World War, 1939-1945--England--London

Content Description

This collection includes miscellaneous materials collected from numerous sources by Michael Amdahl, a Refuse Transfer Center worker who collected and donated found materials over the course of many years. Included in this collection are a variety of graphic materials, letters, documents, magazines, and a book on the 13th Air Force. Also included are photographs depicting war-torn cities, soldier life, sea and air vessels, and scenery from around Europe.

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 an oral history interview transcript of a U.S. Army Air Corps cook and baker, who served in England during World War II in the 2003rd Ordnance Unit at Melchbourne Park. This collection also contains a unit history.

Scope and Contents

The collection of First Lieutenant James Feerick contains an oral history transcript of an interview provided by the Reichelt Program for Oral History. Feerick served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as part of the 8th Bomber Command, 1st Bombardment Wing, 91st Bombardment Group in the European theater. He was based in London at Bassingbourne.

The collection also includes a copy of a magazine article from 2000 about a U.S. government agency that smuggled out contraband (radio parts, etc.), into German POW camps and letters along with other information. The agency also helped Allied POWs escape.

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.

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

This collection relates to Diana Naylor Morgan who served as a junior USO hostess in New Jersey during World War II. The collection includes an oral interview with Morgan, news articles, photographs, and letters sent to her from American and British soldiers deployed overseas during World War II.

In the letters, servicemen describe their day to day activities while deployed overseas, their locations, views on the Japanese, and opinions about the Atomic Bomb. A letter dated June 2, 1944, written by an American sailor Ernest Feasy was not censored; Feasy describes how he is waiting for D-Day to arrive.

Scope and Contents

The Paul K. Dougherty Collection includes photographs, documents, and various artifacts Dougherty obtained while in Germany. His collection contains rare original German propaganda publications such as Deutschland Erwach and Adolf Hitler. Also included in the collection is a personal photograph album that belonged to Nazi official and founder of the anti-Semitic newspaper Der Stürmer, Julius Streicher. Other items included are Nazi Party flags/fabrics, Paul K. Dougherty’s camera, and camera accessories.

Content Description

This collection relates to John Peacock who served with the the 8th Air Force, 45th Combat Wing, 388th Bomb Group, 560th Squadron also known as “The Peacock Crew” who served in England and Ireland during World War II. This collection contains a brief manuscript written by John F. Peacock entitled, “The Peacock Crew” that details information regarding their service and includes short biographies for the individuals. The collection also contains an addendum to the manuscript, including a list of crew members in chronological order by date of death. There is a digitally reproduced 8 by 11 photograph of the “Peacock Crew” at Avon Park, Florida, in 1944.

Scope and Contents This collection relates to Staff Sergeant Philip Sperling who served with Headquarters Detachment, 325th Medical Battalion, which was assigned to the 100th Infantry Division during World War II. The collections primarily contain letters. Also included in the collection is currency, postcards, newspaper clippings, photographs, artifacts, and souvenirs. The collection also includes his government correspondence before and after his discharge from the Army. This collection focuses on the events which occurred in the middle to later years of the war. A few select letters contain references to Operation Overlord and one includes an official Army announcement of the bombing of Hiroshima and...

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

This collection relates to Wilhelmina C. "Billie" Weezenaar who served as a U.S. Army Nurse during World War II in the United States, Oran, Algeria, and England.  The collection contains a  photograph album with pictures and captions, a letter of commendation and other war documents, foreign currency, unit patches, rank insignia, and newspaper articles. Also included in the collection are documents related to war service and nursing, a personell list of the 151st Station Hospital, an autograph book, personal letters, primarily from patients and colleagues, photographs, and a portrait.