Archival Collections

This collection consists of an oral history interview transcript of a U.S. Army Air Corps cook and baker, who served in England during World War II in the 2003rd Ordnance Unit at Melchbourne Park. This collection also contains a unit history.

Technician Fourth Grade Donald N. Duvick's oral history transcript describes his experiences as a company clerk with the 1265th Engineer Combat Battalion, Company B, of the United States Army. His experiences in Germany as a non-combatant illustrate other roles soldiers were assigned during World War II.

Donald Nelson served in the 59th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 6th Armored Division and the 36th Field Artillery in the European (ETO), North African, and Mediterranean Theaters. Nelson was a technician, 5th grade (medic). The collection includes a memoir of his experience covering the period January 27,1942 to October 30, 1945.

The Raymond Wayne Davis papers are largely centered around letters Davis wrote to his sister Mildred Kingston Renwick throughout World War II. During the war, Sergeant Davis served as a machinist in the Strategic 3rd Air Depot of the Army Air Force as well as serving in the infantry as a part of the Third Army, 90th Division, 358th Infantry, Company C. Davis served in England, France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. His papers also include postwar division newsletters, an oral history interview, a veteran's questionnaire, discharge certificate, and photographs.

This collection relates to Robert B. Barnick who served in the European Theater of Operations as part of the Italian campaign with the 10th Mountain Division, 604th Field Artillery. This collection includes a manuscript titled "In My Right Mind," newspaper clippings relating to his service, and photographs.

The Sonia Visser collection contains one folder with a 24-page typed transcript of an oral history interview. Sonia Visser served in the Women's Army Corps from 1943 to 1945. She experienced public discrimination as a WAC in rural American towns. She served overseas in the Pacific in base port command at Hollandia, New Guinea. While in New Guinea, she experienced attempted sexual assault on two occasions and witnessed the prevalent threat of sexual assault against other women soldiers. She went home and discharged in October 1945, and later married a soldier who had proposed to her on the ship going to New Guinea.