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

This collection is primarily made up of the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Emily F. and Evangeline Brady. From 1943-1945, Emily F. Brady received letters from members of the United States military and from acquaintances in Cuba and South America, and from 1949-1950 she wrote letters to her siblings about her life in Chile and Brazil.

This collection is comprised of 121 items, mostly the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Emily F. and Evangeline Brady. From 1943-1945, they received letters from soldiers in the United States military and from acquaintances in Cuba and South America, and from 1949-1950, Emily wrote letters to her siblings about her life in Chile and Brazil. The only item that is not a letter is a photograph of four teenagers at a swimming pool.

The first group of letters consists primarily of incoming letters to Emily and Evangeline Brady. The first few items pertain to Emily Brady's unsuccessful efforts to secure teaching positions in Cuba, Chile, and at the Universidad Femenina de México. The Brady sisters later received letters from servicemen in the United States servicemen during World War II, including their brother George of the USS Birmingham; John Landry of the Army Air Forces' 110th Bombing Squadron; J. G. Francis Wilber ("Walt") of the Birmingham and Camp Elliot, California; and Michael Kimla of the 336th Army Medical Dispensary. Emily also received letters from Berta Montero in Havana, Cuba; Lopez Arias of Buenos Aires, Argentina; and C. E. Gonzalez ("Enrique") of Popayán, Colombia. The soldiers commented on many aspects of their service, such as Kimla's time in Puerto Rico, Landry's visits to London and other English cities, and Wilber's duties at a personnel center at Camp Elliot. Wilber also shared news of a visit to Mexico. One of Montero's letters encloses a Spanish-language printed program for a harp recital.

Emily Brady wrote to Evangeline, George, and others between December 23, 1949, and September 19, 1950, while she lived in Chile and Brazil. She described everyday life in Santiago, Chile, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and mentioned her travels to other towns, such as Huiscapi, Chile, and Porto Alegre, Brazil. In the summer of 1950, she often commented on recent World Cup matches. Her letter of May 17, 1950, has a very rough sketch of the layout of Rio de Janeiro.

The Brunger papers consist primarily of letters from United States Navy Seaman Francis D. Brunger to Alice Louise Harrington, his girlfriend and eventual wife, during Brunger's service in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. He wrote of his life at sea and responded to news from home about his wife and his son, Francis David Brunger, Jr., who was born in December 1944. Additional material includes a photograph, documents, printed material, and ephemera.

The Brunger papers consist primarily of correspondence written by United States Navy Seaman Francis D. Brunger to Alice Louise Harrington, his girlfriend and eventual wife, during his service in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War.

Of the 294 letters in the Correspondence series, Brunger wrote 246 to Alice, whom he called "Bone." The letters trace the couple's relationship from their early courtship through their engagement, marriage, and birth of their first son ("Stinky"). Francis often wrote of his desire to return to his family. In his earlier letters, he discussed his intention to join the navy following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Alice's budding nursing career. He wrote of different aspects of military life throughout the remainder of his naval career, including daily life onboard the Farenholt and the Rooks, and his training in Shoemaker, California. During the spring and summer of 1945, he shared his anticipation for the end of the war, and by late August he believed he would soon receive a discharge. Though he seldom reported military engagements, his friend Joe wrote Alice about some of the Farenholt's military actions near Guadalcanal (March 30, 1944). Other acquaintances wrote to Alice about their experiences in the army. The collection also has a group of letters addressed to Charles Brunger, Francis's brother, who served at the United States Naval Training Center in Sampson, New York.

The Photograph shows a newborn child.

The Documents series contains an insurance policy for Alice Brunger from the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company (November 5, 1944).

Printed Material includes a newspaper clipping reporting the birth of Francis D. Brunger, Jr. [December 1944], a clipping relating draft results from Oswego County, New York (undated), and the March 1943 edition of The Colby Alumnus.

The Ephemera series (19 items) contains birthday and other greeting cards from Francis D. Brunger to his wife and son, instructions for making baby formula, a menu for a Christmas dinner held at the United States Navy Receiving Station in Shoemaker, California [December 25, 1944], a "Safety First for Your Baby" pamphlet, a birthday poem and drawing on V-mail stationery, two short poems, two printed programs for religious services, three key tags, and a newspaper clipping featuring four color "Blondie" comics.

This collection contains correspondence between Charles W. Chase, Jr. ("Pete") and his wife, Harriet P. Johnson, during their courtship and throughout the early years of their marriage. The couple's courtship letters highlight social aspects of everyday life in the Florida Keys just before the First World War, and a series of letters from Charles illuminates the experience of a naval officer stationed along the Atlantic coast during the war.

