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

This collection contains letters that M. Robert Rosenberg received while serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, as well as letters he wrote to Gertrude Rosenberg of Albany, New York. The collection also includes additional correspondence to Gertrude Rosenberg and a typed poem.

This collection contains letters that M. Robert Rosenberg received while serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, as well as letters he wrote to Gertrude Rosenberg of Albany, New York. The collection also includes additional correspondence to Gertrude Rosenberg and a typed poem. Some items consist of multiple letters to M. Robert Rosenberg, Gertrude Rosenberg, or both.

M. Robert Rosenberg wrote to Gertrude Rosenberg about his military service at Lowry Field, Colorado, and Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. He commented on his leisure activities, dates with "Rosalie," his attempts to publish a book, and the possibility of receiving a medical discharge. He received v-mail letters from friends in the army and a typed letter from F. G. Duffy of Neisner Brothers, Inc. in Rochester, New York, a potential postwar employer. A 4-page poem by G. A. Smith provides information about personnel stationed at Lowry Field in December 1943. Gertrude Rosenberg's other correspondents were a niece or nephew and a friend in Newark, New Jersey.

This collection contains 7 letters that Helen Eastman received in 1943 from Lee Blanchard, Therald Eastman, and H. W. Woodward, as well as 1 undated letter, 1 printed poem, and 1 pencil sketch. The men discussed their service in the United States Army and Navy; Blanchard described his experiences in North Africa and Italy.

This collection contains 7 letters that Helen Eastman received in 1943 from Lee Blanchard, Therald Eastman, and H. W. Woodward, as well as 1 undated letter, 1 printed poem and 1 pencil sketch.

Private First Class Lee Blanchard wrote 5 letters to Helen Eastman between June 27, 1943, and November 25, 1943, while serving with the 10th Field Hospital in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He described the scenery from his travels and responded to news she sent from home. While in Sicily, he visited catacombs; he also remarked on ancient Greek and Roman ruins in Italy and in Constantinople.

On July 15, 1943, Seaman Second Class H. W. Woodward ("Willis") wrote to Helen Eastman from the United States Naval Training Station in Newport, Rhode Island, where he attended storekeeper's school. He related news of family and friends, and reported that he planned to graduate in August. Helen's cousin Therald Eastman wrote to the Eastman family on December 16, 1943, thanking them for a Christmas gift and reporting on his courses at the Field Artillery Replacement Training Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The final letter to Helen Eastman, an undated item signed by "Maurice," pertains to the Christmas season and provides family news.

The collection also contains a printed fragment of a poem entitled "Two Opinions," which presents a boy's opinion on the opposite sex, and a pencil drawing of a person in a high-collared uniform.

This collection is comprised of 104 items related to Private First Class John Marshal Holcombe III's service in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Holcombe sent about 90 letters and other items to his parents and siblings in Farmington, Connecticut, while in training in Florida, South Dakota, and Utah in 1942 and 1943, and while serving in Africa between 1943 and 1945. He commented on various aspects of his training, the war, his health, and military life. The collection also contains 4 documents, 2 newspaper clippings, and 6 loose photographs related to Holcombe's military service.

This collection is comprised of 104 items related to Private First Class John Marshal Holcombe III's service in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Holcombe sent about 90 letters and other items to his parents and siblings in Farmington, Connecticut, while in training in Florida, South Dakota, and Utah in 1942 and 1943, and while serving in Africa between 1943 and 1945. He commented on various aspects of his training, the war, his health, and military life. The collection also contains 4 documents, 2 newspaper clippings, and 6 loose photographs related to Holcombe's military service.

The Correspondence series consists primarily of letters that John Holcombe III wrote to his parents, John Holcombe, Jr., and Marguerite Holcombe, and to his siblings, especially his sisters Ada ("Adie") and Gloria. Of the collection's 72 dated letters and other items, Holcombe composed 7 letters from the training center at Miami Beach, Florida, (June 1942-July 1942); 20 letters from the training center at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, (July 1942-December 1942); 4 letters from Kearns, Utah (December 1942-January 1943); and 35 letters from North and Central Africa between (February 1943-May 1945). Other items are a telegram, 3 letters from other soldiers to the Holcombe family, a blank record sheet for "Bombing Practise" [sic], and a speech that Holcombe composed in honor of his parents' 25th anniversary. Of the 20 undated items, 19 are letters from John Holcombe III to his family; the final item is a typed copy of his poem "Tropic Fever."

Holcombe's letters relate to many aspects of his life as a soldier, both in training and on active duty. An asthmatic, he frequently commented on his health; for example, his letters from late 1943 mention his stay in a hospital after he contracted malaria. Other letters describe the scenery in the United States and in Africa, as well as African cultures. Holcombe frequently referred to his experiences in training, which included drilling and attending technical classes, and he sometimes reported news of the war, such as Italy's surrender. He requested news from Connecticut and often wrote personal asides for his sister Ada. His later letters often concern his relationship with other soldiers, and increasingly provide more detailed information about his duties.

