Collections

The 17th-20th Century Correspondence and Documents consists of letters, documents, and various forms of correspondence relating to notable names and celebrities from between 1618 and 1981.

This collection relates to the 484th Bombardment Group (Heavy) that was assigned to the 15th Air Force and based in Torretta, Italy as a component of the Foggia Airfield Complex during World War II and assigned B-24 Liberator heavy bombers.  The materials contained in this collection were subsequently assembled during the post-war period by the 484th Bombardment Group Association.  The collection contains official reports, data sheets, statistics, newspapers, Missing Air Crew Reports, personal histories, photographs, and unit histories.

This oral history interview transcript relates to Abraham Zuckerman who was a concentration camp survivor from Krakow, Poland during World War II and worked as a slave laborer for Oskar Schindler.

This collection consists of the papers of United States Navy Admiral Richard H. Leigh. They include a 17-volume holograph diary, dating 1917-1944, containing official orders, holograph and typed letters, newspaper clippings, printed programs, maps, pictures, and other related items. Also included is a four volume set of personal papers, and a book which Leigh entitled, Whereas, which consists of newspaper clippings, family pictures, programs, doctor bills, and other materials. Many of these documents relate to the history and development of the United States Navy, World War I, and events leading to the conflict with Japan and World War II.

Adolph Joseph Westheimer served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater. The collection includes personal letters, government documents pertaining to his service, some postcards, tickets, papers with Japanese scripts, and Japanese artifacts. It also includes the oral history transcript of the Westheimer interview and manuscripts giving detailed descriptions and information on living conditions of Air Force members during the war in Japan. In addition, it includes the certificates of his physical conditions.

This collection relates to Alan and Rita Wold. Alan served as a Staff Sergeant with Company F, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division in the European Theater during World War II. He received the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and Silver Star Medal. Rita Wold attended high school in Cleveland, Ohio during the war. The collection contains photographs, military documents, personal documents, marriage papers, and medals.

This collection relates to Albert and Grace Swank. This collection contains photographs of Miami celebrity mansions and postcards of Miami Beach, aerial photographs of Miami, Lincoln Road, the Flamingo Hotel, and Ocean Drive. These materials were collected during their honeymoon in Miami, Florida.

This collection includes the correspondence between Albert and Laura Fuhrman with gaps from 1939 through 1947. Albert graduated the U.S. Naval Academy in 1937 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II on submarines. The collection is especially rich in documenting the American home front during World War II, courtship practices, consumerism, personal finances, public education in southern California, child-rearing, and naval culture in the submarine service. Much of the correspondence in the collection centers of Laura's life in southern California and Albert's deployment in both Atlantic and Pacific with submarine service of the U.S. Navy.

The Allen Morris Papers consist of personal and professional records and research materials accumulated by Mr. Morris over a period of about forty-one years. The papers consist of correspondence; biographical sketches of Florida officials and other famous Floridians; photographs, programs, and other materials related to the Allen Morris Legislative Awards; historical data concerning place names, historical houses, rivers and river boats.

This collection relates to Alvin H. Brown who served as a B-17 pilot assigned to the 8th Air Force, 95th Bomber Group flying missions over France and Germany from England ending in the summer of 1945. The collection includes an audio tape recording interview and accompanying transcript.