Archival Collections

Douglas Leach served as a U.S. Navy officer during World War II on the U.S.S Elden in the Pacific Theater. His letters of correspondence to family and friends are about his daily life, on the ship and off. His family's letters hold information on how rationing and censorship affected the American family unit during WWII. There are photographs included of Leach's niece and sister.

This collection relates to Lieutenant Commander Ivan E. Johnson, Jr. who served with U.S. Naval Intelligence in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  The collection includes Johnson's U.S. Navy officer's winter jacket and three Special Service Division Army Service Army Service Forces Newsmap large format maps.

This collection relates to George R. Cain and his service as a communications officer in the 23rd Fighter Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, in China during World War II. The collection includes a variety of memorabilia, which spans from the beginning of George H. Cain's service in 1940 until his death in 2000. A few sources in the collection provide an overview of military service on the island of Hawaii. Others document his post-service work with his local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post.

This collection relates to Gretchen Marie F. and Leslie J. Vreeland who were civilian defense workers living in Hawaii from April 1944-July 1946 at Barber's Point Naval Air Station in Oahu. The collection includes documents, ephemera, artifacts, photographs, newspapers, and maps that document the Vreeland's time in Hawaii.

This collection contains two oral histories; one with Dr. Philip Gilman, Jr. and one with James Izumizaki. It also includes the reprint of a letter by Pvt. Lavern Borg, Jr. written on April 2, 1945. The letter tells about his experiences with the 5th Marine Division of the U.S. Marine Corp in the battle of Iwo Jima. The next document includes a service record and medallist dated June 1967, January 1969, and August 1973. A pamphlet collected by the Pajaro Valley Arts Council, California entitled Nihen Bunka Japanese Culture: One hundred years in Pajaro Valley is also in the collection.

This collection relates to Linville E. Evans who served in the U.S. Navy as a Chief Boatswain's Mate on the U.S.S. San Juan (CL-54) Atlanta-class light cruiser in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The collection includes photographs, documents, a newspaper clipping about the San Juan, a ship's newsletter, and two histories of the vessel.

This collection relates to U.S. Navy Signalman 1st Class Phillip King Zimmerman who served aboard the U.S.S. Boston as a part of the first crew and the U.S.S. Baltimore heavy cruisers during World War II in the Pacific Theater. This collection includes two logbooks that Phillip Zimmerman maintained during his tour aboard the Boston , information relating to Zimmerman's oral history, photographs from service, two of his hats, and ephemera.

The bulk of this collection consists of letters written by John Rawls during his time in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II in Brazil. He achieved the rank of Major. These letters, primarily to his mother, give details on his time in training and daily life while stationed in Brazil. He tells stories of friends, the tedium of his work, and mentions the various girls he sees throughout the war. Also included is a photograph album consisting of photographs taken by Rawls while in the service.

This oral history transcript relates to Stewart Abbott Fraser who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. Fraser served aboard the USS Missouri. Fraser was also present during the formal Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945

This collection relates to Thomas H. Gilliam who served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II as a radar operator and was present during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. This collection contains photocopies of black and white photographs taken during the war, a memoir of his experience written by David G. Verdier, and documents related to radar and the Pearl Harbor attack.