• July 6, 1942: Hand-drawn diagram of Holcombe's quarters, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• August 20, 1942: Printed chart for weather reports, filled out in pencil
• September 14, 1942: Photograph of an unidentified soldier sitting on a bunk
• October 14, 1942: Photographs of a soldier punting a football and a soldier next to technical equipment and a chalkboard
• January 12, 1943: Printed cartoon of a soldier washing dishes
• March 19, 1943: 8 photographs of Africans
• June 14, 1943: Poem dedicated to Ada Holcombe on her 19th birthday
• April 7, 1944: Unidentified plant leaf
• July 17, 1944: Enclosed poem dated July 11, 1944
• January 25, 1945: Small drawing of a stickwoman
• Undated: Printed cartoon of a soldier writing

Additionally, several letters dated after October 1944 have a wax seal, often labeled "The Seal of the Clan & Huck Finn."

• United States Army Air Forces Technical School diploma for John Holcombe III's completion of a radio mechanics course (November 27, 1942)
• Travel orders for John Holcombe III and other soldiers, United States Army Headquarters, West African Service Command (March 20, 1945)
• "Salvati Africa" ticket stub (undated)
• Humorous certificate for John Holcombe III's membership in the Marching and Mayhem Club, illustrated with cartoons depicting Japanese and German soldiers being wounded (undated)

The two Newspaper Clippings are a copy of The Spectator Daily (March 22, 1945), and a copy of a John D. Rockefeller, Jr., radio broadcast entitled "I Believe" (undated).

Six black-and-white Photographs illustrate scenes from Asmara, Eritrea, such as a market, a horse-drawn carriage, and buildings.

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.

The Ante papers consist primarily of the World War II-era correspondence of 1st Lieutenant Frank G. Ante, written to Betty Jane Jacober, his sweetheart and, later, wife, throughout his time in the army.

The Ante papers consist primarily of the World War II-era correspondence of 1st Lieutenant Frank G. Ante, written to Betty Jane Jacober, his sweetheart and, later, wife, throughout his time with the army. The earliest letters in the Correspondence series date to Ante's time in New Albany, Indiana, where he worked for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; these reveal his loneliness and desire to return to Betty in Cincinnati. Soon after the war broke out, Ante attempted to enlist and, though initially unsuccessful, entered training at Camp Barkeley, Texas, in the late summer of 1942. Ante wrote to Betty daily and shared numerous anecdotes about life in the army, including a description of his time in Officer Candidate School and his experience with censored correspondence. Ante left for England on October 8, 1943, and once in England was assigned to censorship duty; he occasionally mentioned the Army's mail policies, particularly in relation to censorship. In early 1944, Ante frequently commented on the Allied military efforts in Europe, including the D-Day invasion and his experiences as the army marched eastward into Germany. On May 7, 1945, the "very bitter" Ante provided his frank reaction to the massive celebrations that followed the German surrender, criticizing Americans for their joy at an outcome purchased at a heavy human cost. Throughout his letters, Ante was warmly affectionate toward Betty, and he continuously looked forward to his return to Ohio.

Other material in the collection includes V-mail addressed to Ante from his sister, Mary, during his time in Europe, numerous Greeting Cards Betty sent to her husband, and Miscellaneous material including orders for soldiers occupying Germany, two poems, and a newspaper clipping.

This collection is made up of over 170 letters that Staff Sergeant Lawson L. Lindberg wrote to his fiancé (and later wife), Elsa Kunze (referred to as "Dorothy" or "Dottie"), while serving in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Lindberg described camp life and his training exercises in the United States, and also wrote about his service in the Pacific Theater during the final year of the war.

This collection is made up of over 170 letters that Staff Sergeant Lawson L. Lindberg ("Lucky") wrote to his wife, Elsa Kunze (referred to as "Dorothy" or "Dottie"), while serving in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Lindberg described camp life and his training exercises in the United States, and also wrote about his service in the Pacific Theater during the final year of the war.

Lindberg wrote his first letter shortly after enlistment in December 1941; he commented on his experiences at the Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California, until April 1942, when he was transferred to Camp Elliot, California. At Camp Elliot, where he was a drill instructor, he discussed his unsuccessful attempt to transfer to the Air Corps. Lindberg spent the majority of the war in New River, North Carolina, and Camp Pendleton, California, where he trained with the 23rd Marine Regiment. He described aspects of camp life and military exercises, which included grenade training, rifle training, and large-scale maneuvers. He also reported his punishments after returning late from two furloughs.

