Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Soldier from Bay City, Mich., member of Co. B, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diaries which give an account of his service in Russia with the Polar Bear expedition, including sympathetic references to the Bolsheviks.

The diary, Sept. 1918-April 1919, a photocopy, describes his sympathy for the Russian people and the Bolshevik cause, his impressions of Russian life, housing, crops, food, and marriage, as well as fighting at Seltso, Sept. and Oct. 1918, and Toulgas, Oct. 1918. He also describes the difficulties in which he found himself in March 1919, when he drew up a petition protesting the presence of American troops in Russia after the end of the war. A transcript of the petition is included. The original of the diary is owned by Parrish.

Soldier from Copemish, 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 correspondence, certificates of recognition, and obituary concerning work of the Polar Bear Expedition; and photographs.

The papers consist mainly of obituaries and miscellaneous clippings. Photographs include portraits of Bigelow.

Soldier from New York City, N.Y., member of Medical Detachment, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes summary of his activities and military orders relating to his service in the Polar Bear expedition to Archangel.

The papers include a copy of the "Summary of activities of medical personnel with 1st Battalion 339th Infantry, Sept. 1918-May 1919, which describes medical work at Shenkursk and fighting at Toulgas, Sept. 1918; Kodema [?], Dec. 1918; and Vistafka, Jan.-Feb. 1919. Also included are Katz's promotion and discharge papers.

Her uncle, Robert Granville served as a sergeant, 337th Field Hospital in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes two papers, 1982, consisting of typescripts of letters of Robert Granville, written while in military training at Camp Custer, 1917-1918, and as a member of the Polar Bear expedition; also scattered clippings, and photograph.

The paper includes biographical information about Frisbie's uncle, Robert Granville, who served as sergeant, 337th Field Hospital, and transcriptions of several of his letters, Nov. 1917-March 1919. The letters include descriptions of army life at Camp Custer, his daily routine at Archangel, and the Russian people and their customs. A photograph of Granville is also included.

St. Louis, MO native, who served with the 310th Army Engineers during the Allied Intervention in Northern Russia in 1918-1919, also known as the Polar Bear Expedition. The collection includes one oversize photo album and loose photographs documenting Johnson's service and the Polar Bears' military life, the city of Archangel and other locations in Russia; also Johnson's biography, letters, military papers, and ephemera related to the Polar Bear Expedition.

The photo album documents Johnson's experience while serving with the 310th Army Engineers in Northern Russia (primarily Archangel and Solombola) from 1918 to 1919. Photographs depict the exteriors and the interiors of the American army barracks, daily military life, individual and group portraits of American soldiers and officers, and military training. The album also includes scenic views, street scenes, images of religious processions, buildings and churches in Archangel, as well as portraits of the local people. Some photographs depict representatives of the indigenous population of Russian North.

Additional materials, placed in a separate folder, include one small portrait of Johnson in uniform (1917), loose photographs from the Polar Bear Expedition period, his biography, and letters particularly pertaining to his military service. An honorable discharge certificate includes information about Johnson's military rank, medals, time spent as a member of the North Russia Expeditionary Force.

Also included is an application for a Victory Medal and a 1968 The Navy Civil Engineer article by Johnson discussing his second military career during World War II. The folder also contains a hand-drawn sketch of Johnson asking his future wife Dorothy on a date and a photocopy of a letter to Dorothy highlighting a few of his daily military duties and activities.

Papers of a soldier in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

Honorable discharge and enlistment record.

Papers of a soldier in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

Letters describing Riodan's experiences in Russia.

Papers and photograph of a soldier in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

The papers include Fleming's diary, 1918-1919, and transcripts of the diary. Also included are an undated portrait of Fleming and Sarah M. McInnis and photocopies of an undated diary, photographs, a map, and Russian money.

Photograph collection of a soldier in the U.S. 340th Ambulance Company during World War I and his future wife who served as secretary of the YMCA Michigan Hut at Conlie (Sarthe), France.

Photos of the 337th and 340th Ambulance Companies and 310th Field Hospital training at Camp Custer, Mich. and of the Michigan Hut at Conlie, France.

The original photographs are owned by the donor; the Bentley only holds the digital versions.

Papers of a soldier in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, 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 two series, Papers and Visual Materials. Within each series, files are listed numerically according to the number they were given by the donor. A short description of the digitized object follows the file number. The files in this collection are in TIF format.

Digitized papers include the 310th Engineers Christmas Greetings, Archangel Russia, the Midnight Sun, a diary of his service, which he called his Army record, two newspaper clippings and an untitled document dated June 30, 1919. Digitized photographs include: Amos by himself in uniform, Amos with three other soldiers, Firchow Mull and Drew in winter uniform, an unidentified photograph and a digital photograph of a uniform button.