Papers and photographs, 1941-1946.

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Papers and photographs, 1941-1946.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/63516553

Papers and photographs of Ralph J. Starling, who served with the graves registration unit of the 32nd Division in Australia and New Guinea during World War II. Collection includes many V-mails that his wife Jeanne sent to him during his service. These missives described her activities at home, the weather, the development of their son James, and her love for Ralph. They expressed concern whenever several days went by without a letter from Starling. Also found are several letters that Starling wrote to his parents during his service. These letters acknowledged that censors prevented him from describing much and focused on his day-to-day activities. One letter (September 1942) informed his parents that he has been transferred to the graves registration section of his unit which was fitting since his father was a mortician. Other materials include an unidentified diary that is not Starlings, but was written by someone serving in the South Pacific. There are numerous typed sheets of humorous stories, poems, and jokes; many have a military theme and are of a prurient or sexual nature. One, written as if a military training memorandum, addresses the position of soldiers while urinating and military courtesy in the latrine. Personal military papers include draft notifications and his discharge paper. Also included are certificates and military ephemera such as a New Year's Eve menu (1941) from Camp Livington (Louisiana) and souvenirs acquired by Starling during his travels. A small photograph of Starling's infant son James that his wife sent to him around 1944 is included in the collection. Negatives from photographs taken during Starling's service are also in this collection. They are unidentified, but include shots of military funerals, presumably in the South Pacific, and individuals and groups in uniform.

Papers 0.4 In. ft. (1 archives box and 1 oversized folder) and.Photographs 0.1 In. ft. (1 folder and 49 envelopes)

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7886655

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center

Related Entities

There are 6 Entities related to this resource.

Starling, Ralph J., 1918-2002.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63531x4 (person)

Starling, James, 1930-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60g81p2 (person)

United States. Army. American Graves Registration Service

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69949db (corporateBody)

United States. Army

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6km312r (corporateBody)

The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States Armed Forces and performs land-based military operations. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States and is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 and United States Code, Title 10, Subtitle B, Chapter 301, Section 3001. As the largest and senior branch of the U.S. military, the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army, which wa...

Starling, Jeanne.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66x3t02 (person)

United States. Army. Division, 32nd

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6zp7wg3 (corporateBody)

H Company of old 31st became 126th Infantry, 32d Division. From the description of U.S. Army 32nd Division records, 1932-1937 (Detroit Public Library). WorldCat record id: 489664994 The 32nd Division was composed from Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard. It arrived in France in February 1918 and was the sixth Division to join the American Expeditionary Forces. It fought in France and Germany and was demobilized in May 1919. From the description of 32nd Infantry...