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

The George E. Boggs collection contains one photograph album, one letter, and one box of ephemera. These materials document the First World War service of George E. Boggs and to a lesser extent his brother Hamilton Irwin Boggs. Also included are numerous photographs of the Boggs family both prior to and after the war.

The George E. Boggs collection contains one photograph album, one letter, and one box of ephemera. These materials document the First World War service of George E. Boggs, and to a lesser extent his brother Hamilton Irwin Boggs. Also included are numerous photographs of the Boggs family both prior to and after the war.

The album does not have a strict order; many photographs from Boggs’ time in France are interspersed with images of family and at training camps in the United States prior to going to France. Captions are apparently written by both George Boggs and his mother Caroline. The majority of the images from France are of Châtillon-sur-Seine but other places are also represented. Please see the Subject Terms for a more complete list of locations.

• George and Hamilton Irwin Boggs in uniform with their Great-Uncle James P. Boggs, Civil War veteran who was wounded at Second Battle of Bull Run (loose photo in front of scrapbook, duplicate copy on page 46)
• General Pershing awarding the Distinguished Service Cross to members of the 81st Division. (page 18)

The letter, written in France on December 28, 1918, is from Hamilton Irwin Boggs to an "Uncle Jim" (possibly his great-uncle James P. Boggs). In the letter, Hamilton Boggs gives a summary of his service in the army, and mentions George Boggs’ service.

The ephemera includes George E. Boggs' dog tags, an embroidered souvenir French handkerchief, an United States Army Air Service insignia pin, and a piece of "trench art" made from a French 75mm shell casing. Also present are eleven track and field ribbons and two medals, all from 1913-14.

This volume is a history of the USS Mount Vernon's service as a troop transport ship during World War I, written by United States Navy Lieutenant Charles K. Cummings, who served on the ship during the war. Cummings's narrative relates daily incidents as the Mount Vernon carried troops between New York City and Brest, France, during and after the war. Cummings noted the names of prominent passengers and included several diagrams and drawings depicting naval formations and the Mount Vernon.

This volume is a 137-page typed history of the USS Mount Vernon's service as a troop transport ship during World War I, written by United States Navy Lieutenant Charles K. Cummings, the ship's communications officer. Cummings presented this copy, entitled Voyages in the USS Mount Vernon, 1917-1919, to James Madison Doyle, the ship's gunnery officer, in December 1921. The title page has an intricate drawing of the ship by Harleston Parker.

The narrative is structured as a diary and opens with 4 pages of introductory material with information on the Mount Vernon's history prior to its first voyage as a United States Navy transport vessel. The daily entries cover the period between October 11, 1917, and April 24, 1919, during which time the ship made 12 round-trip voyages between New York City and Brest, France, carrying members of the American Expeditionary Forces. Many of the entries record the day's weather, compiled from the author's personal diaries and the ship's official logs; lists of military units being ferried across the Atlantic Ocean; and notable incidents or the names of distinguished passengers. The Mount Vernon traveled as part of a heavily guarded convoy and Cummings routinely noted the camouflage and deceptive sailing patterns employed to guard against German submarine and torpedo attacks, as well as news of other ships throughout the convoys. On February 11, 1918, he provided a list of distress calls the ship received on its most recent voyage (pp. 51-52). In addition to military officials and diplomats, the ship also carried a 13-year-old stowaway mascot of the 132nd Infantry Regiment (p. 89), a group of African American soldiers (pp. 101-102), and several wounded soldiers, including two Red Cross nurses suffering from shell shock (p. 117). On September 5, 1918, the Mount Vernon was struck by a torpedo, which killed 35 members of the ship's crew (pp. 126-129). Cummings frequently mentioned his activities while in port at Brest, Southampton, and Boston, which included social calls and spending leave time with his family.

• USS Mount Vernon (title page)
• "Collision Between Agamemnon and Von Steuben" (pp. 26-27)
• "Torpedoing of Finland" (pp. 26-27)
• "Torpedoing of Antilles" (pp. 26-27)
• "Intensive Lookout Station on Mount Vernon" (pp. 40-41)
• "Types of Camouflage on U.S. Destroyers" (pp. 60-61)
• "Manoeuvre for Practice with Submarine Target" (pp. 96-97)
• "Sinking of British S.S. Instructor, July 15, 1918 (pp. 96-97)
• "Torpedoing of U.S.S. Mount Vernon, September 5, 1918 (pp. 126-127)
• "Mount Vernon Showing Camouflage on Port Side" (pp. 128-129)
• "Diagrams of Mount Vernon Showing Effect of Torpedo Explosion (pp. 128-129)

This collection is made up of 77 postcards that Bernard Eckloff wrote to his family in Washington, D.C., while stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia, between September 1918 and March 1919, as well as 1 postcard addressed to George F. Harbin of Washington, D.C. Eckloff discussed his experiences in camp and his visits to nearby Petersburg.

This collection is made up of 77 postcards that Bernard Eckloff wrote to his family in Washington, D.C., while stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia, between September 3, 1918, and March 17, 1919, as well as 1 postcard addressed to George F. Harbin of Washington, D.C. Eckloff wrote to his mother Catherine and his siblings Genevieve, Thomas and Mary about his trip to Virginia and aspects of his life at Camp Lee. He discussed his participation in drill exercises, his work in the camp kitchen, and the influenza epidemic; he also mentioned his correspondence and listed the contents of the care packages he received. His postcard of September 13, 1918, contains a description of a new uniform, and his postcard of November 22, 1918, includes a satirical poem entitled "In Line." After the Armistice, Eckloff often wrote about his trips to Petersburg, Virginia, and his attempts to apply for a discharge. One item is a postcard to George F. Harbin of Washington, D.C., from Martin & Allardyce in Asbury Park, New Jersey, regarding a family engraving the firm recently acquired and wished to sell (January 25, 1919).

This collection contains 27 letters and 1 postcard that Private Earl H. Hobson wrote to his wife Maybell while serving at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, and in France during World War I, as well as 1 letter that he wrote to his mother-in-law, Harriet A. Kingsley. In addition to describing his experiences while working behind the front with the 301st Ammunition Train, he reacted to news of his wife's pregnancy and shared his excitement about fatherhood.

This collection contains 27 letters and 1 postcard that Private Earl H. Hobson wrote to his wife Maybell while serving at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, and in France during World War I, as well as 1 letter that he wrote to his mother-in-law, Harriet A. Kingsley. In addition to describing his experiences while working behind the front with the 301st Ammunition Train, he reacted to news of his wife's pregnancy and shared his excitement about fatherhood.

Hobson wrote his first letter on illustrated stationery from Camp Devens, Massachusetts, shortly before embarking for France in July 1918, and sent Maybell a printed form postcard announcing his safe arrival in mid-August. He composed his remaining letters while serving with the 301st Ammunition Train near Montrichard, France, between August and December 1918, and while working for a classification camp in Saint-Aignan-des-Noyers between December 1918 and February 1919. He commented on aspects of military life in France, including his visits to the Y.M.C.A. He also described the scenery, weather, and some of the differences between life in France and in the United States. After the armistice, he shared his disappointment that he had not been sent to the front before the end of the war.

In September 1918, Hobson received news that Maybell was pregnant, and many of his later letters reflect his thoughts about fatherhood. He expressed his joy about the prospect of becoming a father and the ways the news affected him. After receiving a letter from his mother-in-law that Maybell had lost the baby in early 1919, he attempted to provide consolation and support (February 27, 1919). Hobson transferred to a classification camp by 1919, one of the last stops for American soldiers leaving France for the United States. He discussed aspects of the discharge process and expressed hopes that he would be returning home soon.