This collection contains correspondence between Charles W. Chase, Jr. ("Pete") and his wife, Harriet P. Johnson, during their courtship and throughout the early years of their marriage. The couple's courtship began around 1912, and they wrote each other frequently before their marriage in mid-October of the following year. Pete, who worked for his father at the Florida Keys Sponge & Fruit Company, often mentioned aspects of his work and frequently made arrangements to see Harriet, who lived in Key West and who shared details of her active social life in her own letters to Pete. As the wedding approached, the couple focused on plans for the day, and both anxiously anticipated the ceremony, with Pete counting down the days by early October. After the wedding, they wrote less frequently until April 1917, when Pete joined the United States Navy in anticipation of the nation's entry into World War I. An ensign, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Barney at the Charleston Navy Yard, and though his military service was voluntary, he greatly missed his wife and young child, who lived for a time in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Several letters from 1918 reflect his efforts to find a local apartment where they could join him. While at Charleston and, later, Norfolk, Virginia, Pete regularly wrote of daily naval life, which he found tiresome, and about his leisure activities, which included many trips to movies and, occasionally, to the theater. By 1919, Chase, a lieutenant stationed on the U.S.S. Anniston, focused his efforts on obtaining a transfer to inactive duty following the war; his father intervened on his behalf, but it is unclear whether their efforts were successful. Pete later wrote to Harriet while he worked for several real estate companies located in Miami Beach, Florida, and also received several letters from his young daughter Sarah between 1931 and 1939.

This collection consists of letters that Ensign Willis V. Daugherty wrote to his mother while studying at Harvard University and serving as a United States Naval Air Corps pilot during the First World War. At Harvard, Daugherty wrote of his financial difficulties, coursework, and social life. While in the Navy, he described his training at naval air stations in Key West and Pensacola, Florida, including details of his flight maneuvers and life in the military.

This collection contains 110 letters that Ensign Willis V. Daugherty wrote to his mother, Louella Daugherty, while studying at Harvard University and serving as a United States Naval Air Corps pilot during the First World War. The collection also contains one additional letter that Louella Daugherty received from her friend "Emma" (June 4, 1918).

Willis Daugherty wrote 2 letters while traveling from his home in Wichita, Kansas, to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in September 1917, and frequently told his mother about his life at Harvard, detailing his financial difficulties and campus activities. In one letter, he anticipated attending a speech by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 13, 1918). After receiving an application from the United States Signal Corps in early January 1918, he began to contemplate joining the military and became a member of an "aero club."

Daugherty was formally called to join the Navy on May 7, 1918; in June, he became a member of the naval air corps. Two months later, he was stationed at the naval air station in Key West, Florida, where he trained as a pilot. In his letters home, he discussed training exercises, camp life, and fellow trainees; on August 8, 1918, he diagrammed sample maneuvers. After transferring to Pensacola in September 1918, where he flew less often, Daugherty reflected on the station's more relaxed attitude, due in part to expectations of an armistice. Pilots were placed on quarantine in October to prevent the spread of influenza, and Daugherty concentrated more on his daily work and gunnery training than on flying. On December 22, 1918, despite reporting that he had been recently promoted to ensign, he anticipated being released from the service. During this period, he often discussed the future of the aviation industry, including the impossibility of selling used naval aircraft to civilians (January 30, 1919) and his expectation that the industry would grow similarly to the automobile industry (February 6, 1919).

On his return to Boston, Daugherty wrote of resuming his life at Harvard, describing his coursework and Harvard's 1919 Class Day, which featured opposition to Prohibition (June 18, 1919). Daugherty also wrote 2 letters in May 1920 about his plans for commencement and the financial success of former military pilots.

The Robert Eugene Davis Letters comprise eight letters (with seven envelopes) written by Seaman First Class Robert Eugene Davis home from the USS Philip (Pacific Theater) to his father, Oscar L. Davis of Anderson, Indiana, during the last year of World War II (September 1944-September 1945).

The Robert Eugene Davis Letters comprise eight letters (with seven envelopes) written by Seaman First Class Robert Eugene Davis home from the USS Philip (Pacific Theater) to his father, Oscar L. Davis of Anderson, Indiana, during the last year of World War II (September 1944-September 1945).

Davis's letters are brief providing updates regarding the ship's engagement in battles off the coasts of the Philippines and Indonesia. Several of the letters are written to or mention "Bert." Bert is likely Bertha Davis (1896-1987), née Bertha Moody or Bertha Elder. She married Oscar Davis in St. Louis, Missouri, in March 1943.

Please see the box and folder listing below for details about each letter.

