Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Mantuano, Tony (Second World War correspondence and clippings)
2017.221.w.rd
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Tony Mantuano Second World War correspondence and clippings
source:
Mantuano, Alfred
Creator:
Mantuano, Tony, Private First Class, 1925-1945
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.221.w.rd
Physical Description:
0.5 Linear feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1943 November 2 - 1945 February 10
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from PFC Tony Mantuano, USMCR to his mother during the Second World War. Also included
are several clippings relating to Marines in the war.
Physical Description: This collection is contained within two scrapbooks that are deteriorating. The paper pages are brittle and falling apart,
letters are glued at the corners to these pages. The collection is very fragile and may require some future conservation.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: Oversize 3
Container: 1
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Alfred and Susan Mantuano.
This collection is arranged in its original order, as part of two scrapbooks. The correspondence and clippings are not in
chronological order throughout, glued to the pages, and the last letter is enclosed in its original envelope in the front
page of one scrapbook.
Private First Class Tony Mantuano, United States Marine Corps Reserve (11/23/1925 - 2/22/1945) was born and raised by Sam
and Jessie Mantuano in Kenosha, Wisconsin where he attended Jefferson Elementary, McKinley Jr. High, and Kenosha High School.
He joined the Marine Corps on October 21, 1943 and was sent to Los Angeles and then San Diego at Camp Elliot. By October 1944
he had reached San Francisco and deployed overseas with Company A, 5th Tank Battalion, 5th Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.
He fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima and was killed in action on February 22, 1945. His remains were returned home to Kenosha
where he was interred after the war.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Tony Mantuano Second World War correspondence and clippings (2017.221.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.
This collection is available online at Chapman Univeristy's Digital Commons.
https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/tmantuano_correspondence/
This collection contains 34 correspondence from PFC Tony Mantuano, USMCR to his mother during the Second World War. Also included
are approximately 150 clippings pertaining to Marines during the war, which include casualties, unit actions, pictures, and
other general information about Marines, as well as one several page edition of the Kenosha Evening News.
The Kenosha Evening News is dated June 23, 1944 and provides an "Honor Roll" for those from Kenosha serving the country in
uniform around the world. PFC Mantuano's name is not listed, though he was in service in California at the time.
The last letter written was his last letter home before he was killed in action in Iwo Jima on February 22, 1945. The letter,
dated February 10, says that he has not written for a while because he is aboard a ship about to go into combat. He tells
his mother that he has been in the Hawaiian Islands at a camp about 65 miles from Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. He describes
his ship voyage and some stops for supplies, though no locations, telling her there is one more stop before their objective.
He has his guitar and the weather and food have been nice. He ends by saying, "Please try not to worry too much."
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Newspaper clippings
World War (1939-1945) -- Marine Corps
United States. -- Marine Corps
World War (1939-1945) -- Campaigns -- Japan -- Iwo Jima (Volcano Islands)
Battle of Iwo Jima (Japan : 1945)
Military training camps
Basic training (Military education)
War letters -- Last letters home
Battle casualties
World War (1939-1945) -- Casualties
Last letters before death
Mantuano, Alfred