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

This collection contains letters that Wilfrid MacDonald and his family wrote about their lives in China in the 1930s, as well as letters that Constance Stone wrote to Elsie S. MacDonald and others about her service as a medical volunteer in the Pacific during World War II.

This collection (0.25 linear feet) contains letters that Wilfrid MacDonald and his family wrote about their lives in China in the 1930s, as well as letters that Constance Stone wrote to Elsie S. MacDonald and others about her service as a medical volunteer in the Pacific during World War II.

Wilfrid MacDonald, his wife Mabel, and their daughters Catharine and Ruth wrote 7 letters to Howard G. MacDonald of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from January 25, 1931-November 16, 1940. The MacDonalds commented on life in China; Wilfrid often mentioned religion, international politics, and the economic crisis in the United States. One letter includes a sketch of a "Valentine" [a person]. In her letter of December 7, 1937, Mabel MacDonald described hearing air raid sirens during the Japanese invasion of China.

Constance E. Stone ("Connie") wrote 32 manuscript and V-mail letters to her former roommates Maxine La Bounty ("Max") and Elsie MacDonald ("Sigh") from September 1943-April 28, 1945. Stone volunteered for the American Red Cross and served at hospitals in Australia and New Guinea, including the 84th Station Hospital and 43rd Field Hospital. She shared news of her life in the Pacific and occasionally discussed her work; in December 1943, Stone sent her friends a Christmas greeting with a drawing of Mickey Mouse's dog Pluto standing over an Axis helmet. Stone wrote at least one letter on captured paper.

Additional correspondence includes a letter that Annie MacDonald of Knoxville, Tennessee, received from her cousin (January 5, 1930); 2 letters that Maxine La Bounty received from Emmy Lou Heald, a Red Cross volunteer; and a letter and Chinese Christmas card that Elsie MacDonald received from her cousin, Jean MacDonald Thomas. Ephemeral items include a military pass issued to Emmett J. Larkin and a billet and ration card.

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).