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

This collection consists of 18 items related to Golden J. Wallis of the United States Navy and his wife Roberta, natives of Memphis, Tennessee. Wallis wrote 10 love letters and 1 telegram to his wife while serving onboard the USS Missouri in 1944 and 1945, and they received 4 additional letters and telegrams from friends and family. Other items are an invitation, a church program, and an unidentified wedding photograph.

This collection consists of 12 letters, 3 telegrams, 2 printed items, and 1 photograph related to Golden J. Wallis ("Goldie") and his wife Roberta, natives of Memphis, Tennessee. Golden Wallis wrote 10 love letters and 1 telegram to his wife while serving onboard the USS Missouri in 1944 and 1945, and the Wallises received 4 additional letters and telegrams from friends and family. Other items are an invitation, a church program, and an unidentified wedding photograph.

In his letters to his wife, Goldie Wallis commented on their separation and expressed his love for her; he also discussed their financial situation, including his attempts to secure her an apartment in New York City. Wallis mentioned traveling to Pacific islands and shared his relief after censorship regulations eased in September 1945. His telegram to Roberta of November 28, 1944, concerns his 3-week leave in San Francisco, California. Roberta Wallis also received 2 birthday telegrams (undated). Golden Wallis's sister, Faye Wallis, wrote 1 letter (undated), as did Billy Burk, an acquaintance who taught school in Clarksdale, Mississippi (April 7, 1943).

The collection also contains a printed invitation requesting Roberta Wallis's attendance at the Missouri's commissioning ceremony on June 11, 1944; a program for a church service held onboard the Missouri on March 25, 1945; and an undated photograph.

This collection contains letters to and between Harold K. Phillips and his wife, Betty Austin. Phillips, a native of Kansas, served on the USS Antares in the years before World War II. The majority of items dated 1938-1939 are letters to Harold and Betty from friends and family members in Kansas, Missouri, and Montana; the majority of letters dated 1940-1941 are letters from Harold K. Phillips to Betty Austin Phillips.

This collection is comprised of letters to and between Harold K. Phillips and his wife, Betty Austin. Phillips, a native of Kansas, served on the USS Antares in the years before World War II. The majority of letters dated 1938-1939 are letters to Harold and Betty from friends and family members in Kansas, Missouri, and Montana; the majority of letters dated 1940-1941 are letters from Harold K. Phillips to Betty Austin Phillips.

The first letter is dated April 18, 1938, around the time of Harold Phillips's enlistment in the United States Navy. At that time, Betty Austin lived in Kansas City, Missouri, where she received letters from friends and from her mother in La Harpe, Kansas. Friends and family members continued to write to Betty after she moved to Long Beach, California, in the summer of 1938. During his naval training, Harold received letters from his father in Spivey, Kansas, and his mother in Topeka, Kansas, as well as from his brother Bill in Great Falls, Montana, and from a girlfriend, Ethel Wardien, also in Great Falls. Harold (sometimes addressed as "Phil" or "Phill") and Betty began to write each other in August 1938, having been introduced by Harold's cousin Vivian. Harold continued to receive letters from Ethel Wardien; one of her letters contains a colored ink drawing of a sailor in uniform (June 1, 1939).

Following their marriage in October 1938, Harold and Betty received letters from family and acquaintances expressing congratulations and surprise. Harold occasionally wrote to Betty about life on the USS Antares while stationed at San Pedro, California; Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; and Mare Island, California. In 1940-1941, Harold wrote to Betty from the Antares, which was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The final letter, written to Betty from her mother, concerns the possibility of Betty moving to Kansas following "hard luck" (August 15, 1942). The collection also includes a birthday card; a printed document about the United States Naval Training Station in San Diego, California; and a pornographic poem by an Antares sailor entitled "A song of ABC's."

