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

This collection contains 118 letters that Private Charles W. Lund of Edgerton, Wisconsin, wrote to his family while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Lund trained at bases in Wisconsin, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and later served in the European Theater.

This collection (122 items) contains 118 letters that Private Charles W. Lund of Edgerton, Wisconsin, wrote to his family while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Lund trained at bases in Wisconsin, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and later served in the European Theater.

The Correspondence series (119 items) comprises the bulk of the collection. Lund, who addressed the majority of his letters to his mother, frequently inquired about his siblings and other relatives in his correspondence from November 26, 1942-August 1, 1945. At Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and Fort McClellan, Alabama, he commented on basic training and other aspects of camp life. Two of his letters from December 1942 concern members of the 100th Infantry Battalion, a regiment comprised of Japanese soldiers, and Lund reported one lethal fight in which a Texan killed a Japanese man (December 14, 1942). At the Mississippi Ordnance Plant and at Camp Forest, Tennessee, Lund wrote about the weather, family news, and his health.

After his arrival in England in February 1944, he discussed his finances, as well as ongoing health problems and hospitalization. During the summer of 1944, his regiment was stationed on an island where they encountered Italian prisoners of war. Lund was hospitalized again for back problems in September 1944. After rejoining his unit in 1945, he described his experiences in Germany. In the summer of 1945, he oversaw prisoners of war at a submarine factory in Mönchengladbach, and he anticipated a furlough and possible transfer to the Pacific Theater. Lund sent 2 greeting cards home in December 1944, and the series also includes a V-mail letter and a postcard regarding address changes. The final item is an undated letter that a soldier named Robert wrote to his mother from the United States Naval Air Station at Norfolk, Virginia.

The Visual Material series (3 items) contains a color photograph of a soldier with a dog and 2 pages of Sad Sack comic strips.

This collection contains letters that Lieutenant Herbert Brigdon Syrett wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army during World War II, as well as a scrapbook about Syrett's military experiences. Syrett, a member of the 102nd Medical Battalion, described his training in the United States and Hawaii and his experiences in the Pacific Theater.

This collection contains around 580 letters that Lieutenant Herbert Brigdon Syrett ("Brig") wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army during World War II, as well as a scrapbook (around 60 pages) about his military experiences.

The Correspondence series contains Syrett's letters to his mother from January 6, 1943-December 11, 1945; and 13 letters from Syrett to Howard and Miriam Cusack, January 10, 1944-August 23, 1945. He first described daily life and training exercises at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. In April 1943, he was transferred to Camp Barkeley, Texas, where he participated in an officers' training program and recorded details about his daily schedule and courses. By August 1943, he had graduated and had joined the 102nd Medical Battalion for training at Camp Grant, Illinois, filling his correspondence with descriptions of the scenery and his travels. In December 1943, Syrett reported his safe arrival in Hawaii and his unit's preparations for campaigns in the jungles of the Pacific Theater. While in Hawaii, Syrett became a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club on Waikiki Beach, and he also wrote about his training, military life, officer duties, and leave periods in Honolulu.

After May 1944, Syrett wrote from Saipan, where he participated in active combat during the Allied invasion. He recounted some of his experiences during the battle, such as living in a foxhole and witnessing bombing raids. After the battle, he commented on native life, the impact of the fighting, and insects. Syrett also reported his increasing religious faith and mentioned his religious activities, particularly after his first experiences in active combat. On December 3, 1944, he wrote about non-United States citizens who had joined the country's military forces. In April 1945, Syrett was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, and he compared the United States Army and United States Navy during his voyage. Throughout the summer of 1945, he anticipated the end of the war and wrote about the power of the atomic bomb, while expressing his hope that the war would end soon. After the Japanese surrender, he served in Okinawa, Muramatsu, and Niigata, Japan, which he described. An avid souvenir hunter, Syrett discussed his acquisitions throughout his military service. He also responded to news from home, provided information about other servicemen with whom he corresponded, and discussed the military's encouragement of V-mail services. An undated photograph of an unidentified soldier is housed at the end of the series.

Syrett occasionally enclosed items such as dried flowers, magazine articles, and newspaper clippings in his letters. In his correspondence with the Cusacks, Syrett occasionally sent snapshot photographs of himself, fellow soldiers, destroyed buildings, and scenery (November 24, 1944, 3 photos; January 25, 1945, 6 photos; March 1, 1945, 7 photos). He often wrote on stationery depicting the logos of the United States Army, United States Navy, Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Camp Barkeley, and Camp Grant, as well as stationery with scenes from Camp Barkeley and Hawaii. In 1945, Syrett sometimes composed letters on paper he took from Japanese soldiers. Some letters are V-mail letters, including pre-printed Easter and Mother's Day greetings.

The Scrapbook (around 60 pages) is comprised primarily of newspaper clippings and ephemera from Syrett's World War II service. The items are arranged roughly chronologically. He also collected newsletters, programs, and tickets during his time in the United States, as well as currency during his time abroad. Official documents such as Syrett's draft cards, military orders, and vaccine records are also present. Newspaper clippings relate to the 27th Army Division, jungle training exercises in Hawaii, the Battle of Saipan, the Battle of Okinawa, and the Pacific Theater. Christmas cards are also pasted into the volume.

This scrapbook contains correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to the soldiers' canteen that Katharine G. Prest hosted at her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts, between June 1941 and August 1945.

This scrapbook contains around 120 pages of correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to the soldiers' canteen that Katharine G. Prest hosted at her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts, between June 1941 and August 1945.

