Paper and photographs, 1942-2003, (bulk 1943-1945).

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Paper and photographs, 1942-2003, (bulk 1943-1945).

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/76709603

Papers and photographs of Thomas F. Diener, a Milwaukee native who served in the 2129th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation) during World War II. Materials include scattered letters written by Diener to his girlfriend (and later wife) Betty Gene Dealy during his stateside training and service in England. These letters described his initial basic training in the Army Air Force, "washing out" of pilot training, and going overseas where he joined the fire fighting platoon stationed at the 8th Air Force base in England. The letters also discuss at length Diener's love for Dealy and his loneliness. One letter from Betty Gene to Diener describes her elation about V-J Day and the celebration of the Japanese surrender in Milwaukee. The collection also contains Thomas and Betty Gene's reminiscences (ca. 2003) of the World War II era and how it affected them. It does provide some details about his service but is largely about the emotional impact of the war. Other materials in the collection consist of Diener's military papers such as identification cards, passes, and a separation record. The oversized folder contains a newspaper with photographs of an "end of the war" celebration in Milwaukee in August 1945. Photographs include several shots of Diener in uniform by himself and with fellow soldiers, presumably taken while he served in England. The oversized folder contains loose pages from a photo album holding pictures of Diener and Betty Gene before he left for service and a trip she made to visit him at a training camp. There is also a photograph of a woman identified on the back as Ruth Brunhart, "First female Marine from Wis, WWII." Her connection to Diener is unknown.

Papers : 0.2 linear ft. (1 archives box and 1 oversized folder) and.Photographs : (4 folders and 1 oversized folder)

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 8172005

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center

Related Entities

There are 8 Entities related to this resource.

United States. Army Air Forces

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wb616q (person)

The Army Air Forces War Adjustment Course was established in 1944 at several locations in the U.S., one of which was Harvard Business School. The HBS program involved eight weeks of training in the business of contract terminations, cutbacks, and property disposal necessitated by changes in Army Air Forces tactical requirements. Approximately 4,200 officers received instruction throughout the country, about one sixth of them at HBS. The goal of the program was to train men for participation in t...

United States. Army. Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation), 2129th.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x68ptb (corporateBody)

Diener, Betty Gene.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69w1m63 (person)

Dealy, Betty Gene.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xk9kdw (person)

United States. Marine Corps

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The U.S. Marine Corps was established on November 10, 1775. From the description of Papers, 1933-1945. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 754107146 The history of the Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers dates from 1942-1945. In 1942, a white man by the name of Phillip Johnston, who had lived on a Navajo reservation for many years of his life, conceived an idea that he thought might help the war. He believed that the Navajo language, a verbal, rarely-written language, coul...

Brunhart, Ruth.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61n95r1 (person)

Diener, Thomas F., 1924-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cz4c0z (person)

Diener (1924-2009) was born in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) and graduated from North Division High School in 1943. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served on the ground crew at Luton Air Base (England) with the 8th Air Force, 2129 Engineering Battalion. After V-E Day, Diener was stationed at Wiesbaden Air Base and later in Berlin until his discharge in 1946. Following the war, he attended UW Extension in Milwaukee for two years and, in 1948, married his high school sweethe...

United States. Army Air Forces. Air Force, 8th

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6837wn8 (corporateBody)