Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Member of Co. D, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes transcript of his diary describing his experiences in Russia.

Transcript of a diary describing his experiences in Russia.

Soldier from Cleveland, Ohio, member of 167th Transportation Corps who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes roster of members, transcript of military record, and miscellanea.

The papers include a roster of the 167th Co., a transcript of Russell's military record, and miscellanea.

Member of 339th U.S. Infantry who was killed during the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes a portrait of Jenks.

A portrait of Jenks.

Scrapbook of World War I-era photographs and post-war personal activities, includes snapshots from Polar Bear expedition to northern Russia after World War I; also photos of post-World War I military groups and activities.

Soldier from Cudahy, Wisconsin; master engineer with 1st Battalion, 310th U.S. Engineers who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1919, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes correspondence, reports, clippings, and photograph album.

Correspondence describing his activities in Russia, brief letter from Robert La Follette regarding his opposition to the intervention, final report of the 310th Engineers (incomplete), and news clippings. Photograph album includes photos of scenes in Archangel and surrounding countryside, American soldiers in camp and in the field, fortifications and buildings constructed by the 310th Engineers, Russian people, Allied ships.

Soldier from Big Rapids, Mich., member of 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes photocopies of clippings, certificates, and miscellanea.

The collection consists of photocopies of clippings, certificates, and miscellanea.

Soldier from Fruitport, Mich., member of Co. I, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes a diary, article from The Literary Digest, and newspaper clipping describing his combat experiences in Russia.

The papers, all photocopies, include a typescript of Colburn's diary, Sept. 1918-April 1919, which contains very brief accounts of his experiences, including fighting on several fronts and the alleged mutiny of Co. I. Also included are a short reminiscence, a newspaper clipping containing a letter from Colburn describing fighting along the railroad in Sept. 1918, and an article from The Literary Digest describing the "mutiny" of Co. I. The originals of the papers are owned by Colburn.

Soldier from Petoskey, Mich., member of Co. A, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes scrapbooks, orders, citations, casualty lists, and field message book.

The collection includes two scrapbooks containing a letter, Nov. 16, 1919, of Theodore R. McPhail, describing the 339th Infantry's homecoming parade in Detroit, poems, and newspaper clippings relating to the fighting in Russia, the mutiny of March 1919, the return of the 339th Infantry to Detroit, the return of the bodies of men killed in Russia, and later Polar Bear activities. Also included are rosters, certificates of promotion, lists of citations, and lists of casualties for Co. A, a cartoon by "Bug" Culver, a map of the Archangel area with areas of operations marked, lists of the bodies returned in 1929, and a receipt book of Captain Otto Odjard

Member of 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes photographs of military facilities and prisoners.

The collection includes pictures of Bolshevik prisoners, a dugout, and the Archangel market.

Digital copies of materials relating to the military service of James F. O'Brien, who served as 2nd lieutenant in Company E, 339th Infantry, sent to Archangel, Russia at the end of World War I, 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 one series, Papers and Photographs. Within each series, files are listed numerically according to the file arrangement they were given by the donor. The files in this collection are in JPG and BMP format.

Files include digitized military documents diary entries, photographs relating to his service ca. 1918; also includes photographs of O'Brien and Captain Otto Odjard in a hospital ward, and photographs and newspaper clippings, possibly at the Detroit Ordnance District ca. 1943.