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This collection is made up of 65 letters that Esther A. Bates of Omro, Wisconsin, received during World War I. Fred W. Moldenhauer, her future husband, wrote the vast majority of the letters while serving with the 331st Field Artillery Regiment at army camps from September 1917-September 1918, and after his return to the United States in February 1919.

This collection is made up of 65 letters that Esther A. Bates of Omro, Wisconsin, received during World War I. Fred W. Moldenhauer, her future husband, wrote the majority of the letters while serving with the 331st Field Artillery Regiment at army camps from September 1917-September 1918, and after his return to the United States in February 1919.

Private Fred W. Moldenhauer wrote over 50 letters to Esther A. Bates between September 1917 and September 1918. He was primarily stationed at Camp Grant, Illinois, and Camp Robinson, Wisconsin, where he reported on many aspects of camp life and on mutual acquaintances, including those who were transferred to other camps. Moldenhauer often expressed his love for Bates, and he occasionally wrote loving messages in Morse code in his later letters. In one letter, he recounted his visit to a group of African Americans who lived near Camp Grant (November 13, 1917). Moldenhauer wrote 4 letters from Camp Merritt, New Jersey, and 2 letters from Camp Grant, Illinois, in February 1919, following his return from France. Among other subjects, he discussed his return voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Many of Moldenhauer's letters are directed to Bates, care of West Hall at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin.

Three other soldiers wrote letters to Esther A. Bates during the war. Ervin W. Steinert, a member of the 341st Infantry Regiment, Company K, and the 311th Field Signal Battalion, wrote about life at Camp Grant, Illinois. Among his correspondence is a printed Christmas card with the logo of the 311th Field Signal Battalion ([December 22, 1917]). Other writers were L. W. Lurd of the 128th Machine Gun Company, who described the country around Camp MacArthur, Texas, and a man named "Ernest," who anticipated his transfer from Camp Grant, Illinois.

This collection contains approximately 50 letters that Private First Class George W. Ingram wrote to his mother and siblings in Boyne City, Michigan, while he served with the United States Army between 1943 and 1945. Ingram corresponded with his family while in training in the United States and while stationed in North Africa, Italy, and southern France with a military police unit. The collection also includes a document, 2 postcards, photographs, a photograph album, and ephemeral items.

This collection contains approximately 50 letters that Private First Class George W. Ingram wrote to his mother and siblings in Boyne City, Michigan, while he served with the United States Army between 1943 and 1945. Ingram corresponded with his family while in training in the United States and while stationed in North Africa, Italy, and southern France with a military police unit. The collection also includes a document, 2 postcards, photographs, a photograph album, and ephemeral items.

The Correspondence series contains George Ingram's letters to his family, as well as 2 postcards and 1 document. He wrote regularly to his mother, Sadie Ingram, and less frequently to his siblings, Bob and Guy, between January 1943 and February 1945. In his earliest letters, he commented on his experiences at Camp Grant, Illinois, and Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, where he attended basic training. By March, he relocated to Camp River Rouge, Michigan, and anticipated being sent to military police training. In July 1943, he reported that he had been deployed overseas as a member of the "149th Prov. M.P. Det.," and that he would help guard prisoners of war.

Ingram wrote about his service in North Africa, Italy, and southern France, and he frequently responded to news of friends from home. He occasionally mentioned his religious habits. After his return to the United States in late 1944, Ingram discussed his wife Betty, expressing hopes that his family would approve of her and inquiring about their opinions of her. He shared some of his postwar plans and related his efforts to obtain a medical discharge from the army. Ingram spent much of early 1945 as a member of the Army Service Forces at Camp Peary, Virginia. Throughout his service, he occasionally wrote on illustrated stationery, and he sent his mother 1 postcard from Wisconsin, which includes an image of two Mongolian pheasants. The series holds a "War Savings Bond Pay Reservation Application," signed by George W. Ingram in January 1943.

The Photographs series includes 4 individual photographs, a photographic negative, and 1 photo album. The photo album (52 pages) contains snapshots and portraits taken primarily in and around Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, Michigan, between 1941 and 1943. Most pictures depict soldiers, young women, and a baby. Other scenes include St. Petersburg, Florida; Niagara Falls; and the United States Capitol.

The Printed items and ephemera series contains newspaper clippings of a poem and an image of a bride, a certificate for Bob Ingram's service in the United States Crop Corps Victory Farm Volunteers program in 1945, and a booklet illustrating methods for creating shadow illustrations with one's hands.

The Realia series consists of a pair of iron ice tongs.

This collection contains letters that Lieutenant Herbert Brigdon Syrett wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army during World War II, as well as a scrapbook about Syrett's military experiences. Syrett, a member of the 102nd Medical Battalion, described his training in the United States and Hawaii and his experiences in the Pacific Theater.

This collection contains around 580 letters that Lieutenant Herbert Brigdon Syrett ("Brig") wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army during World War II, as well as a scrapbook (around 60 pages) about his military experiences.

