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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.

This collection is made up of 10 letters that United States soldiers in France, Germany, and Russia wrote to Lila Sandall of Grand Rapids, Michigan, from October 1918-April 1919, as well as a letter that one soldier wrote to Blanch O'Brien of Lake City, Michigan. The soldiers commented on their experiences abroad during and after the war.

This collection is made up of 10 letters that United States soldiers in France, Germany, and Russia wrote to Lila Sandall of Grand Rapids, Michigan, from October 1918-April 1919, as well a letter that one soldier wrote to Blanch O'Brien of Lake City, Michigan. The soldiers commented on their experiences abroad during and after the war.

Sandall received letters from members of the 310th Field Signal Battalion (Company A), Ambulance Company 5, and the 339th Infantry Supply Company. W. M. Clark of the 5th Ambulance Company wrote 5 of the collection's letters. Victor Strandell of the 310th Field Signal Battalion wrote about German planes and the liberation of a prison camp in October 1918. Other soldiers commented on life in Mayen, Germany, during the Allied occupation. Sandall's correspondents mentioned victory celebrations, Prohibition, and an ambulance accident. Rudolph R. Traeumer, a member of the 339th Infantry Regiment, wrote to Sandall about his time at the front near Archangel, Russia, in March 1919, during the U.S. intervention in the Russian Revolution. The collection also contains one letter that C. C. Shellman of the 126th Infantry Supply Company wrote to Blanch O'Brien, in which he discussed the noise at the front and commented on German airplanes (July 19, [1918]).

Scanned copy of photograph of Martin Rasmussen, who served in Headquarters Company, 339th U.S. Infantry, during the American intervention in North Russia, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

This collection contains digital reproductions; 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, Photographs. The original file in this collection is in BMP format, a jpeg copy has been made for web access.

The collection consists a sinngle digitized photograph of Rasmussen, who served Headquarters Company, 339th Infantry, in uniform, ca. 1918.

The Michigan Historical Collections Polar Bear Expedition Photograph Collection includes images relating to the American intervention in north Russia, 1918-1919, the "Polar Bear Expedition." The provenance of most of the photographs has been lost and therefore these images have been grouped together by subject into an artificial accumulation.

The photographs in this collection were received from various sources, the provenance of most of the photographs has been lost and therefore these images have been grouped together by subject into an artificial accumulation. The digitized Polar Bear Expedition photograph collection is a part of a larger collection which includes a wide range of subject matter. The 24 images relating to the "Polar Bear Expedition" include photographs and postcards depicting various scenes, events, and individuals. Identified individuals include Private Walter Streit of Company M, 339th Infantry and General Richardson (W. P. Richardson?), as well as various photographs of Russian people. The collection also includes photographs of Company M, 339th Infantry and the 339th Infantry Supply Company and a photograph of a marker for Company H, 339th Infantry soldiers killed in action. Russian places documented in these photographs include Murmansk, Tegra, Archangel, Konetsbor, and the Vologda Railway.

The Michigan Historical Collections Topical Photograph Collection offer a broad and varied glimpse into nearly one hundred years of Michigan history, from the 1860s into the 1950s. The provenance of most of the photographs has been lost and therefore these images have been grouped together by subject into an artificial accumulation. Subjects depicted range from industry and transportation to clothing styles and social customs.

The photographs in this collection were received from various sources. Subjects include carriages, automobiles, Great Lakes shipping, railroads, and mass transit, especially street railroads. There are also images documenting activities within the mining, forestry, and lumber industries, mostly in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Also included are photographs of various ethnic groups and their societies, notably of Native Americans (1870s-1930s) of the Manistee and Ludington, Michigan, areas. Some of the images are street views and private residences in various Michigan towns and cities. Of interest are photographs of Michigan units taking part in the Spanish-American War and the "Polar Bear Expedition" of World War I. There is also a series of bookplates, [acquired from?] William H. Bicknell, many of which relate to the University of Michigan.

Born in St. Louis, Mo., member of Company D, U.S. 339th Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

Portrait, group photo of 339th Infantry, and photo of his grave marker.