Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Member of Co. H, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes field diary recounting the Polar Bear expedition and photographs of Archangel and members of the expedition.

The collection contains a copy of the field diary of Co. H, Sept. 1918-Apr. 1919, describing the company's service on the Onega front, including fighting at Chekuevo, Sept. 1918; Wazentia[?], Oct. 1918; Turchasovo, Dec. 1918; Chinova, March 1919; and Bolshie Ozerki, March and April 1919. Also included are 34 photos by the American Red Cross, containing group portraits and pictures of base areas, churches, Russian people, soldiers on patrol, and fortifications, all taken in the Onega- Chekuevo area.

Collected papers documenting the role of Michigan in World War I, including the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1919, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

The collection includes diary (1918-1919) of Henry Ahrens, 330th Field Artillery; scrapbook (1916-1936) of Ernest Kaser, 126th and 128th Infantry; papers of Thomas J. McCarthy, 339th Infantry, chiefly relating to disability and insurance; papers of Carl G. Olson, 337th Infantry, including a letter received from relatives; papers of Jesse H. Stage, 160th Depot Brigade, Camp Custer, including letters received from relatives; pamphlets from the YMCA, Red Cross and other publishers; ration cards, artifacts, and photographs.

Photographs and postcards of Camp Custer, Mich.; group photos of members of 32nd Division in the Army of Occupation in Germany, 1919; 160th Depot Brigade, Camp Custer; oversize group portraits of members of 41st Machine Gun Battalion; 107th Supply Battalion; 214th Field Signal Battalion; 330th Field Artillery; Company B, 337th Infantry; 339th Infantry; 2nd Company, Officers' Training School, Camp Custer; and survivors of the troop ship Tuscania; portraits of members of 339th and 340th Infantry; photos of 126th and 128th Infantry in scrapbook of Ernest Kaser; postcard of military parade in Flint, Mich.; 330th Field Artillery pennant.

Digital copies of materials relating to the military service of James F. O'Brien, who served as 2nd lieutenant in Company E, 339th Infantry, sent to Archangel, Russia at the end of World War I, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

This collection contains digital records; the original papers and/or photographs are owned by the donor. 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 and Photographs. 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 JPG and BMP format.

Files include digitized military documents diary entries, photographs relating to his service ca. 1918; also includes photographs of O'Brien and Captain Otto Odjard in a hospital ward, and photographs and newspaper clippings, possibly at the Detroit Ordnance District ca. 1943.

Soldier from Detroit, Mich., member of Co. E, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diary of service in Russia, Nov.7, 1918-Jan.14, 1919 and other war-related papers.

The papers include a diary, Nov. 1918-Jan. 1919, describing daily life, monotony, the weather, and fighting at Kodish, Dec. 1918. Also included are newspaper clippings, miscellanea, and photographs. Also artifacts: helmet, shell casing trench art (75 mm), 37 mm shell, VFW Post 436 cap, and uniform insignia. (The photographs and artifacts have not been digitized.)

Soldier from Grand Rapids, Mich., member of 337th Ambulance Company who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diaries and reminiscences of his service in Russia and training at Fort Custer, Michigan; also his diaries of life in Grand Rapids, photographs, motion pictures, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes diaries and a reminiscence of his service in Russia, at Obozerskaya and Archangel, and his training at Fort Custer, Mich.; also clippings and miscellanea. The collection also includes views of Fort Custer, Mich., and photos taken in Russia (both U. S. Signal Corps photos and snapshots) of American and allied soldiers, cities and towns, Russian people, battle scenes, and means of transportation; also a motion picture (16 mm original with DVD and streaming file use copies) containing miscellaneous scenes of American troops in Archangel. Also included Smith's diaries dated 1910 and 1914-1916.

Papers of Corporal Albert Joseph Gitzen, resident of Houghton, Mich., member of Co. A., 310th U.S. Engineers who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes Gitzen's personal and military papers, as well as Company A records, printed materials, maps, and an armband.

The Albert Joseph Gitzen collection includes Gitzen's diaries, letters and postcards, enlistment cards and field passes, poems and photographs; Co. A rosters and histories; typewritten issues of newsletter The Midnight Sun, newspaper clipping, printed materials, oversize maps, and an armband.

1st Lieutenant, Co. M., 339th Infantry, sent to northern Russia at the end of World War I. Diary (with transcription) describing war-time activities, 1917-1919; scrapbook of clippings from Detroit and Toledo newspapers describing the "Polar Bear" expedition; orders received; photographs; and CD-ROMs of selected items.

Diary (with transcription) describing war-time activities, 1917-1919; scrapbook of clippings from Detroit and Toledo newspapers describing the "Polar Bear" expedition; orders received; photographs.

Collected materials include Civil War diary (1863) of William Harts, soldier with Co. B, 1st Michigan Infantry; also papers of Leon Bell, member of 339th Infantry (Polar Bears) sent to northern Russia after World War I.