Adams County German Prisoner of War Camps. Major Laurence C. Thomas was in command of two camps, Camp Sharpe located on the Emmitsburg Road on the Gettysburg Battlefield was a labor camp, and Camp Michaux in Pine Grove Furnace State Park was an interrogation camp. Materials were confiscated by members of the intelligence corps and came into the possession of Major Thomas. The collection includes accounts of prisoner escapes, military passes, newspapers from the United States, England and Germany, maps of Paris, military passbooks, military service book, pocket atlas, ration coupons, German postcards, pocket card explaining how to attack various tanks with German weaponry, and a diary. MS-056
Adams, Franklin Pierce. Letter from Pierce to Mr. Cooper of the Hanover Evening Sun regarding his participation in the 1943 Victory Book Campaign. 10 Dec. 1942. TLS-2pp. VFM-1
Alford, Anita Faller. Memorabilia of a longtime Gettysburg resident who served in the Army Nurse Corps in England and Germany, 1942-45. Materials include postcards, maps, newsletters, newsclippings, photographs, scrapbook, Army publications, pamphlets, and brochures. MS-126.
Bennett, Kenneth H. and Linehan, John. Master Sergeant Bennett was stationed in India and was visited by Secretary of War Robert Patterson, both from Glen Falls, New York. The collection includes photographs of the two men in Delhi, India, Bennett's chevrons, Patterson's Purple Heart, awarded during World War I, Private John Linehan's Soldier's Medal for Valor and citation, and a letter of commendation sent by General Omar Bradley to Linehan's parents. 2 boxes. Unprocessed collection.
Bradley, Robert B. Five books written on his experiences in World War II as a medic and German prisoner. Published 1970-2000. MS-303pp. VFM-177
Burton, Ralph Papers. Burton served as Special Investigator for the Senate Campaign Expenditures Committee, 1938-1939 and 1940-1941, and House Appropriations Committee in charge of NYC and State, investigation of the W.P.A. 1939-1940; General Counsel to the House Military Affairs Committee, 1941-1947; Chief Investigator for the Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, 1947-1948; General Counsel for the House Campaign Expenditures Committee, 1948-1949 and the House Select Committee on Current Pornographic Materials, 1952-1953. The collection consists of his committee reports. MS-033
Coulter, Chan F. The collection consists of a series of letters to his wife, Mae, and son, Chan Lowell, during his overseas service in the South Pacific from 1942 until his discharge in 1945, and papers acquired by Coulter regarding the 40th Anniversary of the 37th Division's Liberation of Manila (includes news clippings, itineraries, and programs of the 37th Division and its 40th reunion in 1985). MS-031
Crapster, Basil. Original reconnaisance/aerial b/w photographs take at the end of the war by American pilots flying over Japan. Includes "Urban Damage Assessment Plot" of Hiroshima shot after August 6, 1945. Crapster was a map decoding officer during the war. 10 photos, 1 MS item. VFM-235 (oversize)
Duttera, John W. Duttera was a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Force and stationed in the Philippines where he worked on aircraft engines. The collection largely consists of letters from Duttera to Ruth Feiser of New Oxford, PA, who later became his wife. 30 June 1942 - 17 Dec. 1945. The collections also includes letters written by Joseph Atland 19 Jan. 1942 - 18 Mar. 1943, one note from William Heller, 23 December 1943, one letter by Charles Blackburn, May 1943, letters written by Ruth Feiser, photographs, copies of newspaper clippings, and song lyrics and jokes. 2 boxes. MS-094
Freed, Edwin D. Detailed list of expenses from his years at Gettysburg College broken down by class year. 11 Sep. 1939 - 21 April 1943. MS-23pp. VFM-185
Gallion, Robert. Class of 1946. February 5, 1943 draft note of 27 Gettysburg College students ordered into service during World War II. Original notification and envelope from War Department. Includes copy of an article about the document written by Library Director Robin Wagner for the Musselman Library Newsletter and correspondence from Dr. Michael Birkner and College Archivist Karen Dupell Drickamer. MS-6pp. VFM-271
Gallion, Robert. Class of 1946. Collection of Nazi Pins and Photographs of head Nazi officers. P-8. VFM-289
Gross, Harry H. Class of 1930. Photographs from Ohrdruf Concentration Camp at its liberation. Dated April 11-12, 1945. P-13. VFM-290
Haldeman, Clarence. Large collection of letters written to his wife in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Correspondence postmarked from San Francisco, California. Unprocessed collection.
