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Lillian Ostrand papers, 1944-1995 (majority within 1944-1945)

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Summary

Creator:
Ostrand, Lillian G., 1915-2007
Abstract:
This collection contains correspondence, photographs, and printed items pertaining to Lillian G. Ostrand, who was a United States Army nurse with the 123rd General Hospital in England from 1944-1945. In letters to her parents and brother, she described many aspects of life in wartime England. Other items are an early-20th century diary kept by her father Andrew and a memoir by Thomas J. Glennon, who also served with the 123rd General Hospital.
Extent:
0.5 linear feet
Language:
English
Authors:
Collection processed and finding aid created by Anne Tomlanovich, June 2002, and Meg Hixon, March 2013

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection (0.5 linear feet) contains correspondence, photographs, and printed items pertaining to Lillian G. Ostrand, who was a United States Army nurse with the 123rd General Hospital in England from 1944-1945. Other items pertain to her father, Andrew Ostrand, and to a fellow member of the 123rd General Hospital, Thomas J. Glennon.

The Correspondence series (87 items) is divided into two subseries, each arranged chronologically: Manuscript Letters (July 16, 1944-July 29, 1945) and V-Mail Letters (July 30, 1944-August 1, 1945). Lillian G. Ostrand regularly wrote to her parents and brother in Crystal Falls, Michigan, about her service in England with the 123rd General Hospital. After writing about her transatlantic journey, she described many aspects of wartime life in England, such as high prices, blackouts, and travel by bicycle and rail. At the same time, she kept up-to-date with events in the U.S. and wrote about issues such as the 1944 presidential election (October 29, 1944, and November 9, 1944), war bonds (December 11, 1944), and President Roosevelt's death (April 14 and 16, 1945). While in Britain, Ostrand traveled to towns in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. She visited Stratford-upon-Avon multiple times to watch Shakespeare plays and frequently mentioned seeing films and other musical and theatrical performances. Additionally, she commented on changing personnel at the 123rd General Hospital, particularly after V-E Day, and remarked about some of her patients and acquaintances, such as a British intelligence officer who had shown her confiscated letters by Adolf Hitler (July 12, 1945). By August 1945, Ostrand anticipated returning home.

Andrew Ostrand, Lillian's father, kept a Swedish-language Diary (159 pages) about his life in Chicago, Illinois, and in Michigan's Upper Peninsula from April 1, 1906-October 16, 1914. Most entries are from 1906 and 1907.

The Photographs series has 6 items:
  • A panoramic group photograph of the personnel of the 123rd General Hospital, taken at Camp Ellis, Illinois, in July 1944
  • 2 black-and-white photographs of buildings from the 156th General Hospital
  • A formal portrait of Lillian G. Ostrand in uniform
  • A black-and-white photograph of Hereford Cathedral, pasted onto a cardboard frame
  • A color photograph of a plaque commemorating the 123rd General Hospital

Printed Items and Ephemera (6 items) include a document with "Information for Members of the Army Nurse Corps Preparing for Foreign Duty"; menus for the 123rd General Hospital's Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners in 1944; newspaper clippings about V-E Day and about Major Marion S. Clift, who served with Lillian G. Ostrand in England; and a copy of the Yank army weekly (May 18, 1945).

The Thomas J. Glennon Memoir (91 pages) concerns Glennon's military experiences during World War II. He served with the 123rd General Hospital at Camp Ellis, Illinois, and in England, and his memoir provides detailed information about the hospital's work and life in wartime England.

Perspectives on World War II is a 74-page bound collection of reminiscences about World War II. These stories were collected for a series of lectures for the "Living in Retirement" program at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, held on May 8, 1995. Lillian G. Ostrand contributed a brief personal narrative about her wartime experiences.

Biographical / Historical:

Lillian G. Ostrand was born on February 3, 1915, the daughter of Andrew and Edla Ostrand of Crystal Falls, Michigan. She had two siblings, Evald Waldemar ("Waldy") and Viola (d. 1939). Their parents, both Swedish immigrants, came to the United States in the early 20th century. Lillian Ostrand received a nursing diploma from Chicago's Augustana Hospital in 1937 and joined the United States Army Nurse Corps in May 1942. From July 1944-August 1945 she served with the 123rd General Hospital at Camp Ellis, Illinois (July 1944), and in England (July 1944-August 1945), where she attained the rank of captain. After the war, she lived in Washtenaw County, Michigan, where she worked for the county health department. Ostrand earned a bachelor's degree in public health nursing from the University of Michigan in the late 1940s or early 1950s and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She returned to Ann Arbor in 1955 and became a lecturer (1955-1969) and professor (1969-1978) for the University of Michigan's public health nursing program, from which she received a master's degree in 1957. Lillian G. Ostrand died on July 5, 2007.

Acquisition Information:
Donated by Lillian Ostrand, 1997-1998. M-3380, M-3434 .
Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This collection has been processed according to minimal processing procedures and may be revised, expanded, or updated in the future.

Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in the following series:
  • Series I: Correspondence
    • A: Manuscript Letters
    • B: V-mail Letters
  • Series II: Diary
  • Series III: Printed Items and Ephemera
  • Series IV: Thomas J. Glennon Memoir
  • Series V: "Perspectives on World War II"

The Correspondence subseries are arranged chronologically.

Rules or Conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open for research.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

Copyright status is unknown

PREFERRED CITATION:

Lillian Ostrand Papers, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan

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Collection

Lillian Ostrand papers, 1944-1995 (majority within 1944-1945)
Total components 8
Last indexed 2025-02-09