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

This collection consists of over 300 letters that Private Albert Starke Drischell wrote to his family in Baldwin, New York, while serving in the United States Army during World War II. The collection also contains letters and postcards that Drischell received during his military service. Drischell wrote about his experiences while training in various camps, participating in an educational program, working with army theatrical groups in the United States and England, and serving in Germany during the last months of the war and the first months of the occupation.

The bulk of this collection (1 linear foot) consists of over 300 letters that Private Albert Starke Drischell wrote to his family in Baldwin, New York, about his experiences in the United States Army from January 21, 1943-December 6, 1945. The collection also contains letters and postcards that Drischell received during his military service and a few ephemera items.

Drischell addressed the majority of his letters to his parents, and occasionally wrote to his younger siblings, Ralph and Ruth. He composed his first letters while at Camp Upton in Long Island, New York, soon after entering the service, and provided his impressions of the camp, his companions, military life, and training exercises. At Camp Swift, Texas, he wrote about his experiences at Texas A&M University, where he was among a group tested for entrance into a selective educational program. After being accepted, he moved to New Mexico and began taking college-level engineering courses at New Mexico College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. He and many others found the coursework difficult, and by November he had failed a course and was removed from the program. While in New Mexico, he shared his determination to succeed and gave his opinions of other men in the army, particularly his negative opinions of those who drank to excess (July 8, 1943). He also mentioned his moral objection to the war.

Drischell left New Mexico for Fort Custer, Michigan, where he attended courses in military government and occasionally guarded German prisoners. In one letter, he expressed his fear that soldiers would have difficulty readjusting to civilian life after being schooled in "mass murder" (January 23, 1944). In early 1945, Drischell moved to Camp Reynolds, Pennsylvania, where his unit awaited overseas deployment. He continued to describe his experiences, offered his opinions on the army, and mentioned trips taken to the surrounding towns while on temporary leave. In mid-May 1944, Drischell arrived in Scotland, though he was transferred to England soon after. As part of a replacement battalion, he occupied much of his free time by accompanying women to dances and befriending local families. He also acted in a play put on by the army, and briefly toured with an army theatrical group in the fall of 1944, an experience he enjoyed and hoped to continue in his post-army life. Many of his letters from this time focused on the economic and physical hardships of the war, and other letters mention a visit to London (February 15, 1945), his support for Thomas E. Dewey in the 1944 presidential election (August 6, 1944), George Bernard Shaw's views on capitalism, communism, and democracy (August 8, 1944), and his efforts to obtain conscientious objector status.

After being deployed on the Continent in March 1945, Drischell shared his impressions of the devastated French and German countryside, through which he advanced as part of the 318th Infantry Regiment. After the war, he described the small Austrian town where he was stationed, in which German children born out of wedlock were being "raised for use in foreign lands" (May 16, 1945). Drischell also accounted for the gap in his letters between April and May, when he advanced deep into Germany and Austria and participated in active combat (May 31, 1945, et al.). Freed from the constraints of censorship after V-E day, he reported on some of his combat experiences, and he believed that he never directly killed an enemy soldier. Throughout his European service, Drischell continually voiced his appreciation for the United States and compared it to Europe, occasionally calling his native country a relative "utopia."

Drischell sometimes enclosed souvenirs from his European travels in his letters, including a French 50-franc note (March 25, 1945), German stamps (June 20, 1945), and clippings from the Stars and Stripes and other papers. By late August 1945, he was in Paris as a member of a traveling dramatic troupe, and he wrote less frequently. His final letter, dated December 6, 1945, reveals that he went on tour in Germany.

Additional items include 2 printed church programs from 1944, a newspaper clipping featuring an English unit's canine mascot, and a list of men from St. Peter's Church who served in the war, including Albert S. Drischell. One undated letter fragment from "Iggie" discusses his experiences as a soldier in India, and another by an anonymous writer concerns Drischell's acting and a mutual acquaintance named "Fip."

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.

The Janeth Coates papers primarily contain correspondence between Janeth Zebedee Coates and his wife, Cecil Marie Brannon, written while he served with the Army Air Forces in India during World War II. Coates commented on his military work and life in India and frequently urged his wife to remain faithful to him during his time overseas.

The Janeth Coates papers (220 items) primarily contain correspondence between Janeth Zebedee Coates and his wife, Cecil Marie Brannon. The majority of the collection is made up of around 200 letters that the couple exchanged during Janeth's service with the United States Army Air Forces in India from 1944-1945. He wrote 175 letters to his wife about his work, health, and complaints about the weather, as well as other aspects of his daily life. His Christian beliefs are evident throughout his correspondence, and he often referred to his attendance at church.

Coates repeatedly insisted that his wife maintain a distance between herself and other men; among his proclamations of unconditional love are references to his suspicions that she might cheat on him and to the consequences of such behavior. On June 23, 1945, he mentioned women who remarried soon after hearing reports of their husbands' deaths, only to have their first husbands return alive, and he insisted that Cecil wait at least two or three years before considering remarriage if she received news that he had died.

Though he wrote most frequently about their relationship, Coates occasionally mentioned the war, particularly its effect on his health; he reported having trouble sleeping and suffered from nervousness, particularly after coming under fire (November 30, 1944). Although he was not allowed to share many details about his job, he encouraged Cecil to read Life for informative articles on American forces in India. On December 18, 1944, he shared news of his brother J. P., who was recovering from a "blast concussion" sustained while on duty in the South Pacific. In addition to his outgoing correspondence, the collection also holds 24 letters written to Janeth Coates during his service; 21 are from his wife, who wrote mostly about her love for him and news from home, and 3 are from other family members.

Additional material includes a humorous illustrated form letter addressed to "Chief Closemouth" from "Snooks" (March 11, 1943), several receipts, printed documents regarding the return of veterans to the United States after the completion of their military service, printed programs, an invitation, and business cards. The collection also contains several photographs of soldiers and of men and women on vacation at a beach.

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 letters that Phyllis Okoniewski of Buffalo, New York, wrote and received during World War II. She corresponded with servicemen in multiple branches of the United States Armed Forces during the early years of the war, and wrote over 150 letters to her future husband, Richard J. Szymczak, from September 1943-May 1945.

This collection is made up of approximately 200 letters that Phyllis Okoniewski of Buffalo, New York, wrote and received during World War II, 4 manuscript writings, and 6 newspaper clippings..

The Correspondence series consists of Phyllis Okoniewski's incoming and outgoing letters. From February 1941-August 1943, Okoniewski received over 40 letters from members of the United States Army, United States Army Air Forces, and United States Navy. They wrote about aspects of military life at bases such as Camp McClellan, Alabama; Camp Croft, South Carolina; Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida; Camp Pickett, Virginia; Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina; Sampson Naval Training Station, New Jersey; Camp Gordon, Georgia; and South Kelly Field, Texas. The servicemen discussed their classes, possible assignments, daily routine, and leisure activities. Okoniewski occasionally composed drafts of letters to these soldiers, in which she discussed her life in Buffalo, New York. The bulk of the series (over 150 items) is comprised of Okoniewski's letters to her future husband, Richard Szymczak, between September 1943 and May 1945. She commented on news from home, activities with members of the Okoniewski and Szymczak families, her senior prom, and her love for Szymczak.

The Writings series (4 items) contains 2 drafts of an explicit poem about Adam and Eve, a recipe for "love cake," a parody of Longfellow's poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," and a typed joke about married women.

Five of the six Newspaper clippings relate to the Buffalo Bisons hockey team during the war. One of these lists war casualties from western New York on the reverse side. The sixth clipping is an image of members of the 95th Signal Company, 3rd Division, United States Army, surrounding a cow.

This collection is made up of correspondence related to Stephen M. Klima and his wife, Mary Samut Klima. Stephen Klima reported on his experiences with the United States Army's 16th Infantry Regiment at various camps in the United States and in North Africa. Mary Klima continued to write letters to her husband after he was reported killed in action in April 1943, and many items pertain to her bereavement and widow's allowances.

This collection is made up of the World War II-era correspondence of Stephen M. Klima and his wife, Mary Samut Klima. Stephen Klima reported on his experiences with the United States Army's 16th Infantry Regiment at camps in the United States and in North Africa. Mary Klima continued to write letters to her husband after he was reported killed in action in April 1943, and many items pertain to her bereavement and widow's allowances.

The Personal Correspondence series (approximately 1.75 linear feet) comprises the bulk of the collection. The majority is personal letters to and between Mary Samut and Stephen Klima (January 26, 1939-January 7, 1952). Items include manuscript and typed letters, telegrams, V-mail, and picture postcards.

