Minnesota World War II Collections

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Correspondence between Augusta Bjeldanes and her former students serving in World War II and related materials, including v-mail, a copy of official document concerning the Army’s efforts to raise money for the relief effort, photos, and publicity materials on Ralph Magelssen.

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Correspondence, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and realia from Charlotte Griffin Weld’s local volunteer roles.

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The collection details and documents Harrington's donation of a mobile canteen for the British Military via the English-Speaking Union. Includes correspondence and newspaper clippings on the American Red Cross, Hennepin County Chapter.

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The collection consists of five scrapbooks detailing Cliff Nyberg's experience with the U.S. Army 11th Field Hospital during World War II. The scrapbooks include photographs, documents, insignia, newspaper clippings, and assorted records.

Description of Contents Correspondence, memoir, compiled documents, photo album scrapbooks, and paper weight made from defused artillery shell documenting the experiences of two members of Amy Rea's family in World War II. Crippen's materials include a memoir he wrote, originals and photocopies of documents charting his service in the U.S. Navy, extensive photograph albums and the paperweight he created from defused Japanese artillery shell detonators on Guadalcanal. Crippen’s photos include his training in the...

Description of Contents This collection consists of a scrapbook compiled by Jack Kotthoff during his European service in World War II and documents from the Battery C 217th and Battery B 49th veterans' organization from the late 1940s to the early 2000s. The scrapbook contains black and white photographs and other mementos of Kotthoff's service in Iceland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, and the Rhineland. Documents from the veterans' organization are chiefly annual reunion minutes and mailing...

Description of Contents The collection contains World War II correspondence and photographs organized chronologically. It documents a US soldier's life during World War II, beginning as an enlistee in the US Army in March 1942 and ending with his return home and release from duty in October 1945. Included are letters to his wife and parents detailing his everyday life and concerns while being acutely aware of the need to censor his letters for privacy and national security concerns. Also included are personal...

Description of Contents Correspondence, newspaper clippings, and Army documents from Jean Kennedy's World War II service with the Women's Army Corps (WAC) from 1944 to 1946. The bulk of the collection contains letters written by Kennedy to her father, aunt, and other family members in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Letters were sent from Des Moines, Iowa; Clovis, New Mexico; Calcutta, India; and Chungking and Shanghai, China.Family members copied some letters to share with each other. These copies are...

Description of Contents Correspondence, cards, photos, newspaper clippings, paper money from Buchenwald, newspapers (war publication of the Star Journal), notice of award of bronze star medal, (April 13, 1945) and school autograph book. Feb 23, 1942 “I just had a little discussion with one of the fellows I’m sure what he thinks of me. I told him that I wasn’t mad at either the Japs or Germans but rather at the big shots of this...

Description of Contents The Lord Family World War II Correspondence collection contains letters and cards sent between Staff Sergeant Harry Holmes Lord, Jr. of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and his family in Minneapolis. The letters cover the time span from when Staff Sergeant Lord entered boot camp in May 1943 to when he completed his service in January 1946. The collection contains two series. Letters Home from Harry Holmes Lord, Jr.: Letters Home...

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The collection includes World War II-era correspondence, yacht logs, and biographical material on the Lyman family.

Description of Contents The collection consists of photographs belonging to Frank Pomeroy's grandmother, Jessamine McMillan, and her siblings (Corrine Frances McMillan and Howard McMillan), as well as a small folder of World War II correspondence. The bulk of the images are studio prints of East High School students or unidentified individuals. A photo album showing rural farm life, likely from Howard McMillan's Long Lake farm, Orchard Hill, is included. One folder contains photos taken by Donald Pomeroy, Jr....

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Newspaper clippings and postcards sent by First Lieutenant Melvin Roy Swensen to his family in Minneapolis. Swensen was a Japanese prisoner of war from 1942 to 1945. The postcards are forms issued by the Imperial Japanese Army with short messages from Swensen.

Description of Contents This collection consists of letters written to Minneapolis Public Library staff during World War II from 1942 to 1945. The authors are chiefly former library employees, both men and women, who were in active military service. The Reference Department Correspondence series forms the bulk of the collection, with most letters addressed to department heads Genevieve MacDonald and Elizabeth Bond. The Margaret Fletcher Correspondence ...

Description of Contents The collection consists of loose-leaf diaries written by Peter Kosmas between 1936 and 1943 while he was a student at Washburn High School and the University of Minnesota. The bulk of the diary entries are handwritten and focus on Kosmas' academic, social, and family life. In addition to Kosmas' reflections, the entries occasionally include newspaper clippings, photographs (1940 and 1941), and ephemera, including a 1941 Washburn High School commencement program.While some years...

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Collection includes photographs, official notices, clippings (concerning establishment of the Women's Reserve Corps, dress, and special events); publications, and miscellaneous ephemera. Box 1 includes clippings, photos, and ephemera. Box 2 is a scrapbook covering 1943-1947. Box 3 is a service scrapbook album, U.S. Marines, 1943-1940s.

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The collection consists of one photo album featuring the U.S.S. Minneapolis on its leather cover. The book contains an autograph page and family photos by an unknown owner. The photos were chiefly taken in Hawaii in 1941. Several images include family members on the S.S. Lurline. It is not clear if anyone pictured served on the U.S.S. Minneapolis.

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Black and white photographs taken by Violet Glyer during her World War II service with the University of Minnesota’s 26th General Hospital Unit from 1942 to 1945. Her meticulous identification of people in the photos and the location, make her photographs especially useful. She photographed fellow medical personnel, friends, the communities and local people where she was stationed.

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The collection contains materials pertaining to William Leland Jensen’s career with the War Production Board (WPB) from the Minnesota, North and South Dakota region. Includes good documentation of the process of Jensen being hired on with the War Production Board, organizational charts, reports, publications, photographs, and clippings pertaining to the WPB during the years 1942-1947.