Hangsterfer, Charles (Class of '40). "Fox Green, Easy Red: The Gettysburg Connection" article and letters regarding Hangsterfer's WWII experiences. ca. 2002, 7 DS-36pp. VFM-263
Hanson, Robert. This collection is mainly comprised of letters and telegrams of the immediate Hanson family during WWII (1942-1946, with gaps), though there is a selection of letters to members of the family from other authors and a small group of letters written from 1904-1924 to Elizabeth and Henry Hanson from Elizabeth's parents F. V. N. (Franklin Verzelius Newton) and L. T. ( Laura Trimble) Painter. MS-123
Haynes, Donald C.1942. Ration book holder with ration books for his family. Stamps still in a few books. Civilian Defense Uniform pamphlet. 1943 Income and Victory tax return. Order forms for high school Victory Corps Insignias. “The plan for distributing war rations: book one for individual consumers.” Weekly News review, Washington D.C., January 18, 1943. “Tale of a City.” Publication by a former Polish Army officer, an eyewitness to the early days of Occupation. “A Primer on Scrap.” Publication from the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel. 1941 Copy of “Our Bill of Rights! Suggested Program for School Observance.” Published by the council against Intolerance in America. Manuscript of a Lecture given on January 1, 1942 by Donald C. Haynes , on the current World War, at Smithsburg High School. VFM-352
Hobor, Albert J. Collection of photographs from service during World War II including five photographs from a Nazi Concentration camp at the time of liberation. A photograph of Private Albert J. Hobor taken on April 12, 1944. Photo-Copy of Army Separation/Qualification Record and Honorable Discharge Record. Photo-Copy of restricted list from a U.S. Station Hospital from March 13, 1945. Photo-Copy of restricted notification of the Award of Purple Heart to Private Albert J. Hober on December 7, 1944. Photo-Copy of Newspaper clipping from February 28, 1945 titled "Wounded Soldier in Army Hospital." Correspondence between Michael J. Hobor and Nancy Dewing, daughter of Albert J. Hobor dated November and December 2005. Copies of "Notes and Thoughts on the Massacre Photographs and Albert J. Hobor's Experience in World War II." Written by Michael J. Hobor on December 7, 2005, as well as notes on the collection by Michael J. Hobor. Photograph of Woolworth Strike. MS-24pp. VFM-284
Hoch, Roy. 39 WWII b/w photographs, Guam 1944 (copies). Hoch purchased the photos from a military photographer. Pictures include soldiers saluting the American flag, walking among the dead, and in position. There are a few gruesome close-ups of dead bodies. VFM-218
Jones, Philip. Photographs taken on the island of Zamboinango in the Phillipines in ca. 1945 while Jones was a member of the Scout Patrol for an LST. 26/E/2
Kieran, John. Letter from Kieran of the NY Sun, to Mr. Cooper, regarding a previous inquiry by Cooper. 24 April 1944. TLS-1p. VFM-84
Klos, Stanley. Letter from Mr. Bernard Law Montgomery, First Viscount Montgomery of Al 'Alamayn. 15 May 1936. MS-3pp. VFM-270
Koster, Gerald. Trained at the USNTS (United States Navy Training Station), Great Lakes, IL, and a member of Company 94. He was aboard the USS New Jersey. The collection includes Koster's letters to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Erlin Koster, from 17 Jan. 1943 - 10 Nov. 1945. Thirty-six negatives of photographs of Gerald, "Gerry", Koster and family. Included in the collection are the FM Gazette, newletter of the FM main battery controllmen (10 June 1944 - 1 Feb. 1945); Fourth of July, 1944, menu from aboard the USS New Jersey; Mother's Day greeting from Gerry to his mother; church service bulletin, 11 Mar. 1945; postcard, 22 Oct. 1943, from Popular Science Publishing Company to Erlin Koster about delayed shipment of a manual. 1 box. MS-084
Letters to the Biglerville, Pennsylvania Community. This collection is arranged as: letters to Olive Tipton from George Sandoe (1893-1975), a Private serving in the Anti-aircraft Division of the Service stationed throughout the United States during the course of these letters; letters written to Sara Miller from several soldiers who were friends of Miller; letters from E. E. Tipton, Miller's brother (concerning military training life and Miller's job). MS-029
"Life of Farmers in South Central Pennsylvania During World War II" Paper by David Worley for History 421. 30 April 2004. DS-43pp. VFM-261
Naviglia-Woncheck World War II Family Letters. A collection of 31 letters or postcards by service men to loved ones at home. Nearly all of the letters are from members of the Naviglia-Woncheck extended family from Western Pennsylvania. MS-120
Nazi Photographs. Collection of photographs with captions on the back in German, photographs are numbered and translated. P-35. VFM-291
Ogden, Richard L. Memorabilia, photographs, scrapbooks, a Japanese family photo album, and a Japanese flag, from Ogden's time with the 11th Marine Regiment in China and Guam, 1945-1949. 2 boxes. Unprocessed collection.