This collection is made up of letters that Henry R. Partridge, a merchant ship captain, wrote to his wife Salista during voyages to Europe and the Caribbean in the 1870s. He commented on his loneliness, the loading and unloading of cargo, other crew members and vessels, and ports of call. One additional letter concerns Henry Partridge's suicide in 1880.

This collection is made up of 13 letters that Henry R. Partridge, a merchant ship captain, wrote to his wife Salista during voyages to Europe and the Caribbean on his brig Salista in the 1870s. One additional letter concerns Partridge's suicide in 1880.

Henry Partridge wrote to his wife between April 17, 1871, and September 15, 1879, while in port at Alicante, Spain (2 items); Naples, Italy (2 items); Marseille, France (1 item); Messina, Italy (2 items); Beirut, Lebanon (1 item); Gibraltar (2 items); Saguá la Grande, Cuba (1 item); Cádiz, Spain (1 item); and Bilbao, Spain (1 item). Partridge commented on recent sailing experiences; discussed cargo purchasing, loading, and unloading; noted food purchases; and reported on other crew members and other vessels. In his letter of January 21, 1872, Partridge told his wife about the Salista's steward, who had recently discovered that he was not the father of his favorite daughter. In another letter, Partridge told his wife of a man who had left in the company of two women after his family had returned home (July 1, 1873). Partridge occasionally wrote about food, salt shipping, and consignment agents; his letter of November 13, 1876, contains penmanship practice by his daughter Ada. Partridge frequently commented on his loneliness and desire to meet with his wife upon his returns to Boston and New York.

John Zittlosen, a commission merchant in New York City, wrote a letter to L. M. Partridge on January 27, 1880, concerning Henry Partridge's suicide by gunshot in Gibraltar. Zittlosen copied the text of a telegram he had received, shared his condolences, and requested that the recipient first inform Salista Partridge that her husband was sick, "so that the shock will not come to[o] hard on her at once."

Seaman James R. Sturn kept this diary while serving onboard the destroyer Moale in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Sturn commented on sea life, reported the ship's movements, and described his experiences in multiple naval engagements.

Seaman James R. Sturn kept this diary (172 pages) while serving onboard the Moale in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Sturn commented on sea life, reported the ship's movements, and described his experiences in multiple naval engagements.

Before commencing regular diary entries, Sturn recapitulated his experiences in the United States Navy between March 1943 and November 1944. From around November 3, 1944-August 4, 1945, he wrote about daily life on the Moale, which was stationed in the Philippines, near various Japanese islands, and in Hawaii. Sturn noted the ship's movements, listed other ships in the Moale's task force, and reported news of sunken ships and battles. He witnessed kamikaze attacks and described the ship's engagements, which included action in Leyte Harbor, the Battle of Ormoc Bay, the invasion of Mindoro Island, the invasion of Luzon, and bombardment operations. Other entries pertain to Sturn's leisure activities and drinking habits at Ulithi Atoll and Pearl Harbor, where the Moale went for repairs in early 1945. After returning to the Pacific, the destroyer assisted with minesweeping and antiaircraft efforts around Okinawa and other Japanese islands.

Newspaper clippings and parts of the Moale's newsletter are pasted into the diary. Most reflect the Pacific Fleet's progress; one is an article by Ernie Pyle, and one has a drawing of male and female mermaids. Sturn pasted the Moale's daily orders from April 13, 1945, and May 13, 1945 into the volume's endpaper and first pages. Five unlabeled snapshots of a United States sailor and a note about Sturn's genealogy are laid into the volume.

This collection is primarily made up of letters that John E. Ford sent to his mother and sisters in Athens, New York, while serving in the United States Navy between October 1917 and February 1919. Ford described his training at Pelham Bay, New York, and his service along the East Coast on the USS Indiana.

