Archival Collections

This collection consists of photographs, personal papers and personal memorabilia belonging to Carl Fessel, a member of the United States Army Air Force who served in the 570th Squadron of the 390th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force in Europe from February of 1944 to April of 1945. Papers include a certificate of honorable discharge issued by the U.S. Army, while photographs include a picture of Fessel in uniform for a bombing mission and a contemporary map of Europe highlighting the prison camp at which Fessel was held as a prisoner of war. Personal memorabilia include membership cards titled "Life Membership: American Ex-Prisoners of War."

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.

Charlotte Mansfield enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (W.A.A.C.) in 1942 to pursue work in photograph processing for the military. She was part of the first all-women graduating class from Lowry Field Photo School in Colorado, where she was trained to be a photo technician that developed primarily aerial shots in photography labs. Mansfield was stationed at various locations throughout the United States before being transferred to lab work overseas in England and Germany. By this time, W.A.A.C. had transitioned to Women's Army Corps (W.A.C.). Throughout her military service, Mansfield took numerous personal photographs that featured her friends and surroundings. They provide an unparalleled amount of insight into the private lives of W.A.C.s as they negotiated what it meant to serve in World War II. Mansfield reenlisted after the war, eventually becoming part of the Women in the Air Force (W.A.F.), and retired in 1973. Photography remained her passion until her death in 2007.

The collection of Clarke M. Brandt contains an oral history transcript and various publications about army life during World War II. In it are examples such as George (Bob) Caron who was a tail gunner on the "Enola Gay" B-29 Bomber. The oral history includes Caron's eyewitness account of the bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Also included are pamphlets and newsletters including "War Buddies," which covers the relationship between a soldier and his canine companion through his years as a member of the US Marine Corps. "War Buddies" is written by Earle Welch and Dick Roberts.

This collection relates to Lieutenant David E. Bail Jr. who serves as a bombardier with the 335th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group in England during World War II. He attended University of Florida and enlisted in Spring of 1942. He flew two missions over France before he was shot down over Hanover, Germany on July 26, 1943 and killed in action. This collection contains seven folders includes Bail's personal letters to his family from December, 1941 up to his death, letters from the War Department to Bail's family first declaring him MIA, then later confirming him KIA, two photographs of Bail and his crew, and a letter from his sister to Bail's parents recounting her interview with Bail's one-time tail-gunner.

Sergeant Harold Glen Blunk served as Sergeant Major for the 5th Air Depot Group, 39th Station Composite Squadron, Administrative Division, 35th Depot Repair, in the 8th Air Force Command Station in England from 1943-1945. This collection contains photographs, a newspaper clipping, and documents relating to his personal life and military career.

This collection contains letters, photograph albums, postcards, documents, and ephemera which record the military service and family homefront life during World War II of Eddie Houston Thomason who served as a physician in U.S. Army Air Corps Medical Service.

This collection relates to Frank Louis Lash who served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 587th squadron, 394th Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force. The collection consists of a navigational watch and a brief manuscript detailing how the watch was acquired.

This collection includes photographs and documents pertaining to aerial operations over Europe during World War II. Lt. Herman Simler flew over 30 bombing missions over Europe during his service. The squadrons specified in this collection are the 8th Army Air Force, the 15th Army Air Force, and the 716th-719th bomber squadrons.

The collection includes his letters home to Nina Cox, his fiancée, and hers to him, before, during his imprisonment, and afterwards. Also, there are a few letters to his family while he was a POW and letters and cards from friends. The collection also includes a transcript of a self-interview done in 2001. The collection also includes from Fink's time as a POW: a knife, fork, spoon, POW dog tag, and a hand made Christmas menu. The collection also includes a laminated letter to his father in 1943, when it was believed he was KIA, before they knew he had been taken prisoner. Plus, there are two long letters and a smaller one, deliberately torn into pieces as a puzzle. With the envelope, on the flap is "Surprise! Don't read any further unless you have some spare time and a flat surface. Your Big Tease." This is from Nina Cox, to her fiancé and later husband, Loren, postmarked 19 May 1943. And, there are two long letters: one is a 82"-long letter written by Cox to Fink, March 1943. The other, 54", is also from Cox: "To a Swell Fellow in the Air Corps! Bet this is the Longest Letter You Ever Get" printed on front of envelope, postmarked 21 December 1942. Also, there are government documents, a few photos, issues of "Ex-POW Bulletin" (1995-1997), a copy of an article from "The Man's Magazine" on the mission of the 8th Air Force on the ball-bearing factories in Schweinfurt, Germany, and a 2000 calendar from American ExPOWs. Artifacts include his POW badge, foreign currency, and Nazi memorabilia that Fink picked up when his POW camp was liberated.