John W. Beal papers, 1943-1945.

ArchivalResource

Beal, John W. John W. Beal papers, 1943-1945.

John W. Beal papers, 1943-1945.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30485711

Letters, 1 April 1943-15 October 1945, chiefly from John W. Beal with the 81st Engineers, 106 Infantry Division, to his mother, Cordia Beal, in East Saint Louis, Ill. From April through August 1943, John wrote from Fort Jackson, S.C., where he was undergoing basic training; from September to December 1943, he wrote from Camp Pickett, Va., where he received further training. Most letters from these camps discuss basic training and camp life in general, activities of friends and family members, and letters and packages John received. Some letters deal with John's desire to transfer from the engineers, who were primarily involved in building bridges and roads, to the air corps, where he thought the work would be more interesting. From February 1944 through April 1945, John wrote from "somewhere in New Guinea" and, from May to September 1945, from "somewhere in the Philippines." In both locations, John was involved in road building. While John wrote little about his impressions of New Guinea, after his arrival in the Philippines, his letters include descriptions of his activities and a bit about his interaction with the local population. The last letter, dated 15 October 1945, left John waiting to hear whether he would be sent home or to Japan.

About 100 items.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill