Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Soldier from Petoskey, Mich. who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes a letter describing his experiences as sergeant in Co. A, 1st Battalion, 310th Engineers.

This is a photocopy of a newspaper clipping containing a letter from Billeau describing living conditions and weather in Russia.

Member of Co. B, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes record of combat experiences against Bolshevik troops.

The diary, July 1918-July 1919, describes his journey from Camp Custer to Russia, patrolling the countryside, his uncertainty and bewilderment over the objectives and purpose of the campaign, fighting at Seltso, Oct. 1918, and Toulgas, Oct. and Nov. 1918; the defense of Toulgas, Jan.-Feb. 1919; fighting at Kurgomen, March-April 1919; and his return to the United States.

Member of Co. K, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes citation from French government for bravery in combat in 1918; and photographs.

A photocopy of a citation for bravery from the French government and photographs taken at the ceremonies at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery during which the bodies of American soldiers returned from Russia were reinterred.

Member of Co. G, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition" and officer in the Polar Bear Association. Collection includes papers on the committee sent to Russia in 1929, to recover the bodies of men slain during the expedition, including material on their reinterment in White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery, Troy, Michigan, and the dedication of the Polar Bear monument.

The collection includes a copy of a petition, Feb. 1919, from people in Detroit asking for the withdrawal of American troops from Archangel; a diary, July-Sept. 1929, describing his trip to Russia and the search for bodies; correspondence, 1929-1930, regarding the commission and its work; a list of the bodies recovered and a map showing the location of some bodies found around Kodish; papers relating to the reinterment of the dead in White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery; a 1965 memoir of the 1929 commission, and two letters, 1966 and undated, from Arthur Wickham relating his memories of service in Archangel. Also included are bulletins, meeting notes, speeches, eulogies, and programs of the Polar Bear Association and the constitution and bylaws of the Polar Bear Post, No. 436, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Debriefing report and diary of Anton Russell, private in the 339th Infantry Medical Detachment, sent to Archangel, Russia at the end of World War I, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

This collection contains original materials and digital reproductions. The digital items in this collection were digitized from originals by the individual donors before being received by the Bentley Historical Library. Preservation copies of these files with their original file names and CD-ROM file structures intact have been submitted to Deep Blue. Access copies of these digital files can be viewed by clicking on the links next to the individual folders in the Content List below.

In this finding aid, the files have been arranged into one series, Papers. Within each series, files are listed numerically according to the file arrangement they were given by the donor. The files in this collection are in TIF format.

Includes files containing the digitized diary, or travel log, of Russell's service and a Polar Bear reunion medal; also a non-digitized transcribed copy of a debriefing report.

Soldier from Holland, Mich., member of Co. D, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes description of army life and battles of the Polar Bear campaign; also includes a reminiscence of a tour of Russia, 1959, with a teachers group.

The diary, July 1918-July 1919, is a photostat of a typescript, and describes Douma's daily life and the weather as well as fighting at Seltso, Sept. 1918; Toulgas, Nov. 1918; Vistafka, Feb.-March 1919; and Kurgomen, April-May 1919. The collection also includes a reminiscence of a tour of Russia, 1959, with a teachers' group.

Soldier from LaCrosse, Wisc., captain of Co. M, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes miscellaneous citations, orders, and correspondence relating to his activities with the Polar Bear regiment; also photographs.

The papers contain primarily certificates and personal documents. The photographs include pictures of American and foreign soldiers, Russian people and scenes, and naval ships; also pictures of the 1929 memorial services for bodies returned from Russia, Polar Bear Association reunions, and personal photographs. Printed maps have been removed from the collection and cataloged separately.

Member of Co. D, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes transcript of his diary describing his experiences in Russia.

Transcript of a diary describing his experiences in Russia.

Soldier from Cleveland, Ohio, member of 167th Transportation Corps who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes roster of members, transcript of military record, and miscellanea.

The papers include a roster of the 167th Co., a transcript of Russell's military record, and miscellanea.

Member of 339th U.S. Infantry who was killed during the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes a portrait of Jenks.

A portrait of Jenks.