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945 in the European Theatre. This collection contains an oral history transcript detailing his service and life after the war.

Scope and Contents

This collection pertains to Edward J. Cavanary who served in the U.S. Army as an Adjutant in the 7^th Field Hospital during WWII. This collection contains a photographic copy of a scrapbook, as well as photographs, postcards, playbills, letters, ticket stubs, flyers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, drawings, maps and a book of  true experiences of members of the 7^th Field Hospital written by John Kidda and Fred Marston.

Content Description

This collection relates to George Oliver Craig who served with the 99th Infantry Division during World War II in France, during the Battle of the Ardennes, and Germany. The collection contains letters, photographs, government documents, newspaper clippings from Craig's experiences in the Civilian Conservation Corps, at training camps in the U.S., and at various stations in Germany, France, and England. The collection also contains a diary. His burial flag is also included in this collection.

Content Description

This collection relates to Allen H. Crawford who served in the U.S. Army Air Force as a bombardier and navigator in the 401st Bomb Group in the European Theater of Operation during World War II. This collection contains an oral history transcript where Crawford details his numerous bombing missions over Germany from late 1944 through the end of the war.

Content Description

This collection relates to Chief Petty Officer Luther Samuel Ely Jr. who served as an Electrician's Mate aboard the USS Ordronaux during World War II. This collection contains a manuscript titled "World War II Experiences of Luther Samuel Ely, Jr." where Ely describes his experiences in Basic Training, at Fore River Shipyard, and in England, Ireland, and the Mediterranean from 1942 to 1944.

Scope and Contents

The Hasterlik-Hine collection consists personal correspondence between Giulia Kortischoner (married name Hine) and her family and friends. The personal correspondence consists of letters, postcards, get-well-soon cards, greeting cards, and a small number of travel documents. The collection contains discussions about the Holocaust, life as a Jewish refugee, and the progress of the war and life afterwards.

Content Description

This collection contains a published volume titled I miss you so... : Letters from a World War II Romance by Lorraine and Marcus Hertz. The letters contained in the volume were written during World War II between Marcus and Lorraine. 2nd Lieutenant Marcus Hertz served as a Bombardier with the 100th Bomb Group in England, was shot down, and became a Prisoner of War with Germany.

Scope and Contents This collection relates to Sergeant William "Bill" W. Huston who served in the 448th Bomber Group, 713th Bomb Squadron US Army Air Force in the European Theater of Operation. This collection also relates to John Robert Huston who served in the U.S. Army in field artillery and gun battery regiments. In addition to the letters, the collection contains a description of Bill Huston, escape from Switzerland, his Air medal citation, a history of the 8th Air Force titled "Target Germany," and a 1942 picture book of Scott Air Field in Illinois, the Huston mother's ration booklet, several photographs of Bill Huston at Scott Field, and a safe-conduct pass issued to Bill Huston by the French...

Scope and Contents This World War II collection relates to Sgt. James H. Vander Laan, who served in the United States Army Air Force and was assigned to the 511th bomber squadron in the 351st Bombardment Group. During his service, he trained as a ball-turret gunner and radio operator on a B-17 bomber. The collection consists of documents, letters, photographs, and memorabilia. The documents detail where James H. VanderLaan was stationed, inducted and discharged from service. The letters from James H. Vander Laan are addressed from Germany during his time as a Prisoner of War and are dated from November 7, 1943-November 5, 1944. The photographs are of James H. Vander Laan with his wife Marion Madeley and a...

Content Description

This collection relates to Richard Lewis who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945 in the European Theatre. This collection contains an oral history transcript where Lewis details his missions on a B-24 Bomber and B-17 Bomber during World War II and briefly describes his service in the Korean War.

Scope and Contents

This is the collection of Roy Lindsey who served in World War II as part of the 81st Engineering Aviation Battalion in the European Theater. The collection contains postcards from America and Abroad and greeting cards. Letters between Roy Lindsey and his wife Irene, while Roy Lindsey was serving in the European Theatre are also included, along with photographs of Roy Lindsey during his time in the Army. Also included are letters between Roy Lindsey and his brother whom also served during World War II. There are telgrams, and an expired driver's license.

Content Description

This collection relates to William Edward McKee Sr. who served as a sergeant with the 324th Squadron, 91st Heavy Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in Europe during World War II. McKee Sr. was shot down along with the crew of the B-17 bomber on March 29, 1944. The entire crew survived and then became German prisoners of war at Luft Stalag 17B. Mckee Sr. received the Air Medal and Purple Heart Medal. This collection includes letters, documents, photographs, prisoner of war memorabilia, and memoirs.

Scope and Contents

This collection is composed of the personal possessions of Capt. Melvin M. Rackleff, as they relate to the Second World War and subsequent postwar occupation of Germany as a U.S. Army doctor. Included in this collection are letters written to his wife, Hazel Rackleff, during and immediately following the war. Other ephemera from Rackleff's time overseas is included. Additionally, several books, many from his time during the occupation of Germany, are included. Four maps from the immediate post-war period show the division of Germany and town layouts. One box contains several photograph albums that originally belonged to a German family.

Content Description

This collection relates to Dr. Donald R. Roberts who served as a World War II surgeon with the 47th Regiment, 9th Infantry Division in North Africa and Europe. This collection contains his memoir titled The Other War: A World War II Journal where he details his time at Fort Bragg, in North Africa, Sicily, England, Normandy, Belgium, Germany, and Dachau.

Scope and Contents

This collection relates to Geoffrey Styles who was eleven years old and lived in Romford, 14 miles Northeast of London when World War II began for Great Britain. The papers include an oral interview transcript and audiotape recording. The collection also includes a letter written from Normandy during World War II by Jesse Davis Binns.

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.