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The materials in this collection document the experiences of Helen Toles Buffington, a young woman growing up during World War II, as well as the experiences of Herman Buffington, who served with the 96th Infantry Division as a combat soldier who fought in the Battle of Okinawa.

Herman "Pat" Herst (1909 – 1999) is most widely recognized for his exceptional contributions to philately. He was a prolific writer of philatelic literature and won every important award in the field, including the American Philatelic Society's Luff award. A third generation Mason, Herst was born and educated in Portland, Oregon, but spent most his life in New York and a member of the Masonic Stamp Club. Herst first championed the popular trend of topical collecting, specializing in specific stamp themes. After his death, his wife Ida donated his collections of Masonic, Philatelic, and Holocaust related material. This unique collection includes rare stamped and cancelled letters from inmates in Concentration Camps and ghetto currency. Also included in the collection are historical documents related to Freemasonry and photocopies of rare materials from and about the Ruhleben German Prisoner of War Camp from 1914 – 1918.

This collection pertains to Herman C. Giles (Combat Infantry Rifleman with the 103rd Infantry Division), who served in the European Theater. He served as a corpsman with a medical detachment to the 66th Infantry Division according to his typed "Background" statement. His discharge papers note that he was a rifleman in Company G, 411th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Infantry Division, serving in the European Theater, 1943-1945. Giles was stationed at Camp Blanding in 1943, Columbus, GA, for Air Corps training in 1943, and then Texas for infantry training. This collection contains a number of letters on Camp Blanding stationery. He describes Camp Blanding as "a mile and a half in the middle of hell" in a letter dated 3/5/1943. A letter dated 4/11/43 includes a diagram and floor plan of Camp Blanding itself. He then transferred with his unit to France and saw combat in the Vosges Mountains with the 103rd Infantry Division. This collection contains 208 letters, 15 V-mails, 11 telegrams, and one postcard to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Giles of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Herman Giles was born in Nashville, Tennessee). There are also eight photographs in the collection (one in color and seven in black and white) of his family, the 103rd Infantry Division, the U.S. Mainland and the European Theater, and photographs of him in London, England, Dallas, Texas, Stark, Florida, Nashville, Tennessee, and Dillingen, Germany. It also contains letters from Giles to his parents and scrapbook items. The collection also contains an oral history transcript of an interview provided by the Reichelt Program for Oral History. The collection also includes a 14-page manuscript entitled "History, Background, and Synopsis of Military Career."

Collection of letters, telegraphs, and family photographs exchanged between 1st Lieutenant  Herman G. Ramsey and his family in Columbus, Ohio. Twenty-four letters lead up to Ramsey's death in 1944 while being transported on a Japanese POW ship en route to mainland Japan. Also included is a letter from Dick Clark, a fellow POW who survived the war, offering his condolences to Herman's family. The collection also contains an album of family photographs along with condolence letters from General Douglas MacArthur and Army Major General James L. Collins.

This collection relates to Master Sergeant Herman J. Daum who served with the 673rd Engineer Topographic Company and was attached to General George S. Patton's 3rd Army. The collection contains personal papers associated with Master Sergeant Daum's service in the United States Army during World War II including his promotion certificate, Bronze Star Citation, his wife's Certificate of Citizenship, and photographs of his time in training at Camp Campbell, KY. The collection also contains a wedding photograph and a portrait style photograph of his wife's brother in his Naval uniform. Additionally, this collection contains Master Sergeant Daum's rank insignia, his Bronze Star, and the Bronze Star box.

This collection includes photographs and documents pertaining to aerial operations over Europe during World War II. Lt. Herman Simler flew over 30 bombing missions over Europe during his service. The squadrons specified in this collection are the 8th Army Air Force, the 15th Army Air Force, and the 716th-719th bomber squadrons.

The items in this collection include photographs from Dr. Herman Kurz botany field research. There are also photographs from the Florida State College for Women Faculty-Senior Baseball Game in the early 1920s.

The Herman Kurz Collection contains photocopies of several news clippings from Kurz's scrapbooks and an original and photocopy of the autobiographical sketch he delivered at the Tallahassee Kiwanis Club. These materials are significant in documenting the work of one of the foremost authorities on Florida plant life.