Collections

The collection of the 460th Heavy Bombardment Group Society contains a unit history of this B-24 U.S. Army Air Corps Group, 55th Wing, 760th, 761st, 762nd, 763rd Squadrons and Group Headquarters, which served in the Italian Campaign. This collection primarily focuses on the memory of the war and those who served in the 460th. Included is a listing of the airmen who were held as prisoners of war, including their squadrons, positions on the plane (e.g. pilot, gunner), the date, mission, and what country or stalag in which they were held. Also included is a booklet, "Remembering the 460th Bomb Group (H)," which contains photographs, personnel lists, and maps, and was prepared as a gift from Duane and Betty Bohnstedt to their members. There are mission lists, target details, flight records, and crew searches. The collection includes issues of the society's veterans' association magazine, "Black Panther" from mid-1990 to their final issue, December 2005.

This collection relates to the 97th Bombardment Group which was based in England, Africa and Italy during World War II and the first operational bomb group in England in 1942. The collection contains documents (mostly photocopies) on missions, statements and statistics, three diaries, and newspaper articles. Their daily operations reports, narrative reports, and casualty reports detail their accomplishments and their losses. Included are a collection of videos, audio tapes, and microfilm. Included are copies of three personal diaries by Alex Blair, Jr., LeRoy Teschendorf, and Herman F. Lykins.

This collection relates to Abraham Lifschitz, a Polish native, who served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945 with the 100th Infantry Division in the European Theater. This collection contains military service records, wartime publications, religious items, and brief correspondence with his niece, Roberta, who donated this collection. Additionally, this collection contains a veteran hat and handkerchief from an unknown relative who served in World War I, as well as Lifschitz's unit patch, cigarette case, marksmanship badge, bracelet of French francs, dog-tags, and a banner commemorating his unit's history.

This collection relates to Angie Croy and her father, Aviation Machinist's Mate Felder Lang Howell, who was killed in a car accident while on duty at Corry Field in Pensacola, Florida. The collection consists of two scrapbooks from World War II, one belonging to Angie Croy, the other assembled by her mother. The scrapbooks include photographs, greeting cards, newspapers, and magazine clippings. The collection also includes letters, telegrams, certificates, and military documents all pertaining to Howell and his family. Artifacts include jewelry, a gold star flag, a floral arrangement ribbon, and a medal awarded posthumously.

This collection consists of the business records from the Apalachicola Tent and Awning Company once located in Apalachicola, Florida. The company manufactured pyramidal tents under contract from the United States Army from early 1941 to at least October 1942. The records are unclear as to when the company ceased operations.

This collection includes letters written to Arnold Busch, a basketball coach for Calvary Methodist Church in Lakewood, Ohio, by the students he previously coached. Whether drafted or enlisted, many of the men kept up a correspondence with Busch throughout the war years. This collection also includes Calvary Church newsletters and pamphlets, pamphlets regarding persons registered for service, ration books and other rationing documents, and letters returned to Busch because their recipients were MIA, deceased, or relocated. Also included are photographs of Calvary Church activities on the Homefront, the basketball team, and the Calvary Church's V-J Day service as well as a copy of an article in which the photograph was featured.

This family collection relates to Technician 4th Grade Sergeants Claude B. Shook, 207th Field Artillery Battalion, and Arthur B. Benson, 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion,  who were brother in laws and both served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the European Theater. Arthur B. Benson was killed in action on August 14, 1944. The collection contains letters, photograph negatives, a unit newsletter, ephemera, and diary.

The collection of Arthur W. Card contains an oral history transcript of an interview conducted by or for the Institute on World War II. He discusses bringing US troops to and from Europe, as well as returning German POWs to Germany at the end of the war. He also discusses his work in the engine room (where he felt proud to be "more important" to the soldiers on the ship because they relied on his work to keep them safe) and his time ashore in Naples, Italy.

This collection relates to Audrey Kempfert Gordon who served as a U.S. Government homefront worker in Florida during World War II. The collection contains one letter written by Gordon to her former employer that provides details of her experiences in Jacksonville, FL during the war and two letters written by the former employee's wife to Gordon.

Badia Family WWII Letters Collection contains over 500 letters and associated ephemera relating to correspondence between Danny Badia and Leona De Nardo between the years 1941 and 1947. Primarily relating to WWII, these letters offer a glimpse into civilian and military life in the United States during the war years. Danny Badia born Dante Alighieri Badia (1922-2006) to Angelo and Laurina Badia of Ohio. In 1917, Danny's parents immigrated from Italy to the US and started a family. The letters are primarily from Danny's family, future wife and sweetheart Leona De Nardo (née Buccilli). They were married in 1944 and were together for 62 years when Danny passed away in 2006.