Soldiers stationed throughout the United States and in both major theaters of war frequently wrote to Prest, expressing their gratitude for her hospitality and sometimes reporting on their experiences after leaving Massachusetts; soldiers' wives and mothers occasionally thanked Prest as well. Emily J. Nichols, who worked for the American Red Cross at Fort Devens, corresponded with Prest about upcoming events for wounded men. The servicemen sent manuscript letters, V-mail letters, postcards, and Christmas cards. Many of the postcards include cartoons and other illustrations, most frequently regarding military life. Snapshots and formal portraits show groups of young men and women relaxing at the Prests' home, often near the pool, and soldiers in uniform at various locations.

Prest collected newspaper clippings about her wartime activities and about the war, particularly related to soldiers' experiences in the European Theater. Some clippings include photographs of Prest. The scrapbook contains a small number of printed programs, song lyrics, insignia patches, and a pin from the 101st Cavalry Regiment. One page consists of several soldiers' drawings, including a caricature of Adolf Hitler with target values printed on various parts of his body. A colored illustration commemorating the 101st Cavalry Regiment and several portraits of unidentified individuals are drawn directly into the volume. Later items include awards and certificates of thanks that Prest received from various organizations (undated, WWII era), an award celebrating her commitment to fighting cancer (1951), and a birth announcement (written on a photograph) (January 25, 1954).

Two items pre-date United States involvement in the war: a 1930 group photograph of the "Lawyer's Club" (including William M. Preston), and a 1940 book entitled Yuletide in Many Lands.

This collection contains 10 letters that Lee and Grace De Graff and their son, Lee De Graff, Jr., received from men serving in the United States Armed Forces during and just after the Second World War.

This collection contains 10 letters that Lee and Grace De Graff and their son, Lee De Graff, Jr., received from members of the United States Armed Forces during and just after the Second World War. The first items are a letter in which Private Frederick T. Davis commented on machine gun training at the Air Forces Technical School at Lowry Field, Colorado (January 2, 1942), and a letter from Staff Sergeant Buddy Montana, a relative of the De Graff family, about his busy schedule and his correspondence habits (January 27, 1944).

The De Graffs' nephew, sailor Hugh Brown ("Hughie"), wrote 5 letters while stationed on P.C. 494 and serving in the Philippines from June 1944-April 1946. He requested information about family members in New York and provided his impressions of the Philippines; in one letter to Lee De Graff, Jr., Brown described local women (June 9, 1945). In another letter, he commented on the recent success of the New York Yankees, whom he followed while recovering from tonsillitis in a Brooklyn hospital, enclosing 5 humorous (unrelated) cartoons (April 6, 1946). By the end of the war, Brown was stationed in Subic Bay, Luzon, and intended to return home and marry a woman named Peggy (undated).

Lee and Grace De Graff also received a letter and a Christmas card from Private William W. Kosboth of the 304th Medical Battalion, as well as a V-mail letter from William H. Whipple, who included a Christmas card from the 14th Air Force ([1945]). The final item is a typed speech by M. A. De Graff urging donations for the Second Red Cross War Fund (undated).

This collection contains around 150 incoming letters that Miriam Kline of New York City received from men serving in the United States Armed Forces throughout World War II. They described their experiences and exercises at army training camps and other military bases within the United States.

This collection contains around 150 incoming letters that Miriam Kline of New York City received from men serving in the United States Armed Forces throughout World War II. They described their experiences and exercises at army training camps and other military bases within the United States. She also wrote 2 letters and sent 2 Christmas cards to soldiers.

Sergeant Walter C. Jessel and Private David W. Hoefer wrote most of the earlier letters between July 1941 and June 1942. Jessel, a friend, shared his experiences in the army both before and shortly after the Pearl Harbor attacks, and Hoefer often wrote Miriam about his life in the army and about his affection for her, though he wrote less frequently after she declined his romantic advances in mid-June 1942. Throughout the war, Kline continued to receive letters from Jessel, Hoefer, and 14 other servicemen, primarily from bases in the United States. They described many aspects of everyday life in the army, army air forces, and coast guard.

Enclosures include 3 photographs of Walter C. Jessel in uniform, newspaper clippings, and humorous cartoons. Jessel drew a picture of his transport train in his letter postmarked October 13, 1941. Later items include letters that Miriam wrote to Jessel and to Lieutenant R. H. Davis in 1945, as well as Christmas cards she sent to Davis and to Allan Isakson.

This collection is made up of over 280 letters that Sergeant Randall M. Stine wrote to his parents and siblings in Portland, Pennsylvania, while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Stine wrote about camp life in the United States and about his experiences in North Africa and Italy.

This collection is made up of over 280 letters that Sergeant Randall M. Stine wrote to his parents and siblings in Portland, Pennsylvania, while serving with the United States Army during World War II. Stine wrote home regularly from October 22, 1942-August 13, 1945, with a few gaps during periods of travel. His first letters concern his arrival and experiences at Camp Pickett, Virginia, and Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he was trained as a cook. He shared his impressions of the South, fellow soldiers, and camp life. In December 1942, he sent illustrated Christmas cards to his sisters.

After his arrival in North Africa, Stine wrote every few days about his work at the 105th Station Hospital; he continued to cook for staff and patients following the hospital's relocation to Italy in 1944. On one occasion, he complained about the soldiers' mealtime behavior. In his spare time, Stine read magazines, played checkers, watched movies, and attended USO shows. In one letter from mid-1945, he discussed his visit to a rest camp in Rome, and on August 11, 1945, he reported the news of the Japanese surrender offer.