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Table of contents What's This?

box WWII 38, folder 1-5, folder 1-5, box WWII 39, folder 1-4, folder 6-9

Series 1, Correspondence from Evabel Bell 3864 1936-1946

Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet(9 folders)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from Evabel Bell to Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA before and during the Second World War. The folders contain her letters to Bell from 1936 to 1946. The subjects of the correspondence include general family news, the homefront, work, and Evabel Bell's daily activities. In their letters they often referred to one another as "fink."
In an undated letter, Evabel includes a newspaper clipping of a story about her. The story was about a farewell party in honor of Evabel for moving to Cleveland, Ohio the next week.
In another undated letter, Evabel writes to her sister, Isabel, about her feelings for Bell and how she's never liked a boy this much before.
Of interest is another letter, postmarked August 21, 1937, about Evabel's views on their relationship before they married and Bell was drafted. She was concerned about their different religious backgrounds; Evabel being Jewish and Bell being non-Jewish. An engraved lead strip reading "You are always in my heart Jack darling" was included with one of Evabel's letters dated June 15, 1943.
box WWII 39, folder 5, folder 10, box WWII 40, folder 1-5, folder 11-15, box WWII 41, folder 1-6, folder 16-21

Series 2, Correspondence from Jack P. Bell 3865 1943-1946

Physical Description: 1.1 Linear Feet(12 folders)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA to Evabel Bell before and during the Second World War. . The couple referred to any of their short letters as a "Shorty Bell." The subjects in the correspondence include general family news, the homefront, work, and Evabel Bell's daily activities, as well as training camp, daily routines and duties, and traveling to different cities and countries. Near the end of the war and afterward, Bell wrote from England, and Hofgeismar and Lich, two towns in Hesse, Germany.
Of interest is a letter dated March 30, 1943, is a form letter which soldiers can sign their name and send home, but Bell instead wrote on the other side of the letter and sent it home himself.
Bell often inquired about the condition of the car and the gasoline rationing back home.
box WWII 41, folder 7, folder 22

Series 3, Correspondence from Jack P. Bell's sister 3866 1942-1945

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains one correspondence to Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA from his sister during the Second World War. The sister's name is unknown. The subject of the letter involves the homefront: daily activities, friends, and family.
In the letter, the sister mentioned reading about Bell's division, the 78th Division, in the newspaper and about how they might be going home soon. The sister tells Bell that she and a friend, Betty, saw a stageplay called "Angel Street." She wrote about an old neighbor named Bill Jones who was in the Navy for the past 2 years and was promoted to a lieutenant.
box WWII 41, folder 8, folder 23

Series 4, Documents 3867 1941-1946

Physical Description: 0.04 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains documents regarding Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA, including: a birth certificate, marriage license, and honorable discharge papers.
box WWII 42, folder 1, folder 24

Series 5, "Little Things" book 3868 1946

Physical Description: 0.04 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains a bound book called "Little Things" which was was put together by men in the 78th Signal Company at the conclusion of the Second World Wwar. The book recalls how the 78th Signal Company was put together in late 1942 and chronicles their training, their trip to England, the Battle of the Bulge, and entering Germany and remaining there until they sailed home in early 1946.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945) -- Germany
Battle of the Ardennes (1944-1945)
box WWII 42, folder 2, folder 25

Series 6, Photographs 3869 1941-1944

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains two photographs, one of Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA and Evabel Bell when they married on March 1, 1941, and the second photo of Jack Bell meeting with his brother, Charlie Bell while on leave in London, England.
The photograph of Jack and Evabel is an original and the one of Jack and Charlie is a reproduction of a photograph. Both came with photocopies.