Finding Aid for Raymond J. Briese Second World War correspondence 2014.136.w.r

Daniel Levy
Center for American War Letters Archives
9/26/2014
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Raymond J. Briese Second World War correspondence
source: Keller, Teresa
Identifier/Call Number: 2014.136.w.r
Identifier/Call Number: 177
Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1943 September 6 - 1944 December 31
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from Sgt. Raymond J. Briese, USA during the Second World War.
Language of Material: English .
Container: WWII 1
Container: 12
Container: 1

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Teresa Keller née Briese.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in chronological order.

Biographical / Historical

Technical Sergeant Raymond Joseph Briese, United States Army (4/12/1921 - 3/4/2008) was born in Dawson, North Dakota to George John Briese and Gertrude Clara Briese née Birrenkott. He had seven siblings, the oldest of which was Leona Gertrude Nicholson née Briese (10/10/1922 - 8/11/2005) who was married to Orville Harold Nicholson (4/19/1908 - 8/30/1982) in 1941.
Briese served at Camp Phillips, Kansas with Company B, 318th Infantry and later deployed to North Africa. He was wounded and sent to a hospital in Blackmore Park, England. He later married and had a daughter, Carol Anne (1948 - 1997). He passed away in Talent, Oregon at the age of 86 years old and was interred in Bend, OR.

Preferred Citation

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Raymond Joseph Briese Second World War correspondence (2014.136.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains three correspondence and one postcard written by Technical Sergeant Raymond Joseph Briese, United States Army to his sister and family during the Second World War.
The postcard was sent to Mr. and Mrs. Orville Nicholson of Steele, North Dakota. It was sent September 6, 1943 and includes an image of US Army in action with 105mm Howitzers, a photo by the Signal Corps, and was written while Briese served with Company B, 318th Infantry at Camp Phillips in Kansas and three letters were sent from a hospital in England after being wounded and sent there.
The next correspondence was a V-Mail sent October 8, 1944 to the Nicholsons from a US Army Hospital in England. He was wounded and brough to England, his first visit to a hospital ever, but he says it's nice and gets to hear the World Series on the radio.
The second letter was written Christmas Eve 1944 from the hospital after a couple days with severe tonsilitis. He writes about wishing to be home for Christmas and mentions having served in the desert the previous year.
The third letter was written New Years Eve 1944, still in the hospital, and asks about family and friends back home.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Battle casualties
World War (1939-1945) -- Casualties
Keller, Teresa
Briese, Raymond Joseph