This collection (33 items) includes 32 letters that John E. Ford sent to his mother and sisters in Athens, New York, while serving in the United States Navy between October 1917 and February 1919. Ford's earliest letters pertain to his experiences at the United States Naval Training Station at Pelham Bay, New York, including his military education and leisure activities. After December 12, 1917, he wrote from the USS Indiana, discussing the ship's movements along the East Coast and describing his activities while on shore leave. On one occasion, he participated in a military parade at Coney Island, New York (May 19, 1918). In late 1918, Ford referred to the influenza epidemic, which led to the closure of public spaces in several southern locations. Ford sometimes wrote on YMCA and Knights of Columbus stationery; one letterhead contains a picture of a man lying in a hammock with the caption "All Night In and Beans for Breakfast" (October 7, 1918). The collection also includes an undated letter from John's brother Lawrence (or Laurence) to their sister Florence about his life in Crescent, New York.

This collection is made up of letters that John Frederick Smith wrote to his wife while stationed on the USS Wasatch in the South Pacific during World War II. He commented primarily on news of their young daughter, Bonnie, and on his love for his family.

This collection is made up of letters that John Frederick Smith wrote to his family from July 29, 1944-October 22, 1945, while stationed on the USS Wasatch in the South Pacific. He commented on news of their young daughter, Bonnie, and on his love for his family.

Smith addressed 66 of the 68 complete letters to his wife and the remaining 2 to his parents. He wrote most frequently (often almost daily) from September-October 1944, from January-February 1945, and in July 1945; most of his letters are 3-5 pages long. He occasionally mentioned the weather, scenery, and his activities, though he concentrated on his love for his family and his anticipation of returning home. Smith responded to news of his daughter Bonnie's development as she learned to hold herself up and began to teethe. His letter of September 21, 1944, encloses a typed letter from H. Gorman of the Bulova Watch Company. Smith's letters to his parents (March 18, 1845, and July 15, 1945) pertain to his family and his welcome receipt of letters from home. A group of Smith's later letters is written on USS Wasatch stationery, which bears printed drawings of the ship.

This collection contains 4 letters that John M. Harris wrote to his parents in Wellsville, New York, while participating in the Navy V-12 training program at the University of Rochester during World War II.

This collection contains 4 letters that John M. Harris wrote to his parents in Wellsville, New York, while participating in the United States Navy V-12 training program at the University of Rochester during World War II. In letters dated July 22, [1943]; March 9, 1944; March 13, 1944; and March 20, 1944, Harris discussed his coursework, roommates, physical training, daily life, and work with the school's paper, The Campus (now The Campus Times). His first letter is written on stationery with a printed picture of a sailor on a boat gazing at a mermaid.

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, photographs, printed items, and genealogical papers related to Joseph LaVille Young, who served in the Virginia Militia, United States Army, and United States Navy from the 1890s to the end of World War I. Most of the materials pertain to Young's military career, particularly during the Spanish-American War and World War I.

This collection (1 linear foot) is made up of approximately 200 letters and documents, 15 photographs, 30 printed items, and genealogical papers related to Joseph LaVille Young, who served in the Virginia Militia, United States Army, and United States Navy from the 1890s to the end of World War I. The bulk of the collection is comprised of a partially disassembled scrapbook; the loose items from the scrapbook have been arranged into series of correspondence and documents, photographs, printed items, and genealogical materials.

The majority of the Correspondence and Documents relate to Young's service in the Spanish-American War and World War I. They include commissions, orders, memorandums, and financial records. One small group of items pertains to Theodore Roosevelt's efforts to raise volunteer troops during World War I, including a signed letter from Roosevelt to Young, who had wanted to raise a Virginia regiment (May 25, 1917). Joseph LaVille kept a small memorandum book while stationed in France from January to February 1918. Most of the notes concern his expenses and other financial affairs, and he also copied information about converting English measures to metric units.

Additional manuscripts include some personal letters that Young wrote to his sister Linda while in France during World War I and a small number of documents related to the military service of Joseph LaVille Young, Sr. The later letters and documents concern Young's desire to return to the military during World War II, his real estate career, and the genealogy of the Pritchard family.

