Harker, William S. (Second World War correspondence)

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Harker, William S. (Second World War correspondence)

2016.121.w.r

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Table of contents

box WWII 51, folder 1-3

Series 1, Correspondence between Sgt. William S. Harker and Lois Harker. 1942 October - 1944 July

Physical Description: .16 Linear Feet(3 folders)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence between Sgt. William S. Harker and Lois Harker. Lois was Sgt. Harker's wife. He refers to her as "Loaf" in the letters. Sgt. Harker writes about life and entertainment on the Army Air Base in Blythe, CA. The letters also detail life on the homefront and in Hawarden, Iowa during World War II.

box WWII 51, folder 4-5

Series 2, Correspondence between William S. Harker and family members. 1943 - 1945

Physical Description: .16 Linear Feet(2 folders)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence between Sgt William S. Harker, his parents, his sister Elvina, and other family members. The letters detail family life and life on the military bases at which Sgt. Harker was stationed. The series also contains a letter written in 1945 from Hofer, Germany but it is unclear whether it is from William Harker. The letter is addressed to "Aunt Annie" and, according to the donor, Lois Harker's mother was named Annie. A letter from Harker's sister postmarked April 9, 1943 discusses rationing.

In one letter, dated October 8, 1943 and addressed to Nellie, Sgt. Harker writes about the crash of a B-24: "Everyone here calls them 'flying coffins'."

box WWII 51, folder 6

Series 3, Other Correspondence with William S. Harker 1944 July - 1946 April

Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains cards, postcards, and other correspondence addressed to Sgt William S. Harker by various people, including Major K.B. Cassidy, Ismmert Ellison, John W. Graham, Sergeant Ray Nicholson, and Sergeant L.M. Shelton. Most of the correspondence relates to Sgt. Harker's effort to get a furlough.

box WWII 51, folder 7-8

Series 4, Correspondence between Lois Harker and family members. 1943 June - 1945 August

Physical Description: .13 Linear Feet(2 folders)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence between Lois Harker and family members, including her parents, her sister-in-law Elvina, her mother-in-law, and her niece, Mary. The letters mostly relate to family life and Sgt. Harker's work at the hospital. In one letter, dated February 14, 1945, Lois writes about Sgt. Harker joining a rescue squad to search for the crew of a missing bomber. There is also a clipping about the missing crewmen in an adjacent letter, dated February 24, 1945. In one letter dated November 21, 1945, Lois appears to write to her parents about the birth of a child.

box WWII 52, folder 9

Series 5, Other correspondence with Lois Harker 1937 February - 1942 August

Physical Description: .03 Linear feet(One folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

Letters from various people, possibly friends, to Lois Harker. The letters are signed by Florabella (no last name), Rita (no last name) and Russ (last name not clear).

box WWII 52, folder 10

Series 6, Other correspondence 1943 - 1945

Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence to and from people other than Lois and Bill Harker. The series also contains a picture of a group of unidentified women and a poem from an unidentified person. One letter, along with an accompanying military graduation announcement, is from Earl W. Hultgren to "Aunt Louise." A card identifies Earl W. Hultgren as a Lieutenant Air Corps in the United States Army. The card could refer to Sergeant William Harker's mother. Information provided by the donor identifies Sgt. Harker's mother as "Louise Catherine (Ericson) Harker." A second letter is addressed to "Ernest" from "Aunt Annie." The sender could be Lois Harker's mother, Annie (Tuynman) Benson. Her name was also provided by the donor.

box WWII 52, folder 11

Series 7, Personal Records 1942 - 1945

Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains the personal records of Sgt William S. Harker. It includes an auto insurance card that expired in 1943, one War Ration Book One, and two booklets of War Ration Book Two. There is also an individual income tax return form from 1942 and a memo from headquarters at Walla Walla Air Field that mentions Sgt. Harker and appears to address discharges. In addition, the series also contains a note from the Army Finance Center to Sgt. Harker.

box WWII 52, folder 12

Series 8, Photographs

Physical Description: .01 Linear feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

Items in this series include two undated photographs. One is a picture of an unidentified woman at a desk. On the back, a stamp says "Official A.A.F. Photo. Base Photo Lab. A.A.B. Walla Walla, Wash." The other is a picture of a structure. "Base Signal Office" is written on the back.

box WWII 52, folder 13

Series 9, Diary of William S. Harker 1942 - 1943

Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains a diary that Sgt. William S. Harker kept in 1942. Harker's wife, Lois, also writes in the diary.

box WWII 52, folder 14

Series 10, Ephemera 1943 - 1944

Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

Items in this series include a wedding announcement, a graduation announcement, a US Savings Bond pamphlet, and a roster from a 1943 Halloween celebration at the Army Air Base Station Hospital in Blythe, California. Other items include: a pamphlet announcing the opening of an NCO Club in November of 1944 and a 1944 schedule of Mother's Day activities at the Army Base in Walla, Walla, WA. There is also a blurb, possibly from a newsletter, talking about William and Lois Harker.

box WWII 52, folder 15

Series 11, Newspaper Clippings 1943 June - 1944 March

Physical Description: .02 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains several newspaper clippings. Only two of the clippings have dates: one is a story in a Hawarden, Iowa newspaper from June 3, 1943. The other is dated March 4, 1944 and was in an unidentified newspaper. The other clippings include a short blurb about Joe Demler, who was held at the Limberg Nazi Prison Camp and a story about soldiers coming home from Guadalcanal for Christmas.

Collection Contents

Series 1, Correspondence between Sgt. William S. Harker and Lois Harker.

Series 2, Correspondence between William S. Harker and family members.

Series 3, Other Correspondence with William S. Harker

Series 4, Correspondence between Lois Harker and family members.

Series 5, Other correspondence with Lois Harker

Series 6, Other correspondence

Series 7, Personal Records

Series 8, Photographs

Series 9, Diary of William S. Harker

Series 10, Ephemera

Series 11, Newspaper Clippings