Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Member of Co. F, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes a letter to his cousin, Mrs. Thomas Dittrich, describing in general terms his activities in Russia.

Photocopy of a letter to Chriswell's cousin Mrs. Thomas Dittrich describing in general terms his activities in Russia.

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

Letters describing Riodan's experiences in Russia.

John E. Wilson, of Russell, Kansas, was chaplain of the North Russia Transportation Corps, a unit of the U.S. Army that served in the Murmansk region of Russia from April to July, 1919, during the Allied intervention against the Communist revolutionary government in Russia. Wilson's North Russia Pictures contains about 370 images of the work of the North Russia Transportation Corps. This finding aid describes a series of Wilson's photographs making up portions of three collections at the Bentley Historical Library: John William Grier photograph collection, Frank J. McGrath photograph album, and Fred E. Minard photograph collection

John E. Wilson's "North Russia Pictures" contains about 370 images of the work of the North Russia Transportation Corps. Each photo is numbered on the verso, with the numbers corresponding to Wilson's sales list. This list of photos is copied from Wilson's original sales list. All misspellings are Wilson's. A few numbers are omitted or used more than once. For each picture there is an indication of which collection or collections include the photo. A few of Wilson's pictures are not included in any of the three collections.

The photos document the entire history of the Transportation Corps, from their organization in France, to travel through England and by sea to Russia, service in Russia, and then travel by sea back to France and back to the United States. The last pictures are of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of France.

The work of the Transportation Corps in Russia is presented in detail, with pictures of patrols, the aftermath of battles, railroad construction and maintenance, camps, and recreational activities. There are many pictures of soldiers, some identified but many unidentified by name. Also pictures of Russian scenery and people.

In the McGrath collection the photos are pasted into an album, so the numbers cannot be seen. The photos are presented in the album in numerical order, with the captions copied from Wilson's sales list. The Grier and Minard collections consist of loose photos, arranged in numerical order.

Soldier from Detroit, Mich., member of Co. H, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes list of members of Co. H; and miscellanea relating to the Polar Bear expedition.

The papers include lists of the members of Co. H.

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.

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

Honorable discharge and enlistment record.

Group photograph of the 339th Infantry at Camp Devens, Mass., July 14, 1919, collected by Anthony B. Porzondek, who served with Company I, 339th Infantry, sent to Archangel, Russia at the end of World War I, part of the "Polar Bear Expedition."

The Porzondek collection consists of an original and digitized panoramic group photograph of the 339th Infantry at Camp Devens, Mass., July 14, 1919.

This collection contains original and digital records. 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. Within each series, files are listed numerically according to the file arrangement they were given by the donor. The original file in this collection is in TIFF format, a jpeg copy has been made of the access site.

Walter C. Matuszewski served as a private in Company G, 339th Infantry, during the American intervention at Archangel, Russia, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Group portrait of Company G, 339th U.S. Infantry taken at Brest, France, June 1919.

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, 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 TIFF format.

Files include digitized panoramic group photographs of Company G, 339th U.S. Infantry taken at Brest, France, June 1919.

Served in 339th Infantry Regiment during the Polar Bear Expedition to North Russia. Photocopies of two letters published in a local newspaper.

Photocopies of transcirpts of two letters, one dated January 19, 1919, published in a local newspaper.

Soldier from Sanilac County, Mich., member of Co. H, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes typescript of his statement relating his experience as a prisoner of war and copies of his enlistment and discharge records.

The papers consist of photocopies of a typescript of his statement relating his experience as a prisoner of war and copies of his enlistment and discharge records.