Ohmer, Carl G. and Richard E., Letters. This collection contains 109 letters written by soldiers in World War II. 98 of these are letters are addressed to the Ohmer family in Girard, PA from their sons, Carl and Richard, as well as a friend of the family, Ray O’Connor. 11 of the letters are addressed to Georgia Hitchcock in New York, NY from John V. Starr, as well as one letter signed “Don,” with no other distinguishing factors of his identity. All letters include their original envelope. MS-104
"Paris Libere." 20 small b/w photographs of France during WWII with numbered descriptions. VFM-225
Perry, Ralph Barton. Letter from Perry to Edred J. Pennell of Mifflintown, PA. 21 May 1945. TLS- 1p. VFM-115
Phillips, Harry Irving. Letter from Phillips to Thomas Y. Cooper, thanking him for a letter to be published in the NY Sun. 11 June 1942. TLS-1p. VFM-117
Postcards, WWII.Souvenir postcards from the Ryuku Islands and the “Old Battlefield of Okinawa.” Location: World War II VFM-361
Prairie, Anthony H. First Lieutenant Prairie was a member of the 25th Statistical Control Unit HQ, 13th Air Force, stationed in the Phillippines. The bulk of the collection consists of letters to his girlfriend, later wife, Virginia Drew, 6 May 1945 - 24 Feb. 1947. 5 boxes. Unprocessed collection.
Schade, Richard. Collection consists of letters from Schade to his wife, Betty, as well as letters to Schade from various acquaintances. He was stationed in Paterson, New Jersey, Fort Totten, New York, and Camp Stewart, Georgia. MS-030
Stambaugh, Fred. Letters of recommendation on his behalf, and copy of the official orders calling twenty-seven Gettysburg College men into action for WWII. 5 Feb. 1943. D-7pp. VFM-194
Sweet, George H. Jr. This collection gives insight into the pre- and inter-wartime life of George H. Sweet, Jr., '42, as a member of the crew and then captain of Landing Ship, Tank LST 358 in the Mediterranean. It also provides general information about World War II in the Mediterranean and the role of LSTs in the war effort. It further gives a glimpse of the experiences of Donald Sweet, '49, as an air crewman in the Pacific theatre, specifically about life and important happenings during the invasion of Okinawa in 1945. MS-117
Veable, Catheryn Marsada. Memorabilia and photos from her experiences at Gettysburg College, class of 1945, Delta Gamma. MS-46pp. VFM-199
Waller, Odell. Many bulletins, petitions, and newsletters from the Workers' Defense League in attempt to manufacture support for the defense of Odell Waller. 1942. MS-60+ pp. VFM-158
Wilkie, Wendell L. Letter from Wilkie and Republican political advertisement from 1940, promoting Wilkie for President. TLS-13pp. VFM-164
Wikoff, Jerold. Letters written by Gettysburg College alumni to Mr. Jerold Wikoff for Gettysburg Alumni Magazine concerning three distinct topics: World War II experiences, dinks, and alumni couple sweetheart stories. MS-118
Willoughby, Major General Charles A. Papers, Class of 1914. Willoughby served as General MacArthur's Chief of Intelligence from 1940-1951 and participated in active duty in Manila during World War II. The collection is arranged into ten series: Personal Papers, South America, Other Army Papers, Asia, Sorge Espionage Case, Clippings, Photographs, Correspondence, Manuscripts and Publications, and Collection Correspondence. Additional information on Willoughby can be obtained by searching under "Willoughby" in MUSCAT Plus. MS-024
World War II Personal Narratives. Copies of correspondence letters between Jong Kuet Tsze and Warren Smith. 1936-1946. MS-164pp. VFM-166
World War II ration books and application. Book one issued to David Edgar Hawthorne - 25 June 1942; Books 1 – 3 issued to Floyd Young Hawthorne – 25 June 1942; Application for ration book no. 3. D-21pp. VFM-339
World War II souvenir booklets. The Germans Flight (Heim Ins Reich – De Reckzuch vun de Preisen) and The Americans in Luxembourg (D’Amerikaner sin zu Letzeburg). MS-36pp. VFM-340
"Yank: The Army Weekly." Magazine written for and by the men in Service during World War II. September 10, 1943 Issue. Includes photocopies of the magazine. VFM-275
Yarnell, Clyde and Glenn. Clyde was a Sergeant in the 493rd, QM Depot, and Glenn was a private in Company B, 186th Engineer Combat Battalion. Clyde's letters to his mother, Orpha, (31 Mar. 1943 - 13 Jan. 1945) originate from New Orleans and New Calendonia in the South Pacific. His letters tell about a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt and Bob Hope. Some of Clyde's mail was censored. Glenn's letters to his mother (13 Mar. 1944 - 20 Dec. 1944) originate from Camp Forest, Tennessee, Fort Jackson, South Carolina and New Guinea in the South Pacific. Other letters in the collection are from Orpha's nephew, Clarence Ritenour, 17 July 1944 and 10 August 1944; three letters from Paul E. Gettemy, Orpha's sweetheart, 5 November 1943, 13 June 1944 and 21 June 1944. Also included in the collection are photographs, two postcards from Clyde to his mother giving his APO address, a card accompanying flowers sent by Clyde to his mother for Mother's Day, and a list of benefits should a soldier go overseas. 3 boxes. MS-089
Yingling, Jacob M., Class of 1952. See sub-series entitled "Hans Degelow, friend" for materials about German soldiers during the Second World War (located in series nine, "Personal"). MS-049
Researchers of World War II might want to consult the following Subject Files:
Keep in mind that these are a few suggestions, but not an exhaustive list. Consult an archivist for assistance or additional suggestions.