Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection contains letters that Santo R. Ferrara received during his service in the United States Navy Seabees during World War II. His brother Henry offered advice about military life, and other military personnel commented on their experiences at bases in the United States. The collection also includes a letter that Ferrara wrote to his wife and daughter and a Christmas card that he sent to a friend.

This collection (37 items) contains letters that Santo R. Ferrara received during his service in the United States Navy Seabees during World War II, including 21 letters from his brother Henry, a member of the United States Navy Reserve, and numerous letters from other military personnel. Also included are a letter that Ferrara wrote to his wife and daughter and a Christmas card that he sent to a friend.

Henry Ferrara, who wrote from October 6, 1943-November 5, 1945, encouraged his brother to remain in the United States during the war, shared news of their mother and mutual acquaintances, and commented on his life and work in Washington, D.C. His single letter to Marjorie Ferrara congratulates her on the birth of her daughter (December 5, 1943).

Santo Ferrara's other correspondents included Paul Feldman Cox, who served with a navy demolition unit, and Corporal Tony Pirrone of the Army's 806th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Cox complained about his training at Camp Peary, Virginia, and described his work after a transfer to the Marine Corps unit; he was reassigned to Fort Pierce, Florida, in January 1944, where he became an instructor after his unit shipped out in late February. Pirrone discussed his experiences at Camp Rucker, Alabama; commented on his health; and shared his plans to get married after the end of the war. Ferrara also received a V-mail letter from James E. O'Toole, a member of Seabee Detachment 1040, about O'Toole's time in North Africa ([February] 12, 1944).

After the end of hostilities, Henry and Billy Ferrara wrote to their brother Santo about the possibility of being discharged under the military's point system. Billy Ferrara described the Philippines and expressed uncertainty as to whether he would become a member of the occupying forces. He also remarked on the bartering system between American soldiers and Filipino natives and shared the prices of commodities

Santo Ferrara wrote 2 items: a Christmas card to Mr. and Mrs. John Wallace of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts (December 15, 1943), and a letter to his wife and daughter about his assignment to specialized classes at Camp Endicott, Rhode Island; his letter encloses a "C.B." emblem (December 22, 1943). The collection also contains a hand-colored illustration of a palm tree on a beach and the words "Happy Birthday," signed by Henry Ferrara.

The William M. Muth collection contains diaries, photographs, and documents concerning Muth's experiences in Germany and the Netherlands in 1939 and his United States Navy service in the Pacific from 1942-1943.

The William M. Muth collection contains 2 diaries, 40 photographs, 2 envelopes of photographic negatives, and 4 documents concerning Muth's experiences in Germany and the Netherlands in 1939 and his United States Navy service in the Pacific from 1942-1943.

William M. Muth wrote 2 Diaries. The first (5" x 8") pertains to his life and travels in Europe from January 1, 1939-November 7, 1939, with daily entries covering January 1-February 5, March 19-May 14, and August 13-November 7. Muth described his life in Munich, Freiburg, and Heidelberg, Germany, and his visits to Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Italy. He wrote about his daily activities and social life and occasionally commented on anti-Semitism and increasing international tension. Muth reacted negatively to an anti-Semitic lecture and other propaganda (January 25, 1939), though he admired Adolf Hitler's oratory skills (January 30, 1939). By late August, the United States Consulate recommended that American citizens leave Germany, and Muth discussed his efforts to leave while noting reports of Polish armament and German militarization. On August 26, he traveled to Amsterdam. His entries from the first week of September reflect his efforts to return to the United States amidst the outbreak of war after Germany's invasion of Poland. He reacted negatively to perceived British exceptionalism and to Great Britain's declaration of war. After a brief return to Germany to gather belongings, Muth sailed for Baltimore on the SS Black Falkon on October 25. He arrived around November 7, the date of his final entry.

Muth's second diary (3" x 5") contains brief daily entries about his experiences on the USS Curtiss from January 6, 1942-August 2, 1943. He was stationed in Hawaii, New Caledonia, and Australia, and traveled to ports such as Pearl Harbor, Palmyra Atoll, Nouméa, Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide. In addition to noting his activities, such as flights and games of tennis, he occasionally commented on his wife and marriage.

The Photographs and Negatives series is made up of 38 snapshots and 2 larger photographs of United States sailors, soldiers, military buildings, and aircraft, taken between 1941 and 1944. Several portraits and one of the large group photographs are labeled. One picture shows a mock medal, the "Distinguished Skragging Cross." Many of the photographs were taken in Perth, Australia. The 2 envelopes of photographic negatives primarily depict uniformed military personnel.

Cablegrams and Ephemera include 2 cablegrams that William M. Muth sent to his wife and father on November 30, 1943, with his request that they stop sending mail. The series also has Muth's photographic identification card from the International Student Club in Munich, Germany (1938/1939), and his naval aviator certificate (September 1941), which is housed in a leather wallet. The final item is a certificate of gratitude for Muth's World War II service (July 15, 1946).