The earliest letters are incoming correspondence to Mary Samut from several acquaintances and, after July 1940, from Stephen Klima, her friend, fiancé, and husband. He wrote about his work with the Civilian Conservation Corps in Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon until January 1941, when he enlisted in the United States Army. Klima, who served with Company F of the 16th Infantry Regiment for his entire military career, described his experiences at Fort Wadsworth, New York; Fort Devens, Massachusetts; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Camp Blanding, Florida; Fort Benning, Georgia; Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania; and in England and North Africa. He commented on their romantic relationship, his feelings about being separated from his wife and young son, training and military life, travel, and local people (particularly in England). He repeatedly encouraged Mary not to worry about him. His final letter is dated March 15, 1943; he was reported missing in action a short time later.

From March 3, 1943-February 12, 1944, Mary Klima continued to write to her husband. Though she acknowledged that he had been formally reported dead, she believed that he would one day receive her letters and write back. She provided updates about their son, discussed her religious and social activities, and shared her hope for her husband's return. The envelopes from this period have stamps from military post offices indicating that Klima had been reported as killed in action.

Mary Samut Klima received letters from friends and family members throughout and after the war. Joan O'Hara (later Nelson), one of Mary's most frequent and consistent correspondents, wrote about her life in New York, California, and Pennsylvania. Her letters from the late 1940s and early 1950s largely pertain to her family life and her daughter Linda. Klima's other correspondents included military personnel, such as John C. Kulman (Company G, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines), Michael Desko (Company B, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment), and Donald J. Crocker (Naval Air Technical Training Center, Chicago, Illinois). These men reported on their experiences in the military and usually signed their letters affectionately; Desko wished her luck in her romantic endeavors. Mary's brother Edward ("Eddie") wrote about his training with Company B of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 1946. Enclosures include photographs and a matchbook (July 26, 1944).

The Military Correspondence series (approximately 0.25 linear feet) consists of typed and manuscript letters that Mary Klima received from organizations including the United States War Department, United States Army Finance Office, American Red Cross, American Legion, and Army Relief Society. Many items are responses to Mary's repeated requests for information about her husband, who was reported missing in action in late March 1943 and killed in action in April 1943. Other materials concern her pension and her husband's medals.

The Ephemera and Printed Items series (approximately 0.25 linear feet) is primarily comprised of greeting cards for Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and other occasions. Other items include a newspaper clipping with a humorous essay about World War I army service, Mary's manuscript notes begging for censors to let it pass through the mail, an advertisement and order form for a history of the United States Army's 1st Division, and a humorous permit allowing Stephen Klima to associate freely with both men and women.

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 consists of the contents of a scrapbook kept by Effie M. Conroy of the Bronx, New York, who documented the army service of her son, Edwin F. Conroy, a member of the 114th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The scrapbook contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to Conroy, to the 114th Infantry Regiment, and to the 29th "Blue and Gray" Division.

This collection consists of a 54-page scrapbook and 24 related items kept by Effie M. Conroy of the Bronx, New York, who documented the army service of her son Edwin, a member of the 114th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The first pages of the scrapbook mainly hold newspaper clippings, including a collection of humorous anecdotes from Conroy's time working as an attaché at the West Farms Court and later articles documenting the 114th Infantry Regiment and the 29th Division. These clippings, though undated, concern the infantry's service throughout and just after the war, and one item from the Bronx Home News relates Effie's thoughts upon hearing that Edwin had been wounded (p. 13). Several other clippings contain poetry, including a sheet of contributions by soldiers (p. 16), and one is a comic strip about service at the front lines (p. 19).

Correspondence includes a printed letter from Corporal Jos. H. Shea describing his journey to France onboard the SS Princess Matoika (p. 3), a printed letter from General John J. Pershing thanking soldiers for their service (p. 5), and many letters that Conroy wrote to his mother while in training at Camp McClellan, Alabama. Between May and June 1918, Conroy described his railroad journeys to the base, his life at the camp, and his journey to his unit's embarkation point at Newport News, Virginia. While in training, he discussed his daily activities and his anticipated voyage overseas. He wrote one letter on YMCA stationery with a letterhead composed of photographs (p. 29), and two of his postcards depict scenes from Camp McClellan. Though most of his letters date to his time in training, Conroy wrote later letters to Anna Gernand, with whom he shared his impressions of destruction near the front (p. 53), and to his aunt and mother.