The Correspondence series contains Syrett's letters to his mother from January 6, 1943-December 11, 1945; and 13 letters from Syrett to Howard and Miriam Cusack, January 10, 1944-August 23, 1945. He first described daily life and training exercises at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. In April 1943, he was transferred to Camp Barkeley, Texas, where he participated in an officers' training program and recorded details about his daily schedule and courses. By August 1943, he had graduated and had joined the 102nd Medical Battalion for training at Camp Grant, Illinois, filling his correspondence with descriptions of the scenery and his travels. In December 1943, Syrett reported his safe arrival in Hawaii and his unit's preparations for campaigns in the jungles of the Pacific Theater. While in Hawaii, Syrett became a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club on Waikiki Beach, and he also wrote about his training, military life, officer duties, and leave periods in Honolulu.

After May 1944, Syrett wrote from Saipan, where he participated in active combat during the Allied invasion. He recounted some of his experiences during the battle, such as living in a foxhole and witnessing bombing raids. After the battle, he commented on native life, the impact of the fighting, and insects. Syrett also reported his increasing religious faith and mentioned his religious activities, particularly after his first experiences in active combat. On December 3, 1944, he wrote about non-United States citizens who had joined the country's military forces. In April 1945, Syrett was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, and he compared the United States Army and United States Navy during his voyage. Throughout the summer of 1945, he anticipated the end of the war and wrote about the power of the atomic bomb, while expressing his hope that the war would end soon. After the Japanese surrender, he served in Okinawa, Muramatsu, and Niigata, Japan, which he described. An avid souvenir hunter, Syrett discussed his acquisitions throughout his military service. He also responded to news from home, provided information about other servicemen with whom he corresponded, and discussed the military's encouragement of V-mail services. An undated photograph of an unidentified soldier is housed at the end of the series.

Syrett occasionally enclosed items such as dried flowers, magazine articles, and newspaper clippings in his letters. In his correspondence with the Cusacks, Syrett occasionally sent snapshot photographs of himself, fellow soldiers, destroyed buildings, and scenery (November 24, 1944, 3 photos; January 25, 1945, 6 photos; March 1, 1945, 7 photos). He often wrote on stationery depicting the logos of the United States Army, United States Navy, Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Camp Barkeley, and Camp Grant, as well as stationery with scenes from Camp Barkeley and Hawaii. In 1945, Syrett sometimes composed letters on paper he took from Japanese soldiers. Some letters are V-mail letters, including pre-printed Easter and Mother's Day greetings.

The Scrapbook (around 60 pages) is comprised primarily of newspaper clippings and ephemera from Syrett's World War II service. The items are arranged roughly chronologically. He also collected newsletters, programs, and tickets during his time in the United States, as well as currency during his time abroad. Official documents such as Syrett's draft cards, military orders, and vaccine records are also present. Newspaper clippings relate to the 27th Army Division, jungle training exercises in Hawaii, the Battle of Saipan, the Battle of Okinawa, and the Pacific Theater. Christmas cards are also pasted into the volume.

This collection is primarily made up of letters that Rochester Hart Rogers and his wife, Lois Smith Rogers, wrote to one another between 1917 and 1919. Rochester discussed his legal practice in Rochester, New York, and his experiences as an army officer at Fort Niagara, Camp Upton, and Camp Grant. Lois wrote about current events, family news, and daily life in Rochester and in Center Moriches, New York.

This collection (0.75 linear feet) is primarily made up of correspondence related to Rochester H. Rogers of Rochester, New York, and his wife, Lois Smith Rogers.

The earliest 4 items are letters from Estelle A. Boyden to Clinton Rogers (Rochester's father) and to her cousin Helen (Rochester's sister). Rochester and Lois Smith Rogers received a few additional letters from other family members and friends throughout the late 1910s.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence between Rochester H. Rogers and Lois Smith (later Rogers), including items written during the couple's courtship. These letters often refer to literature and to Rochester's life and legal practice in Rochester, New York, prior to the couple's marriage in April 1917. After August 1917, Rochester Rogers wrote to Lois about his experiences while serving with the United States Army at Fort Niagara, New York; Camp Upton, New York; and Camp Grant, Illinois.

Rogers sometimes remarked on his efforts in the defense of soldiers in legal proceedings and on his other duties, including miscellaneous office tasks and work with "raw recruits." His clients included a group of Russians who supported the Bolshevik cause (August 15, 1918) and an African-American soldier who had disobeyed a commanding officer. Rogers sometimes commented on the progress of the war and discussed politics. His letter of December 13, 1918, contains a discussion of the Hawaiian rebellions of the late 19th century.

Lois Smith Rogers wrote the majority of the letters to her husband during his military service. She provided news of their families and of their two young children, born around late 1917 and late 1918. Similar to her husband, she occasionally commented on the progress of the war and the involvement of European nations. While staying in Center Moriches, New York, in the spring of 1918, she considered volunteering for a Red Cross hospital; she also wrote from Rochester and Williamson, New York. Several letters from 1918 refer to the influenza epidemic and to wounded soldiers returning from the war. An envelope postmarked December 5, 1918, contains printed information about army administration, the use of intelligence tests, and corresponding ratings.