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

This collection contains eight letters by Sergeant Roger Brandon to his wife Hazel in Stockton, California, between October 1918 and March 1919, while he served on the Western front. Brandon discussed soldier life, the regiment's football training, and the end of the war. Some letters have two-color, printed "American Y.M.C.A." and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

This collection contains eight letters by Sergeant Roger Brandon to his wife Hazel in Stockton, California, between October 1918 and March 1919, while he served on the Western front. Brandon discussed soldier life, the regiment's football training, and the end of the war. Some letters have two-color, printed "American Y.M.C.A." and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

The Walter Crane papers contain 88 letters, 2 postcards, and 1 Christmas card written by Corporal Crane to Ruth Backof, a former high school classmate, while he served in the Machine Gun Company of the 138th Infantry Regiment during the First World War. He described his experiences in training at Camp Clark, Missouri, and Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma. Crane also reported extensively on his involvement in combat along the Western Front, including his service in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and on life in the trenches.

The Walter Crane papers contain 88 letters, 2 postcards, and 1 Christmas card written by Corporal Crane to Ruth Backof, a former high school classmate, while he served in the Machine Gun Company of the 138th Infantry Regiment during the First World War.

Crane wrote his first letters while training at Camp Clark in Nevada, Missouri, in September 1917. He inquired about mutual friends and reminisced about his time at McKinley High School in St. Louis, Missouri. After moving to Oklahoma's Camp Doniphan in late October, he discussed his fellow soldiers, training exercises, and leisure activities. On December 25, 1917, he copied lyrics to a soldiers' song entitled "When Our Machine Guns Are Starting to Roar (for Me and My Gal)," and mentioned that his unit played sports in their spare time. Several envelopes bear the skull-and-crossbones insignia of the 138th Infantry Regiment's Machine Gun Company.

In April 1918, Crane moved to Camp Mills on Long Island, New York, and made final preparations to travel overseas. A May 14, 1918, letter provides an account of the trip. He first wrote from France on May 25, 1918, describing his journey across England. The remaining letters contain his impressions of France and news of his military engagements. Crane's vivid war letters mention both simulated battles (July 30, 1918) and real engagements. His stories of life in the trenches include several featuring trench rats. Between August and October, he wrote about his experiences in combat along the front lines just before and during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive -- the letters dated August 18, 1918, and October 6, 1918, are especially detailed. After November 1918, Crane’s company stayed in training near "Grimaucourt," France, despite the armistice. He continued to describe his daily life and on December 12, 1918, he copied three pages of poetry written by Sergeant S. F. McElhiney, a member of his company. On April 23, 1919, he wrote his final long letter while aboard the USS Kroonland, and, after he landed in the United States on the 29th, he sent Ruth a brief telegram.

The two French postcards are dated October 9 and December 21, 1918, and the Christmas card (1917) bears the insignia of Crane's unit. These three items are filed with the correspondence.

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and other material related to Sergeant Walter D. Henderson, who served with the United States Army in France during World War I. The bulk of the collection consists of Henderson's letters to his future wife, Jean Jones.

This collection (74 items) contains correspondence, documents, and other material related to Sergeant Walter D. Henderson, who served with the United States Army in France during World War I. The bulk of the collection consists of Henderson's letters to his future wife, Jean Jones.

The Correspondence series (63 items), the bulk of which is dated from November 19, 1917-July 17, 1919, contains around 50 letters that Walter D. Henderson wrote to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alepheus F. Henderson of Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, and to his future wife, Jean Jones of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and New York City. Henderson discussed his experiences while serving with the 419th Depot Detachment of Engineers and the 447th Depot Detachment of Engineers in the United States and France during World War I. He described camp life and his acquaintances, as well as French scenery, civilians, and towns. Around the end of the war, he anticipated the impact of a labor influx on the cotton trade, and wrote about a furlough to southern France after the armistice. Enclosures include a piece of cloth from a downed German airplane (May 1, 1918) and photographic postcards of scenes in Paris and Le Mans, France. Henderson also drew pictures of an "'overseas' hat" (April 12, 1918) and a wagon (February 25, 1919).

Jean Jones received several letters from other soldiers who served in France during the war. Other items in the series include Henderson and Jones's marriage announcement (1921) and 3 letters Bob and Walter Henderson received from a correspondent in Houston, Texas (April 30, 1951, and undated).

The Documents series (5 items) contains 2 items related to Walter D. Henderson's service with the United States Geological Survey and in the United States Army, documents related to Jenkin Jones's involvement with the Masonic Veterans Association and to his will, and a statement about Nathaniel Jones's Civil War service.

The Photographs series (2 items) contains card photographs of Elizabeth E. Jones and Cass A. Newell, a soldier who corresponded with Jean Jones during World War I.

The Genealogy series (1 item) is made up of translated biographical sketches, originally written in Welsh, about members of the Jones and Davies families.

Three Printed Items are a guide to and map of Nice, France, both from the World War I era, and a newspaper clipping about the death of Jenkin N. Jones on December 6, 1923.