Lindberg wrote about his love for Kunze, whom he married while on leave in August 1942; on one occasion, he shared his opinion that she should return to housekeeping after the war, despite having earned several promotions at her wartime job (March 11, 1943). Lindberg wrote less frequently after his deployment to the Pacific Theater in late January 1944, where he served in the Marshall Islands, Iwo Jima, and Saipan in multiple units, including the 5th 155mm Howitzer battalion. Lindberg's letters from overseas often pertain to strained relationships with his family members, including his mother and his older brother, Jack. In his final 2 letters, written from a transient center in October 1945, Lindberg anticipated his return to the United States.

Two of Lindberg's letters contain enclosures: a sexually explicit poem (November 22, 1943) and a photographic negative (July 8, 1945). Kunze also received several telegrams and V-mail letters, as well as a birthday card. Some of Lindberg's letters are written on United States Marine Corps stationery, depicting associated logos and a marine in dress uniform with a rifle.

The Charles J. and Jean C. Molnar correspondence largely consists of letters that Molnar and his wife, Jean Corser, received during his service in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, including their letters to one another. The collection also contains small groups of photographs, ephemera, and printed materials.

The Charles J. and Jean C. Molnar correspondence (2 linear feet) largely consists of over 570 letters received by Molnar and his wife, Jean Corser, during his service in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Other items include small groups of photographs, ephemera, and printed materials.

The Correspondence series (over 570 items) contains personal letters addressed to Charles J. and Jean Corser Molnar during the World War II era. The first item is a letter and contract regarding Corser's teaching career in Kimball, Minnesota, with a stipulation that marriage would void the agreement (August 10, 1939). The remaining correspondence is dated July 8, 1943-October 3, 1945, covering much of Charles Molnar's service in the United States and India. The majority of items are letters between Charles and Jean Molnar concerning his experiences during intelligence training in Utah; his life in Greensboro, North Carolina, while awaiting deployment; and his service in India. He commented on his courses, his leisure activities, the scenery, and the end of the war; after the birth of his daughter, he responded to news of her growth and addressed some of his correspondence directly to her. In 1943, he occasionally wrote brief diary-like notes about his daily life, sometimes on patriotic or military stationery. At least two of his envelopes bear cartoonish ink drawings of soldiers.

Jean Corser Molnar frequently wrote to her husband throughout his war service, sharing news of family and friends and providing updates about her daughter during her pregnancy and after Mary Ann's birth, some written as though they were from Mary Ann. She also received letters from her mother, female friends, and various family members. Additional correspondence includes a pamphlet about Catholicism that Charles sent to Erma Molnar (September 18, 1943) and letters to Charles Molnar from Dave Corser, one of Jean's young relatives. One family member sent Charles a birthday card in October 1943 with a drawing of a young African American child enjoying cake and a linguistically stylized message. Jean sometimes enclosed newspaper clippings and, on at least one occasion, photographs in her letters (July 6, 1945).

The Photographs series contains 9 black-and-white photographs of United States servicemen and military planes. Two pictures showing the 82nd Squadron, 12th Bomb Group are labeled.

The Poetry, Cards, and Ephemera series (10 items) includes a handkerchief with an air force logo painted on it, a small handmade book with captioned photographs of Mary Ann Molnar as a baby, Hilliard L. Gandy's membership card for the Army Air Forces Aid Society, a 2-page draft of a poem, a ticket stub for travel between Calcutta and Chandmari, India, and 5 Christmas cards. Three of the Christmas cards present greetings from the John Corser family of Peoria, Illinois, with line drawings of the family home and Christmas bells; one is signed by the Elks of Barberton, Ohio; and one from the 82nd Bombardment Squadron has colored insignias of several air force units.

Printed Items (5 items) consist of a pamphlet with censorship regulations for United States soldiers serving overseas (2 copies, July 29, 1943), an article about the United States Army Air Forces reprinted from Yank ("Earthquakers' Odyssey," December 9, 1944), an additional undated newspaper clipping, and a pamphlet welcoming soldiers to Greensboro, North Carolina.

This collection contains letters to and between Harold K. Phillips and his wife, Betty Austin. Phillips, a native of Kansas, served on the USS Antares in the years before World War II. The majority of items dated 1938-1939 are letters to Harold and Betty from friends and family members in Kansas, Missouri, and Montana; the majority of letters dated 1940-1941 are letters from Harold K. Phillips to Betty Austin Phillips.

This collection is comprised of letters to and between Harold K. Phillips and his wife, Betty Austin. Phillips, a native of Kansas, served on the USS Antares in the years before World War II. The majority of letters dated 1938-1939 are letters to Harold and Betty from friends and family members in Kansas, Missouri, and Montana; the majority of letters dated 1940-1941 are letters from Harold K. Phillips to Betty Austin Phillips.