This collection is made up of four letters written by Sergeant Mitchell to his mother and sister, dating between October 1918 and March 1919. Mitchell, serving in the Military Railway Service and Motor Transport Corps, Repair Unit 309, discussed his experiences in postwar Dijon, France, and briefly mentioned women mechanics. He wrote of loneliness and emotional isolation. His letter of March 27, 1919, encloses two snapshot photographs of his sister Alta Mae Mitchell in Salt Lake City. The letters have color, printed "American Y.M.C.A" and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

This collection is made up of four letters written by Sergeant Mitchell to his mother and sister, dating between October 1918 and March 1919. Mitchell, serving in the Military Railway Service and Motor Transport Corps, Repair Unit 309, Company B, discussed his experiences in postwar Dijon, France, and briefly mentioned women mechanics. He wrote of loneliness and emotional isolation. His letter of March 27, 1919, encloses two snapshot photographs of his sister Alta Mae Mitchell in Salt Lake City. The letters have color, printed "American Y.M.C.A" and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

The United States Signal Corps Photographic Collection contains approximately 1,630 photographs of the American Expeditionary Forces taken by the Signal Corps during WWI throughout the Western Front. The collection is divided into three volumes and one box, all loosely arranged by topic. General topics include destruction, battlefields and trenches, artillery, monuments, and postwar celebrations.

The United States Signal Corps photographic collection contains approximately 1,630 photos (many of which are duplicates) of the AEF taken by the Signal Corps during WWI throughout the Western Front. The collection is divided into three volumes and one box, all loosely arranged by topic. General topics include the AEF, warfare destruction, battlefields and trenches, artillery, monuments, and postwar celebrations.

Numerous photographs have handwritten and typewriter captions on the back, often stating location and subject matter. Also found on the back are different stamped inscriptions, including "Passed as Censored."

Many photos have an alpha-numeric code handwritten on verso that corresponds to the Catalogue of official A.E.F. Photographs. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1919, which can be found online through the Internet Archive.

Volume 1 contains approximately 270 photographs taken in France, Germany, Belgium, and the U.S. The bulk of these photos are of monuments in Paris, the Palace of Versailles, Rhineland-Palatinate, and unidentified rural areas depicting farmland and civilian life.

• Paris, France
• Washington, D.C.
• Château-Thierry, France
• Bacharach, Germany
• Vincennes, France
• Fontainebleau, France
• Dordogne, France
• Pierrefonds, France
• Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
• Bendorf, Germany
• Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
• Andernach, Germany
• Altenahr, Germany
• Pont-à-Mousson, France
• Saint-Léger, Belgium
• Humes-Jorquenay, France
• Montsec, France
• Varennes-en-Argonne, France
• Joué-lès-Tours, France
• Soissons, France
• Brieulles-sur-Meuse, France
• Vaux-lès-Palameix, France

Volume 2 contains approximately 270 photographs taken in France, Germany, and Belgium. Much of these photos relate to the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, destruction (both urban and rural), casualties, battlefields and trenches, artillery, cemeteries, various AEF training schools, naval operations, and prisoners.

• La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, France
• Mayschoß, Germany
• Forest of Argonne, France
• Brieulles-sur-Bar, France
• Les Petites-Armoises, France
• Varennes-en-Argonne, France
• Exermont, France
• Chatel-Chéhéry, France
• Étraye, France
• Grandpré, France
• Cochem, Germany
• Pinon, France
• Saint-Remy-la-Calonne, France
• Montfaucon-d'Argonne, France
• Berzy-le-Sec, France
• Dannevoux, France
• Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France
• Saint-Quentin, France
• Soissons, France
• Ypres, France
• Hooglede, France
• Mouzon, Ardennes, France
• Château-Thierry, France
• Verdun, France
• Metz, France
• Rémonville, France
• Juvigny, France
• Péronne, France
• Chaudun, France
• Chavignon, France
• Moirey-Flabas-Crépion, France
• Reims, France
• Cambrai, France
• Neuvilly, France
• Vaux-Champagne, France
• Haudiomont, France
• Paris, France
• Koblenz (Coblenz), Germany
• Oberwinter, Germany
• Mont-Saint-Michel, France
• Chamonix, France
• Nanteuil-lès-Meaux, France
• Lucy, France
• Thiaucourt-Regniéville, France
• Seicheprey, France
• Nonsard-Lamarche, France
• Colombey-les-Belles, France
• Épieds, France
• Boureuilles, France
• Beaumont, France
• Dormiers, France
• Bertricamp, France
• Bois de Hesse, France
• Gondrecourt-le-Château, France
• Langres, France
• Le Charmel, France
• Villers-Bretonneux, France
• Saint-Aignan, France
• Landreville (Ardennes), France
• Imécourt, France
• Nantillois, France
• Stenay, France
• Butgnéville, France
• Le Mort Homme, France
• Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
• Gland, France
• Herbeville, France
• Vacherauville, France
• Baleycourt, France
• Marseilles, France
• Vaux-Andigny, France
• Saint-Juvin, France
• Brieulles-sur-Meuse, France
• Bohain-en-Vermandois, France
• Mézy-sur-Seine, France
• Badonviller, France
• Bois de Belleau, France
• Bazoches, France
• Châteauvillain, France
• Ploisy, France
• Suresnes, France

