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This collection is made up of 158 letters, 8 speeches and writings, 36 documents, 25 ephemeral items and currency, 5 pamphlets or booklets, 43 newspaper clippings, 26 lithographs, and 99 photographs by or related to Lieutenant Colonel Demas Lindley Sears. The bulk of the collection pertains to his service as a mid-level intelligence officer in the U.S. Army's 37th Infantry Division during World War II. A small portion of the collection reflects his service in the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment during the Punitive Expedition of 1916 and in the First U.S. Cavalry during World War I.

This collection is made up of 158 letters, 8 speeches and writings, 36 documents, 25 ephemeral items and currency, 5 pamphlets or booklets, 43 newspaper clippings, 26 lithographs, and 99 photographs by or related to Lieutenant Colonel Demas Lindley Sears. The bulk of the collection pertains to his service as a mid-level intelligence officer in the U.S. Army's 37th Infantry Division during World War II. A small portion of the collection reflects his service in the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment during the Punitive Expedition of 1916 and in the First U.S. Cavalry during World War I.

The Correspondence begins with a telegram and four letters respecting the death of Demas and Lura Sears's child in August 1918. The remainder of the correspondence is made up of original and contemporary carbon copies of letters by Demas L. Sears between 1942 and 1946. The bulk of one hundred and forty three letters are personal letters from Demas "Pop" to his wife Lura "Mother" and daughter Frances "Baby," or from Demas to others, between January 1944 and December 1945.

Lt. Col. Sears was an engaging writer and he described everyday experiences with thoughtful attention to detail. Within the restrictive confines of military censorship, he was unable to share what he called "real news," but wrote about his living quarters, food, plans for his return home, requests for letters and photographs, and generally about life in the South Pacific. He sent his wife souvenirs, such as a Japanese rifle and an entrenching shovel. His descriptions of combat and war atrocities are vivid (see, for example, his letters from late February 1945, as the 37th fought to capture Manila).

Between April 2 and July 4, 1943, Demas Sears wrote a 46-page letter to his wife in a diary-like form. He kept the letter as an uncensored account of his time on the Fiji Islands and Guadalcanal (before departing for New Georgia). It is accompanied by a typescript of the letter, titled "From the Fiji Islands to Guadalcanal with the 37th Division."

Between March 8 and September 14, 1945, Demas also composed 10 diary-like letters, producing multiple carbon copies for Lura to distribute to particular family members. In the margins, Demas identified (by hand) March 8 and September 14 as the first and last of these "family bulletins," and provided his wife with lists of intended recipients.

A series of Writings and Speeches include one war date essay and eight postwar speeches. From the Solomon Islands after November 14, 1942, he reflected thoughtfully on the war as a "young man's war" (he was able to identify a total of 22 men out of 14,000 who had served in World War I) and the importance of maintaining U.S. military strength in peacetime. His speeches relate to his war experiences and his audiences included a Congregational Church Men's Club, a Memorial Day gathering at Bucyrus, an American Legion group, and others.

The collection's 36 Documents, 1917-1946 (bulk 1942-1946), include certificates and orders related to Demas Sears's commendations and awards; training materials; intelligence (G-2 Reports, copies of a captured and translated Japanese Sergeant's diary, summaries of the interrogations of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, a Japanese map of the Pacific, etc.), and other similar papers.

Seventy-one Printed Items include ephemera and currency, booklets and pamphlets, and newspaper clippings. Among the ephemeral items are three unique World War I-era holiday menus; a menu for a 1945 banquet in honor of Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler; admission and transport tickets; Japanese currency; two World War I-era record of service posters, and a manuscript note in Japanese. The two posters are located in the Graphics Division, and more information can be found in the Separated Materials section. The five booklets and pamphlets are each listed in the box and folder listing below. Forty-three newspaper clippings pertain to Lt. Col. Sears's World War II service.

The printed items also include 26 lithographs of pencil sketches by Edward "E. J." Dollriehs of the headquarters battery of the 37th Division. His illustrations include buildings, airfields, military headquarters, portraits, and the wreckage of Japanese planes. Dollriehs identified each with captions; most of the images are from the Luzon provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Tarlac.

The Sears papers contain 99 Photographs. Fifteen images from the period of Sears's service in World War I include two panoramic photographs of the First Cavalry Regiment, one panoramic photograph of the headquarters staff of the 37th Division, and 12 snapshots and portraits. The collection also contains 84 photographs from Sears's World War II service in the Pacific, including individual and group portraits, snapshots depicting camp life; a series of aerial snapshots taken from a C-47 on a leaflet-dropping mission over the Philippine Islands; five photographs of a Kava Ceremony in the Fiji Islands; and a selection of confidential Signal Corps photographs.