The first letter is dated April 18, 1938, around the time of Harold Phillips's enlistment in the United States Navy. At that time, Betty Austin lived in Kansas City, Missouri, where she received letters from friends and from her mother in La Harpe, Kansas. Friends and family members continued to write to Betty after she moved to Long Beach, California, in the summer of 1938. During his naval training, Harold received letters from his father in Spivey, Kansas, and his mother in Topeka, Kansas, as well as from his brother Bill in Great Falls, Montana, and from a girlfriend, Ethel Wardien, also in Great Falls. Harold (sometimes addressed as "Phil" or "Phill") and Betty began to write each other in August 1938, having been introduced by Harold's cousin Vivian. Harold continued to receive letters from Ethel Wardien; one of her letters contains a colored ink drawing of a sailor in uniform (June 1, 1939).

Following their marriage in October 1938, Harold and Betty received letters from family and acquaintances expressing congratulations and surprise. Harold occasionally wrote to Betty about life on the USS Antares while stationed at San Pedro, California; Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; and Mare Island, California. In 1940-1941, Harold wrote to Betty from the Antares, which was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The final letter, written to Betty from her mother, concerns the possibility of Betty moving to Kansas following "hard luck" (August 15, 1942). The collection also includes a birthday card; a printed document about the United States Naval Training Station in San Diego, California; and a pornographic poem by an Antares sailor entitled "A song of ABC's."

This collection is comprised of 12 letters (163 pages) that Marie Duncan, a teenager, wrote to Neal Blanchard, a male friend serving in the United States Navy, between September 1919 and May 1921. Duncan lived in Ancón, Panama, with her parents and siblings, and candidly commented on her education, leisure activities, family relationships, and local news.

This collection is comprised of 12 letters (163 pages) that Marie Duncan, a teenager, wrote to Neal Blanchard, a male friend serving in the United States Navy, between September 1919 and May 1921. Duncan lived in Ancón, Panama, with her parents and siblings, and candidly commented on her education, leisure activities, family relationships, and local news.

Marie Duncan's letters provide information on various aspects of the lives of Americans residing in the Canal Zone, particularly related to women. She made remarks about her schoolwork for a local commercial school, which she attended despite her initial desire to become a doctor. She often discussed her emotions and her perceived laziness (despite also expressing a fondness for some physical activities and types of housework). Duncan also provided news of her family and local social events, and occasionally mentioned her strained relationship with her father. Throughout her letters, she explicitly and implicitly commented on differences between men and women and on gender roles; she frequently referred to her own preferences for activities often ascribed primarily to men (chopping wood, playing baseball, hiking, etc.). She also wrote candidly about her friendship with Blanchard, which Duncan wished to keep platonic, and she stressed her opinion that he should not reenlist with the navy.

In addition to her commentary on life in Panama, Duncan provided details about social activities, including a hiking trip to Corozal, Panama (March 24, 1920), Memorial Day celebrations for fallen soldiers (May 31, 1920), and a wedding (April 14, 1920). Two letters enclose additional items: a valentine (February 7, 1920) and a 3-page poem entitled "The Land of Beginning Again" (August 25, 1920). In her final letter, dated May 23, 1921, she responded to a letter from Neal after a lapse in correspondence. She described recent political changes, which resulted in her father losing his job, and congratulated Neal on finding a girlfriend.

Duncan addressed 5 letters to Neal while he was stationed at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; 5 while he served onboard the USS Oklahoma; and 2 when he lived in Montpelier, Vermont, and Davenport, Iowa.

This collection is made up of letters that Audrey McDougall of Boothbay, Maine, received from a cousin between 1919 and 1921. "Racey" discussed his social activities and work life in Brookline and Boston, Massachusetts.

This collection (59 items) is primarily made up of letters that Audrey McDougall of Boothbay, Maine, received from a cousin between January 1919 and July 1921. The cousin, who signed himself "S. K. R.," "Shirl," and "Racey," discussed his social and work life in Brookline and Boston, Massachusetts. He frequently attended dances and often wrote of his love for music; in his early letters, he referred to his participation in a cabaret performance. "Racey" mentioned several women throughout his correspondence, including "Adeline," "Grace," the Kennedys, and "Carolyn," whom he occasionally called his wife. Some of the letters pertain to the author's work for a bank or financial firm; he discussed a possible relocation to Chicago or Philadelphia and potential work in public liability or automobile insurance. "Racey" occasionally traveled to Maine to visit his family. Additional materials include a menu from the Copley-Plaza's New Year's Eve celebration for 1920/1921, an undated Christmas card, and "An Ode" (an undated poem dedicated to Auddie [McDougall]).