Most ephemera items are printed programs, though the collection also holds a pamphlet of songs sung by the American Expeditionary Forces (p. 53) and a medal citation for service in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (loose ephemera). One program relates to event honoring General Ferdinand Foch in 1921 (loose ephemera).

This 132-page diary chronicles the experiences of Bert C. Whitney, of Washington, Michigan, who served with the 304th Sanitary Train in France during World War I. Whitney described his transatlantic voyages, his experiences near the front line at Verdun in late 1918, and his travels around France after the armistice.

This 132-page diary chronicles the experiences of Bert C. Whitney, of Washington, Michigan, who served with the 304th Sanitary Train in France during World War I. Whitney described both of his transatlantic voyages, his experiences near the front line at Verdun in late 1918, and his travels around France after the armistice. The journal is housed in a leather wallet, and has a drawing of a flag on its inside cover.

Whitney began his account in early July 1918, while en route to Brooklyn, New York, where his regiment embarked for France on July 10. During his time at sea, he described the ships in his convoy, submarine scares, and daily life onboard the transport ship Lutetia. Shortly after their arrival at Brest on July 21, Whitney recounted his movements in France until mid-September, when he reached the front lines. Though he did not participate directly in active combat, he described life behind the lines and witnessed artillery barrages, gas attacks, and aerial battles. Near the end of the war, he remarked about the destruction of the area around Verdun and anticipated an armistice, particularly after he saw a German delegation on their way to meet with General John J. Pershing. On November 11, 1918, Whitney counted down the final minutes of active combat, noting the ferocity of the fire until the stroke of 11:00 a.m. After the armistice, he recorded his travels around France and his negative opinions of French soldiers. He embarked for the United States in the spring of 1919 and wrote his final entry on May 30, 1919, as the ship approached the United States. Enclosures include poppies taken from a battlefield (pressed into the volume around October 22, 1918), 2 military documents related to his promotion to sergeant, and a poem entitled "Romeo to Verdun," printed in the Romeo Observer.

This collection contains around 80 letters that Sergeant Frank D. Jonas wrote to his parents and siblings in Brooklyn, New York, while serving with Company B of the 326th Tank Corps during World War I. Jonas described his training at Camp Upton, New York, and at Camp Colt and Camp Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, between February and September 1918, and discussed his experiences in England and in Bourg and St. Laurent, France, between October 1918 and April 1919. The collection also includes letters that Jonas received from other soldiers, as well as letters Jonas's brothers Robert and Richard wrote about their experiences in the military.

This collection contains around 80 letters that Sergeant Frank D. Jonas wrote to his parents and siblings in Brooklyn, New York, while serving with the Company B of the 326th Tank Corps at Camp Upton, New York; at Camp Colt and Camp Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania; and in Bourg and St. Laurent, France, during World War I. The collection also includes letters that Jonas received from other soldiers and letters by Jonas's brothers Robert and Richard.

The bulk of the Correspondence series is comprised of letters from Frank D. Jonas to his parents and siblings, usually addressed to his mother. While in training at Fort Slocum and Camp Upton, New York, in early 1918, he described his clothing, equipment, daily routine, and other soldiers. In late March 1918, Jonas transferred to the newly established Camp Colt near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he became a member of Company B of the 326th Tank Corps and, later, a signal sergeant. In his letters to his family, Jonas mentioned training exercises such as hikes, drilling, and signaling classes; he also encouraged his brother Richard ("Dick") to enlist. After arriving in Europe around October 1918, Jonas wrote a letter about his transatlantic journey; he later commented on his surroundings and on soldiers' accommodations in France.

After the war, Jonas served in Bourg and St. Laurent, France, where he discussed the possibility of returning home. Two of his letters contain enclosures: a newspaper clipping with photographs of French tanks and wounded Canadian soldiers (September 19, 1918) and photographic negatives of a soldier in uniform (May 23, 1918). Several of Jonas's letters are written on YMCA or Tank Corps stationery, and he also sent his family a Christmas card, and received a postcard depicting a group of soldiers.

Jonas received 2 letters from Sergeant Edward A. Fargo, Jr., who served in Germany in 1919; 1 letter from a marine serving at Paris Island, South Carolina; and 1 letter from Sergeant Harry E. Wildner. His brothers Richard ("Dick") and Robert ("Bob") also wrote several letters about their own experiences in the military.

The Tank Drill Regulations series contains one 3-page document outlining the procedures and signals during tank units' drill exercises.