Ralph J. Valente collection, 1942-1945, Date accessioned: 2019-01-10
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Valente, Ralph J., 1921-1944
- Extent:
- 1 Linear Feet 2 half boxes
- 2 items
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Ralph J. Valente collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_19_0001
Background
- Scope and content:
This collection relates to Ralph J. Valente, who served as a Private in Company A, 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division, in the U.S. Army during the Second World War. Valente served in France, where he was severly wounded in action during an engagement in Phlin, France on November 9, 1944. He died from his wounds fifteen days later on November 24. The collection contains correspondence between Valente and his family and relatives, as well as typed and written documents pertaining to the retrieval and reinternment of Valente's remains, cased engraved Purple Heart Medal, and photographs from before Valente's enlistment and from Valente's training.
- Biographical / historical:
Ralph J. Valente was born on August 3, 1921 in New York, New York, originally staying in an apartment in Brooklyn. His parents Ciro and Mary were Italian immigrants from the early 1900s, his father being a music professor and maestro while his mother worked as a finisher in a factory and was a member of the International Ladies' Garments Workers' Union. He had five siblings, however the first sibling died as an infant. His sisters Rosalie, otherwise known as Sally, and Carmela, also known as Lilly, both worked on Wall Street. His younger sister, Gina, was a musical prodigy, who started a prestigious musical career at the age of eight. Ralph was also a musician, having experience in playing the accordion and being the leader of his own musical trio. The family later moved to an apartment in Carnegie Hall.
- Acquisition information:
- Collection donated from Great Nephew.
- Custodial history:
Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.
- Physical facet:
- U.S. Army Enlisted Dress Uniform Jacket and flag box
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
This collection is open to all researchers.
This collection is in an offsite storage location. Please contact lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu with requests for access or for more information.
- Terms of access:
All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Ralph J. Valente collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_19_0001
- Location of this collection:
-
116 Honors WayTallahasseeFL32306-2047USA