Contains brochures and pamphlets, bulletins, newsletters, building prospectuses, and reports, including the report of the review committee. Also includes golden anniversary convocation addresses The Next Fifty Years in Aviation and Astronautics -- Past and Present. Also contains an anecdotal history entitled The First Fifty Years (A Fragmentary Anecdotal History).

The Department of Aerospace Engineering Publications (.5 linear feet) are divided into four series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, Topical Publications, and Student Publications. The bulk of the publications document the Department of Aerospace Engineering and its sub-units.

The Unit Publications series contains printed material published specifically by the Department of Aerospace Engineering. These publications are defined as being widely distributed and may be published at regular intervals. They are arranged by genre of the publication.

The Unit Publications series includes brochures, bulletins describing the graduate programs, newsletters, prospectuses and reports. The Bentley Historical Library holds the Alumni Newsletter from 1989 to 1994. There is a prospectus, published in 1988, for the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building entitled Prospectus for a New Building for the Department of Aerospace Engineering. There is also a report from the department Review Committee published in 1988.

The Sub-Unit Publications series contains publications from subordinate offices, departments, programs and organizations within the Department of Aerospace Engineering. These publications are arranged alphabetically by the creating sub-unit. The Sub-Unit Publications include brochures, case statements, programs, from the Aerodynamics for Industry Program, Aeronautical Design Symposium, Aerospace Engineering Complex, and the Aerospace System Design Team. Under the heading "Development" publications such as lectures from the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Aerospace Prize and brochures and programs describing the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud building are found. There is a newsletter, published in 1991, from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium. The annual report published in 1982 describes the activities for the Self-Contained Orbital Research Experiment (SCORE) from the Senior Design Class.

The Topical Publications series includes printed materials published to document specific events or activities such as celebrations or one-time conferences hosted by the Department of Aerospace Engineering. The Topical Publications series includes printed material from the Golden Anniversary celebration which took place in 1964. It includes an article entitled Space Research at the University published in 1963, convocation addresses, a brief history of the first fifty years of aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, and programs.

The Student Publications series contains publications published by student groups within the Department of Aerospace Engineering. The Student Publications series includes flyers from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The Department of Chemical Engineering publications include brochures and pamphlets, bulletins and course catalogs, histories such as the History of the Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Manuals entitled How to Succeed in Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, and programs from the Donald L. Katz Lectureship in Chemical Engineering.

The Department of Chemical Engineering Publications (.6 linear feet) consists of three series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications and Topical Publications. The bulk of the publications document the Department of Chemical Engineering.

The Unit Publications series contains printed material published specifically by the Department of Chemical Engineering. These publications are defined as being widely distributed and may be published at regular intervals. They are arranged by genre of the publication.

The Unit Publications series includes brochures, bulletins, directories, histories, manuals, and programs. The bulletins include course catalogs for the department from 1916 to 1940. There are also descriptions of the graduate program in Chemical Engineering from 1974 to 1995. There are two histories in the Unit Publications series. The first is a brief history written in 1980. The second A Century of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan..., published in 2002, was compiled by Professor James O. Wilkes as a centennial history for the department. How to Succeed in Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan was written to help incoming students find their way through the department, the university and the city of Ann Arbor. There are programs describing the Donald L. Katz Lectureship in Chemical Engineering from 1971 to 1989.

The Sub-Unit Publications series contains publications from subordinate offices, departments, programs and organizations within the Department of Chemical Engineering. These publications are arranged alphabetically by the creating sub-unit. This series includes brochures from the Industrial Affiliates Program.

The Topical Publications series includes printed materials published to document specific events or activities such as fund-raising or one-time conferences hosted by the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Topical Publications materials document the Centennial celebration in 1998 including one newsletter entitled 100 Years.

Publications produced by or for the Department of Civil and environmental Engineering; includes annual reports, brochures and pamphlets, exhibition catalogs, numerous histories, lecture notes, manuals, newsletters, programs, and reports. Also contains the newsletter from the Civil Engineering Alumni and Friends Association, as well as bulletins and proceedings from the Division of Highway Engineering and Highway Transport.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Publications (3 linear foot) includes brochures and pamphlets, exhibition catalogs, numerous histories, lecture notes, manuals, newsletters, programs, and reports. Also contains the newsletter from the Civil Engineering Alumni and Friends Association, as well as bulletins and proceedings from the Division of Highway Engineering and Highway Transport. The publications are organized into two series: Unit Publications and Sub-Unit Publications.

Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering is a department in the College of Engineering. Includes brochures and pamphlets documenting the Aeronomy Program, as well as Atmospheric Science, Oceanic Science, and Meterology. Also contains brochures describing the Space Physics Research Laboratory.

The Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering (0.2 linear foot) are divided into two series: Unit Publications and Sub-Unit Publications. Publications includes brochures and pamphlets documenting the Aeronomy Program, as well as Atmospheric Science, Oceanic Science, and Meterology. Also contains brochures describing the Space Physics Research Laboratory

The Unit Publications series contains printed material published specifically by the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences. These publications are defined as being widely distributed and may be published at regular intervals. They are arranged by genre of the publication. This series includes brochures which describe the individual fields of study of Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, and Oceanic Science. Brochures describing programs, including graduate studies, in the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences are also included. The Aeronomy Program, which involves the study of the upper atmosphere, is also described.

The Sub-Unit Publications series contains publications from subordinate offices, departments, programs and organizations within the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences. These publications are arranged alphabetically by the creating sub-unit. The Sub-Unit Publications series includes brochures from the Michigan Solar Energy Measurement Facility. The Space Physics Research Laboratory is documented through an annual report from 1995, undated brochures, and a history written in 1993. The Bentley Historical Library holds one newsletter, entitled the Daily Planet, published in 1989.

Teaching and research unit the College of Engineering of the University of Michigan. Contains published materials produced by or for the department and its subunits including annual reports, histories, newsletters, bulletins, proceedings,and student publications.

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Publications are divided into four series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, Topical Publications and Student Publications. The bulk of the publications document the department and its various laboratories.

Department in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. Publications includes brochures and pamphlets, graduate study bulletins, directories, manuals, departmental review reports, and yearbooks. Also includes publications from the Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, and the Engineering Human Performance and Safety Laboratory. Also includes the publication IOE Alumni Newsletter, as well as the student publications The Rag and Industrial Blueprint.

Departmental records include chronological files, committee meeting minutes, and presentation agendas. The bulk of the publications document the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering. The Publications series is composed of Unit Publication, Sub-Unit Publications, and Student Publications. The Unit Publications subseries contains printed material published specifically by the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering. These publications are defined as being widely distributed and may be published at regular intervals. They are arranged by genre of the publication.

Department in the University of Michigan College of Engineering, includes brochures and pamphlets, bulletins describing the graduate programs, and bibliographies of faculty members.

The Department of Materials Science Engineering Publications (0.2 linear foot) are divided into two series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, Topical Publications and Student Publications. The bulk of the publications document Department of Materials Science Engineering.

The Unit Publications series contains printed material published specifically by the Department of Materials Science Engineering. These publications are defined as being widely distributed and may be published at regular intervals. They are arranged by genre of the publication.

The Unit Publications series includes brochures, bulletins, manuals, and reports. The bulletins describe graduate study at the university from 1956 to 1994. The bulletin describing the research done in the MSE department includes a short, select bibliography for each member of the department in 1974. The graduate students manuals written for the 1990-1991 academic year includes a directory of personnel in the department, a description of the research facilities, and degree requirements. The 1954 report A Year in Industry by Professor C.M. Sliepcevich, describes his impressions of the year he worked with the Monsanto Chemical Company.

The Sub-Unit Publications series contains publications from subordinate offices, departments, programs and organizations within the Department of Materials Science Engineering. These publications are arranged alphabetically by the creating sub-unit. These publications include a list of faculty and their work with professional organizations and various industrial companies.

Teaching and research unit of the College of Engineering of the University of Michigan. Contains publications produced by or for the department, including annual reports, bibliographies, brochures and pamphlets, bulletins describing graduate programs, directories, histories, manuals, and newsletters.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering Publications are divided into three series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, and Student Publications. The bulk of the publications document the teaching and research functions of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics.

Department in the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Publications includes bibliographies, brochures and pamphlets, bulletins such as Research in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, histories including Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan, 1881-1981, lectures, and manuals such as the Literate Naval Architect. Also includes newsletters such as the Nautilus and The Naval Architecture Log. Also includes student publications such as the newsletter The Deadweight from the Quarterdeck Society.

The Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering publications (0.5 linear feet) are divided into three series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, and Student Publications. The bulk of the publications document the teaching and research functions of the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.