This collection is made up of 12 letters and 1 birthday card Thomas A. and Robert M. Deane wrote to their parents, Thomas C. and Dorothy M. Deane of Los Angeles, California, while serving in the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps during World War II. The brothers described their experiences while in training at bases in Seattle, Washington; Moraga, California; and De Land, Florida.

This collection contains 12 letters and 1 birthday card Thomas A. and Robert M. Deane wrote to their parents, Thomas C. and Dorothy M. Deane of Los Angeles, California, while serving in the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps during World War II. The brothers described their experiences while in training at bases in Seattle, Washington; Moraga, California; and De Land, Florida.

The first item is a birthday card from Thomas A. Deane, who signed himself "Tomas," to "Gramps," with a humorous cartoon and caption about old age. Robert M. Deane ("Bob") wrote the next six letters between May 1943 and October 1943, while serving in the United States Navy. He attended an educational program and discussed weapons training (July 15, 1943) and other aspects of military life. He spent some time at the Naval Air Station in Astoria, Oregon, and compared it to the stricter base in Seattle, Washington [October 21, 1943]. He attained the rank of petty officer, third class, by October 1943 and worked with the Navy's aviation wing.

Thomas Deane wrote the remaining 6 letters, including 3 composed during his time at the Naval Air Station at De Land, Florida, in September and October 1944. He expressed his desire to see combat, shared news from his brother, and provided updates about life at the base (including the arrival of new airplanes, October 13, 1944).

This collection consists of nine letters written by United States Navy sailor John Roy Brokenshire to a friend, Lillian Dow of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Though hampered by censorship, of which he frequently complained, Brokenshire discussed his life onboard the USS Louisiana during World War I.

This collection consists of 9 letters written by United States Navy sailor John Roy Brokenshire ("Roy") to a friend, Lillian Dow of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. In his first letter, dated June 7, 1917, Brokenshire described his arrival in Norfolk, Virginia, where he joined the crew of the USS Louisiana for duty in the Atlantic Ocean. He wrote about his journey from the Boston Navy Yard and gave his impressions of Norfolk, including comments on the weather and on the ships assembled there. He frequently shared his disdain for censorship, and suggested that he and Lillian utilize a code to evade such efforts, though no letters appear to have such a code. Brokenshire also wrote about life in the navy, including his experiences with laundry, referring to himself as "some washerwoman" (July 1, 1917). He felt that the war would continue well beyond the summer of 1917 (July 9, 1917) and discussed his opinions about an essay from the September 1917 issue of American Magazine, "The War Inside Myself," regarding the mindset of soldiers.

This collection contains letters that Santo R. Ferrara received during his service in the United States Navy Seabees during World War II. His brother Henry offered advice about military life, and other military personnel commented on their experiences at bases in the United States. The collection also includes a letter that Ferrara wrote to his wife and daughter and a Christmas card that he sent to a friend.

This collection (37 items) contains letters that Santo R. Ferrara received during his service in the United States Navy Seabees during World War II, including 21 letters from his brother Henry, a member of the United States Navy Reserve, and numerous letters from other military personnel. Also included are a letter that Ferrara wrote to his wife and daughter and a Christmas card that he sent to a friend.

Henry Ferrara, who wrote from October 6, 1943-November 5, 1945, encouraged his brother to remain in the United States during the war, shared news of their mother and mutual acquaintances, and commented on his life and work in Washington, D.C. His single letter to Marjorie Ferrara congratulates her on the birth of her daughter (December 5, 1943).

Santo Ferrara's other correspondents included Paul Feldman Cox, who served with a navy demolition unit, and Corporal Tony Pirrone of the Army's 806th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Cox complained about his training at Camp Peary, Virginia, and described his work after a transfer to the Marine Corps unit; he was reassigned to Fort Pierce, Florida, in January 1944, where he became an instructor after his unit shipped out in late February. Pirrone discussed his experiences at Camp Rucker, Alabama; commented on his health; and shared his plans to get married after the end of the war. Ferrara also received a V-mail letter from James E. O'Toole, a member of Seabee Detachment 1040, about O'Toole's time in North Africa ([February] 12, 1944).

After the end of hostilities, Henry and Billy Ferrara wrote to their brother Santo about the possibility of being discharged under the military's point system. Billy Ferrara described the Philippines and expressed uncertainty as to whether he would become a member of the occupying forces. He also remarked on the bartering system between American soldiers and Filipino natives and shared the prices of commodities

Santo Ferrara wrote 2 items: a Christmas card to Mr. and Mrs. John Wallace of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts (December 15, 1943), and a letter to his wife and daughter about his assignment to specialized classes at Camp Endicott, Rhode Island; his letter encloses a "C.B." emblem (December 22, 1943). The collection also contains a hand-colored illustration of a palm tree on a beach and the words "Happy Birthday," signed by Henry Ferrara.

