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Arthur H. Jaffe was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania and graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.A. degree in Classical Studies. Arthur Jaffe has had several distinguished careers. From 1942-1946 he served in World War II as an Army captain in charge of a military intelligence unit. Following WWII, Mr. Jaffe went to Palestine, where he studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. While there he began working as a Haganah officer, gathering information which was helpful in the formation of the new state of Israel. Mr. Jaffe then had a successful 30-year career as a partner in the family owned business, the House of Jaffe, a chain of department stores in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. After the death of his first wife, Lois, Jaffe moved to Pittsburgh where he began a new career as Director of Planning and Development for the Carnegie Institute. He soon became involved in fund-raising in the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, where his success brought him to the attention of the Jewish Community Foundation of South Palm Beach County. In 1984, he and second wife Mata moved to Boca Raton where Arthur served as Founding Director of the Jewish Community Foundation of South Palm Beach County.

This collection consists of an oral history transcript of an interview with 2nd Lt. James J. Crooke, who served in World War II. Crooke served in the Army Air Corps with the 303rd Bomb Group in the European Theater (ETO).

The collection of First Lieutenant James Feerick contains an oral history transcript of an interview provided by the Reichelt Program for Oral History. Feerick served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as part of the 8th Bomber Command, 1st Bombardment Wing, 91st Bombardment Group in the European theater. He was based in London at Bassingbourne.