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Start Over Date range 1943 Subjects World War, 1939-1945—Personal narratives

Diary, 1943/1944

James B. Moss Jr.'s first diary entry begins on page 13 and is dated September 13, 1943, the day his unit departed for overseas duty, and the last is D-Day, June 6, 1944. During the bulk of this period his unit was in Italy at Anzio Beachhead and vicinity. Moss describes action at Anzio, German air attacks, unit casualties, and other events relating to the military campaign.

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives
  2. James B. Moss, Jr. World War II diary, 1943/1944

Diary transcription, 1941/1945

This diary transcription [typescript, photocopy] is titled "My Military Service, 11 August 1941 to 1 November 1945." It is a detailed account of Norborne P. Gatling, Jr.'s life in the United States Army, including information about:

  • Stateside training
  • Traveling by convoy to England
  • Preparation for the Normandy, France invasion
  • D-Day and immediate aftermath
  • Subsequent campaigns in France and Central Europe

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives
  2. Norborne P. Gatling, Jr., World War II diary transcription, 1941/1945

Henry Fairfax Ayres diaries, 1928/1944 6 items

Ayres, Henry Fairfax, 1886-1979

This collection consists of six leather bound diaries that contain a record of Henry Fairfax Ayres' life from 1928 to 1944. Three volumes (1928-1938) contain detailed information about his activities as a pilot, including a record of flights completed, record of hunting trips, and comments about life in New York City, New York.

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives

James B. Moss, Jr. World War II diary, 1943/1944 1 items

Moss, James B., Jr., 1924-1998

This collection consists of James B. Moss Jr.'s diary. The first diary entry begins on page 13 and is dated September 13, 1943, the day his unit departed for overseas duty, and the last entry is D-Day, June 6, 1944. During the bulk of this period his unit was in Italy at Anzio Beachhead. Moss describes action at Anzio, German air attacks, unit causalities, and other events relating to the military campaign.

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives

Jesse H. Heath, Jr. collection, 1941/1993 7 Folder Series 1, Correspondence: Three folders by year Series 2, Death and military decorations: One folder of newspaper clippings and two folders of correspondence and other related items

Heath, Jesse H., Jr. (Jesse Heath), 1917-1945

This collection consists of items related to Jesse H. Heath, Jr. (VMI Class of 1938) who was killed in action in Belgium on January 3, 1945. Items include:

  • Correspondence (dated 1941-1993); some of this correspondence has been transcribed from original letters
  • Newspaper clippings (1944-1948)
  • One public relations article by Headquarters 2nd Armored Division (October 12, 1944)
  • One speech by Luke Bolin (May 30, 1945)
  • One sermon describing Heath (March 3, 1946)
  • One article about Heath by Norwich Free Academy, Connecticut
  • One Wall of Liberty certificate (1993)
  • Two Victory Liberty Loan coins

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives

John C. Monks, Jr. papers, 1932/1944 0.5 cubic feet

Monks, John C., Jr. (John Cherry), 1910-2004

The John C. Monks, Jr. papers consist of the personal papers of Monks, including:

  • Material related to the theatrical production of "Brother Rat," such as a contract, original script, and receipts for services from Garson Kanin
  • Items concerning various VMI Class of 1932 reunions
  • Photographs
  • A typescript manuscript (1944) of the book "A Ribbon and A Star: The Third Marines at Bougainville" (Holt, 1945)

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives

John L. Couper collection, 1936/1992 4 Linear Feet

Couper, John L. (John Lee), 1916-2000

This collection consists of items related to John L. Couper, including correspondence (to parents and other family) and two photograph albums documenting service during World War II. The bulk of this collection is dated 1942 to 1946. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including training in Great Britain, field hospital operations in Europe, and comments about daily aspects of war. The photographs document the unit's movements, staff, and activities in England, France and Belgium. In addition, this collection includes a photograph album (1936-1937) dating from Couper's VMI cadetship, and extensive material documenting various VMI Class of 1937 reunions.

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives

J. Russell Major papers, 1942/1945 2 cubic feet

Major, J. Russell (James Russell), 1921-1998

This collection consists of J. Russell Major's World War II papers, including:

  • Correspondence to his parents (dated 1942-1945). The early letters cover his training as a field artillery officer at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma (1942-1944) and other United States bases, including Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base (Glider School) and Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Letters from July 1944 to May 1945 date from his service as a forward artillery observer in France and Germany.
  • Military orders (1942-1945)
  • Papers relating to his awards (Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart).
  • Service record
  • Notes relating to his United States Army career.
  • Four volumes of the United States Army official history (European Theater), with one volume annotated by Major.
Major's World War II reminiscences, based in part on the correspondence in this collection, were published in 1999 under the title "The Memoirs of an Artillery Forward Observer, 1944-1945." This book is in Preston Library's rare book collection.

  1. Virginia Military Institute Archives

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