Volume 3 contains approximately 270 photographs taken in France, Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, Denmark, Switzerland, and the U.S. The most substantial topics are the Treaty of Versailles, postwar parades and celebrations, Interallied Games, U.S. strategic army maps, drawings of army corps and division insignias, and aircrafts. Notable figures include President Woodrow Wilson, General John J. Pershing, Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, President Raymond Poincaré, and Marshal Ferdinand Foch.

• Chaumont, France
• Langres, France
• Versailles, France
• Paris, France
• Le Havre, France
• Sainte-Menehould, France
• Gironde, France
• Château-Thierry, France
• New York City, United States
• Hoboken, United States
• Bendorf, Germany
• London, England
• Dublin, Ireland
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• Montreux, Switzerland
• Florence, Italy
• Vinets, France
• Reims, France

Box 1 contains approximately 820 photographs taken in France, Germany, Belgium, Monaco, and the U.S. This box contains all of the aforementioned topics supplemented by French Riviera, Loire Valley, ruins of Reims, Château de Fontainebleau, Pyrenees, Alps, AEF, and personal photographs.

• Ypres, Belgium
• Albert, France
• Dun-sur-Meuse, France
• Reims, France
• Saint-Quentin, France
• Montsec, France
• Cantigny, France
• Château-Thierry, France
• Paris, France
• Koblenz (Coblenz), Germany
• Meaux, France
• Vincennes, France
• Versailles, France
• Fontainebleau, France
• Joinville-le-Pont, France
• Monte Carlo, Monaco
• Lourdes, France
• Menton, France
• Nimes, France
• Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
• Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France
• Mont-Saint-Michel, France
• Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
• Azay-le-Rideau, France
• Loches, France
• Amboise, France
• Montrésor, France
• Le Lude, France
• Rigny-Ussé, France
• Saumur, France
• Chinon, France
• Langeais, France
• Blois, France
• Saint-Savin, France
• Luz-Saint-Sauveur, France

This diary of Corporal John H. Harris concerns his service with the United States Army's 145th Infantry Regiment in France and Belgium during World War I. The volume also contains lists of soldiers' equipment, battles in which Harris participated, and members in his first squad.

The 37-page diary of Corporal John H. Harris concerns his service with the United States Army's 145th Infantry Regiment in France and Belgium during World War I. The volume also contains lists of soldiers' equipment, the battles in which Harris participated, and members of his first squad.

Harris began his diary with a history of his service from his enlistment in the American Expeditionary Forces through his transfer to the 145th Infantry Regiment of the 37th Division. Between June 6 and June 15, 1918, he briefly commented on his travels in the United States, and he mentioned an extended training exercise for trench warfare on June 8, 1918 (p. 2). After sailing to France onboard the Leviathan in mid-June 1918, he described his experiences in active service in France and Belgium. As he traveled, Harris consistently recorded the names of towns and villages and noted that his unit continued to train throughout their time abroad.

