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

The John and Paul Pitman papers consist primarily of correspondence that the brothers wrote to their parents while serving in the Philippines during World War II. They commented on their daily lives in the final months of the war.

The John and Paul Pitman papers consist primarily of correspondence that the brothers wrote to their parents, Jay and Blanche Pitman, while serving in the Philippines during World War II. They commented on their daily lives in the final months of the war.

John Pitman, who wrote 201 letters, began to write to his parents shortly after reporting for gunnery school at Fort Knox, Kentucky; he related his experiences in training before his transfer to California in January 1945. In March 1945, he traveled to the Philippines with the 44th Tank Battalion, Company B. He wrote about many aspects of his life in the Pacific Theater, such as watching American planes on bombing runs (May 3, 1945) and anticipating the effect that Germany's surrender would have on the Pacific war (May 8, 1945). During the Allied occupation of Japan, Pitman reported that soldiers often played baseball games and watched movies. This series also has a letter to Blanche Pitman about her son Bruce, who had been reported missing in action in Germany (November 27, 1944).

Paul Pitman, who wrote 145 letters, served in the 129th Naval Construction Battalion. He began his correspondence on March 5, 1945, while at Camp Shoemaker, California. After reaching the Philippines in April 1945, he frequently wrote to his parents about his experiences during the war's final months and during his postwar service on the troop transport ship War Hawk. He often wrote about his leisure activities and, after the war, about his increasing eagerness to return home. Paul's letter of August 15, 1945, encloses an issue of the 129th Beacon, his battalion's newsletter, about the end of the war and the sailors' expected return to the United States.

The Pitman family correspondence (27 letters) contains letters to Blanche Pitman, Jay Pitman, and Althea Pitman from friends and family members, including nephews and cousins. Some writers expressed their condolences after hearing that Bruce Pitman had been declared missing in action in 1944.

The Roland F. Kerner papers contain correspondence, documents, printed items, and ephemera pertaining to Kerner's service in the United States Marine Corps and Seabees during World War II. He wrote letters to his mother and received letters from his fiancée while he was serving in the Pacific. The additional items concern various aspects of his military service.

The Roland F. Kerner papers are made up of correspondence, documents, printed items, and ephemera pertaining to Kerner's service in the United States Marine Corps and Seabees during World War II. The Correspondence series (256 items), which includes manuscript and typed letters, V-mail, telegrams, and postcards, contains Kerner's incoming and outgoing correspondence with his mother and his fiancée. From November 1942-May 1945, Kerner wrote to his widowed mother about his travels, training schedule, leisure activities, and military duties in the United States and the Pacific Theater. He also commented on her work and encouraged her not to overexert herself. Occasionally, Kerner mentioned developments in the war, such as the D-Day invasions. In a letter of September 7, 1943, he discussed island residents' desire to marry off their daughters to American soldiers, and his letter of April 1, 1945, reports his courtship with and engagement to Louise Stevens. Kerner wrote infrequently after May 1945, when he again went overseas; his later letters concern his travels in the Pacific and, in one case, a conflict with his brother-in-law, Paul Dieter (October 1, 1945).

From May 1945-October 1945, most items are love letters from Louise Stevens to Roland F. Kerner. She wrote about her daily life and social activities in Wheaton, Illinois, and shared her joy after hearing about the end of the war. Her letter of September 29, 1945, is written on illustrated stationery celebrating the Allied victory, and at least two of her letters enclose photographs. Far less frequently, Kerner received letters from his mother and sister, who wrote about housework and family life. Ray [Bilter], another soldier, wrote a letter about his experiences in Germany near the end of the war and shared his negative opinion of Germans after seeing concentration camps (April 29, 1945).

The Documents and Reports series (24 items) is made up of receipts, military records, and other items pertaining to Roland F. Kerner, such as a receipt for work on his car (June 2, 1942), a document about Kerner's approved leave of absence from the navy (May 17, 1945), documents about his eligibility for postwar education benefits (April 23, 1946), and 5 lists of naval personnel. An undated form about Kerner's military service encloses photographs of him in uniform.

The Printed Items series (21 items) mostly contains newspapers and clippings, often about the Pacific Theater of the war. Issues of Yank, the West Chicago Press, and servicemen's informal newsletters are included. Other items are two books with religious devotions and a map of the Pacific Ocean. The Ephemera series (15 items) consists of 4 wage slips, a letter fragment, photographs, 5 photographic postcards of scenes from Melbourne, Australia, and other items.