This collection is primarily made up of letters that John E. Ford sent to his mother and sisters in Athens, New York, while serving in the United States Navy between October 1917 and February 1919. Ford described his training at Pelham Bay, New York, and his service along the East Coast on the USS Indiana.

This collection (33 items) includes 32 letters that John E. Ford sent to his mother and sisters in Athens, New York, while serving in the United States Navy between October 1917 and February 1919. Ford's earliest letters pertain to his experiences at the United States Naval Training Station at Pelham Bay, New York, including his military education and leisure activities. After December 12, 1917, he wrote from the USS Indiana, discussing the ship's movements along the East Coast and describing his activities while on shore leave. On one occasion, he participated in a military parade at Coney Island, New York (May 19, 1918). In late 1918, Ford referred to the influenza epidemic, which led to the closure of public spaces in several southern locations. Ford sometimes wrote on YMCA and Knights of Columbus stationery; one letterhead contains a picture of a man lying in a hammock with the caption "All Night In and Beans for Breakfast" (October 7, 1918). The collection also includes an undated letter from John's brother Lawrence (or Laurence) to their sister Florence about his life in Crescent, New York.

This collection is made up of the World War II-era correspondence of Norma Greiner, her husband William R. Kent, and the Greiner family. The papers include letters that Norma Greiner wrote to her family while serving as a United States Navy nurse in San Francisco, California, in 1943; letters that William R. Kent wrote to his wife Norma while serving onboard the USS Cape Esperance in the South Pacific from August 1944-November 1944; letters that the Greiner family received from various servicemen during the war; and letters that Norma Greiner Kent received from her mother- and sister-in-law.

This collection (79 items) contains the World War II-era correspondence of Norma Greiner of La Grande, Oregon; her husband, William R. Kent; and the Greiner family. One receipt pertains to a small payment from Mrs. R. C. Greiner to C. E. Branner (July 9, 1942).

Norma Greiner wrote 38 letters to her parents while working as a United States Navy nurse at Treasure Island, San Francisco, California, in 1943. She described her experiences treating wounded servicemen and sometimes provided details about specific patients. In one letter, she discussed a set of photographs shown to her by an officer returning from Guadalcanal (February 13, 1943, mailed with letter dated February 11, 1943), and in another, she described her wedding (August 3, 1943). Some letters refer to Greiner's dating life and several from late July and early August concern her marriage to William R. Kent. Her final letter, dated February 19, 1945, pertains to life in San Diego, California. Three of her letters have enclosures: a newspaper clipping about nurses (March 15, 1943), 4 snapshots of natives in an unidentified location (May 27, 1943), and bicycle licenses for Norma Grider [sic] and Wanda Tucker (June 4, 1942). One item is an illustrated printed form letter 2'8" long, including grains of sand glued to one page, that Norma sent to her brother Lawrence (March 27, 1943).

William R. Kent sent 26 letters to his wife Norma Greiner Kent while serving on the USS Cape Esperance in the South Pacific from August 1944-November 1944; these letters form part of a much larger series (not present). Kent discussed navy life, anticipated the birth of their first child, and counted down the days remaining in his enlistment. While stationed on an unidentified island, he described his health difficulties, including a sprained ankle and a diminished appetite, and responded to Norma's news of her hospital work and pregnancy. He mentioned his initiation as a "shell back" after crossing the Equator and encloses a humorous mock subpoena for a related ceremony (August 14-15, 1944). On October 19, 1944, Kent reflected on the death of a friend named Hallowell, enclosing his obituary. Other enclosures include letters and V-mail from the Kent family (September 20, 1944; September 29, 1944; and October 15, 1944); 3 snapshot photographs of an unidentified man with a dog and horse (September 14, 1944); a notice that his subscription to Parents' Magazine would soon expire (September 14, 1944); a cartoon (October 16, 1944); and a list of recommended Bible verses (November 19, 1944). Norma also received letters from her sister-in-law, "Jay" Kent, and from her mother-in-law, Helen Kent.

In addition to Norma's letters, the Greiner family received correspondence from William R. Kent (1 item, March 22, 1945) and other servicemen. Private Dale Greiner, a relative, wrote about his experiences while training with the United States Air Forces in Miami Beach, Florida, and Gulfport, Mississippi; David G. Weathers wrote twice of his love for Norma (April 4, 1943, and July 11, 1943); Norman E. Olson mentioned his participation in naval campaigns near the Philippines on the USS Heywood (February 27, 1945); and Private Chester J. Hoab discussed tank training at Fort Knox, Kentucky (ca. March 25, 1943). Private Bryce E. Miller wrote his letter of March 4, 1943, on stationery bearing printed images of military aircraft.