Harris often fought in the trenches, and wrote about his experiences during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (September 25-31, 1918, pp. 9-12). The 145th Infantry traveled through France and Belgium after the armistice, and Harris occasionally commented on his accommodations and meals. In early March 1919, he recorded his distaste for camp life near Brest, France (March 5 and March 16, 1919, pp. 27-28). Harris embarked for the United States on the Great Northern on March 26, 1919, and recalled some incidents during the journey, which included a small fire and a strong storm. After his arrival, Harris was stationed near New York City and in Ohio. He wrote his final entry on April 23, 1919, after his discharge and arrival in Akron, Ohio.

• List of battles in with Corporal John H. Harris participated during World War I (1 page)
• Inventory of United States Army soldiers' clothing (1 page)
• List of items that John H. Harris carried in his pack during World War I (3 pages)
• Illustration showing the layout of soldier's pack during an inspection near Le Mans, France, ca. 1919 (1 page)
• List of men in Corporal John H. Harris's first squad (1 page)

This collection is made up of 2nd Lieut. Oliver H. Beymer's letters to Miss Myrtle Springer of Scotia, New York, while he served in the 12th Aero Squadron on the Western Front during World War I. Subjects of his letters include training, daily army life, and expenses. Beymer freely expressed his affection to Miss Myrtle Springer, addressing her as "darling," "dearest," and "sweetheart." Some letters have two-color, printed "American Y.M.C.A." and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

This collection is made up of six letters from 2nd Lieut. Oliver H. Beymer's to Miss Myrtle Springer of Scotia, New York, August 23, 1918-October 18, 1918, and April 25, 1919. During this time, Beymer served in the 12th Aero Squadron on the Western Front. Subjects of his letters include training, daily army life, and expenses. Beymer freely expressed his affection to Miss Myrtle Springer, addressing her as "darling," "dearest," and "sweetheart." Some letters have two-color, printed "American Y.M.C.A." and "American Expeditionary Forces" letterheads.

The Cecil E. Hill Letters contain seven letters written between November 1918 and March 1919. The majority of the letters are addressed to his wife Emilie Alice during his time as a National Guard infantryman on the Western front. He wrote about his furloughs and the great food, comforts, and views in contrast to trench life. Other topics mentioned include the Y.M.C.A and the company's marches through France, Germany, and Luxembourg, where he described various encounters and city ruins. A nurse from the camp hospital in Brest, France, wrote two letters on Cecil Hill's behalf following his hospitalization with spinal meningitis. The letters have one- and two-color, printed "American Y.M.C.A," "American Expeditionary Forces," and "American Red Cross" letterheads.

The Cecil E. Hill letters contain seven letters written between November 1918 and March 1919. The majority of the letters are addressed to his wife Emilie Alice during his time as a infantryman on the Western front. He wrote about his furloughs and the great food, comforts, and views in contrast to trench life. Other topics mentioned include the Y.M.C.A and the company's marches through France, Germany, and Luxembourg, where he described various encounters and city ruins. A nurse from the camp hospital in Brest, France, wrote two letters on Cecil Hill's behalf following his hospitalization with spinal meningitis. The letters have one- and two-color, printed "American Y.M.C.A," "American Expeditionary Forces," and "American Red Cross" letterheads.

This collection is made up of eight letters written by Private/Corporal Lauren Bray while in France with the American Expeditionary Forces, to friends and family in Kansas City, Missouri, April 1918-October 1919. The letters regard family business, daily life as a clerk in the office of the Assistant Provost Marshal, and cities in France. The letters bear color, printed "American Y.M.C.A," "American Expeditionary Forces," and "American Red Cross" letterheads.

This collection is made up of eight letters written by Private/Corporal Lauren Bray while in France with the American Expeditionary Forces, to friends and family in Kansas City, Missouri, April 1918-October 1919. The letters regard family business, daily life as a clerk in the office of the Assistant Provost Marshal, and cities in France. Private Bray often emphasized that receiving mail from loved ones was a great morale boost in the daily life of soldiers. The letters bear color, printed "American Y.M.C.A," "American Expeditionary Forces," and "American Red Cross" letterheads.