The Photographs include group portraits of the "Richmond Light Infantry Blues" during their Spanish-American War service in Cuba, and studio and informal portraits of Joseph LaVille Young as a young man, a Spanish-American War soldier, a member of the United States Navy, and an older man. One image shows Young posing in front of the family home in Portsmouth, Virginia, and another shows an unidentified man flexing his biceps and upper back muscles.

The Printed Items series is made up of 9 picture postcards, featuring scenes from multiple French towns; newspaper clippings, including obituaries for the elder Joseph LaVille Young and other family members; advertisements for real estate in Richmond, Virginia; and a pamphlet titled La Langue Anglaise sans Màître (1915).

The Genealogical Papers series includes histories, tables, and notes related to the Hollowell, Bacon, Hunter, Pettit, Godfrey, Swift, James, and Pritchard families. Included is a family tree showing Joseph LaVille Young's ancestors and a binder containing information on heraldic crests.

This collection consists of around 100 incoming letters addressed to Rear Admiral Joseph Newton Hemphill of Ripley, Ohio, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hemphill's parents, siblings, and cousins sent letters during the first years of his naval career (1868-1872), and his wife and daughter wrote between 1897 and 1908. Also included is a series of reports concerning Hemphill's standing in his United States Naval Academy class.

This collection consists of around 100 incoming letters addressed to Rear Admiral Joseph Newton Hemphill of Ripley, Ohio, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hemphill's parents, siblings, and cousins sent letters during the first years of his naval career (1868-1872), and his wife and daughter wrote between 1897 and 1908. Also included are additional letters and a series of reports concerning Hemphill's standing in his United States Naval Academy class.

The Correspondence series comprises the bulk of the collection. During his time at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Joseph N. Hemphill received 1 letter from his mother, who provided educational and spiritual advice (October 3, 1865), and 1 letter from his father, who described President Ulysses S. Grant's inauguration (March 14, 1869). The bulk of the correspondence series consists of incoming letters from Hemphill's family, written while he served with the United States Navy. His mother, father, and siblings all provided family news and social updates from Ripley, Ohio, and his parents occasionally commented on local and national political issues. Around 1897, Hemphill received 2 letters from his wife Dora ("Oro"), who discussed the likely approach of war (Spanish-American War). In 1908, Hemphill's daughter Oro Joe wrote of her life in Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan, where she lived while he served elsewhere in the country. The final letters are addressed to Oro Joe in the early 20th century. In addition to his incoming correspondence, Joseph N. Hemphill wrote 2 letters to his wife while serving in the navy.

Printed items (November 1862-May 1864) include 11 monthly class standing reports for Joseph Hemphill during his time at the United States Naval Academy, a program for the Ohio delegation to the 1868 Republican National Convention, and a program for a vocal concert, accompanied by two newspaper clippings of hymns and poetry.

This collection is made up of 27 letters that Leroy Stecker wrote to his family while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Stecker, a seaman first class, was based at Norfolk, Virginia, and served onboard the Oceanographer in the Pacific Theater.

This collection is made up of 27 letters that Leroy Stecker wrote to his family while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Stecker, a seaman first class, was based at Norfolk, Virginia, and served onboard the Oceanographer in the Pacific Theater. Stecker addressed his letters to his mother and stepfather in Torrance, California, and to a woman named Joan who lived with them, from July 12, 1942, to September 8, 1943. He was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, until late August, when he joined the crew of the Oceanographer, which served in the Aleutian Islands, Hawaii, and the South Pacific during the war. Stecker wrote primarily about his everyday life and discussed his meals, hobbies, and acquaintances. In Norfolk, he met a woman whose husband had gone to war, and he later discussed a relationship with a married woman, reporting her intention of getting a divorce. Stecker frequently responded to news of acquaintances from home and on one occasion offered advice for a man named "Bus," who considered joining the navy. A pencil drawing of a man in profile is enclosed in Stecker's letter of February 2, 1943.