Finding Aid for Frances S. Szalay Second World War correspondence 2016.012.w.r
John Encarnacion
Center for American War Letters Archives
9/17/2016
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Frances S. Szalay Second World War correspondence, photographs, and other material
source:
Holznecht, April
Identifier/Call Number: 2016.012.w.r
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
(3 cartons)
Date (inclusive): 1937 - 2003
Abstract: This collection contains material donated by Frances Stephanie Szalay from her time in service in the Women's Army Corps (WAC)
during and after the Second World War.
Language of Material: The bulk of the collection is in English but some of the letters are in Hungarian.
Container: WWII 76
Container: 1-12
Container: 1-12
Container: WWII 77
Container: 1-5
Container: 13-17
Container: WWII 78
Container: 1-7
Container: 18-24
Container: WWII 79
Container: 1-9
Container: 25-33
Container: WWII 80
Container: 1-10
Container: 34-43
Container: WWII 81
Container: 1
Container: 44
Container: WWII O-F 2
Container: 1
Container: 45
Container: WWII O-F 3
Container: 1
Container: 46
Container: WWII Uniforms 3
Container: 2016-012-w_Szalay_Negatives (cigar box)
Container: 2016-012-w_Szalay_Negatives (Hanscom tin)
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of April Mae Holznecht
This collection is arranged by material type and date.
- Series 1. Correspondence with Frances Stephanie Szalay, 1937 - 1985
- Series 2. Photographs, negatives, 8mm film reel, and stereo book, 1944 - 1984
- Series 3. Military discharge papers, service record and certificates, 1943 - 2003
- Series 4. Booklets and periodicals, 1943 - 1990
- Series 5. Military newsletters, documents, and narratives, 1943 - 1972
- Series 6. Maps, 1945 - 1946
- Series 7. Realia and textiles, 1970
- Series 8. Ephemera, 1946 - 1943
- Series 9. Supplemental biographical information, 2003
- Series 10. Artifacts, 1944 - 1947
- Series 11. Scrapbooks, 1944 - 1947.
Frances Stephanie Szalay, Women's Army Corp (12/26/1905 - 05/27/2003) was born in Budapest, Hungary and died at Fountain Care
Center in Orange, California. As a civilian, Szalay worked as a photographer. She first enlisted into the Women's Army Corps
as a clerk typist on December 22, 1943 and was honorably discharged August 4, 1948. She reenlisted as a photographer on April
25, 1946 and was honorably discharged a second time on November 13, 1950.
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Frances Stephanie Szalay Second World War collection (2016.012.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 URL's, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains correspondence, service records, periodicals, and photographs from Frances Stephanie Szalay who served
in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) during the Second World War (1943 to 1948). The collection also includes correspondence and
photographs after the Second World War. Some photographs depict WAC events and exhibits that Szalay attended.
Inventory:
- 138 personal correspondence, 1937-1948
- 1032 photographs
- 351 negatives
- one 30x20 inch poster
- one glass negative
- one Super 8 film reel
- 38 pieces of ephemera
- four maps
- three certificates
- 33 military newspapers, documents, and narratives
- three scrapbooks
- seven miscellanous booklets
- nine military history booklets
- 37 WAC related periodicals
- three textiles
- one pair of binoculars
- one box of ceramic tile pieces
- 10 realia
- three pages of supplemental information
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)
World War (1939-1945) -- Germany
World War (1939-1945) -- Italy
World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
Photographs
Women and the military
World War (1939-1945) -- Photography
United States -- Army -- Women's Army Corps
World War (1939-1945) -- Women
Holznecht, April
Szalay, Frances Stephanie, Ms., 1905-2002
box WWII 76, folder 1-12, folder 1-12, box WWII 77, folder 1-2, folder 13-14
Series 1, Correspondence with Frances S. Szalay 1937 - 1985
Physical Description: .5 Linear feet(14 folders)
Language of Material: The bulk of the correspondence was written in English but some correspondence written by Szalay's family members were written
in Hungarian.
This series contains correspondence to and from Frances S. Szalay, with various authors writing to her. The people Szalay
corresponds with consist of family, friends, and other service members in the military.
In the letters written by Szalay, a majority of her letters were written to her aunt, Mariska Pugh. Szalay refers to Mariska
as Mariska Neni (aunt).
The letters from Szalay's family were mostly written by her father, Laszlo Szalay. Other letters were written by her brother,
Ray Szalay, her niece, Crissy, and her uncle, Arpad Szalay. A few of letters are written in Hungarian.
A portion of the series are single letters written by various people, but there are multiple letters written by the following
people: Laszlo Szalay, Judy Bean, Mary Csegezy, Pamela Deming, Harold McEvoy, Mariska Pugh, Bernice Pulver, Betty Switzer,
Betty Turner, Janet Vaughn, and Esther Weeks.
The subjects of the letters range from homefront events, citizen life, WAC related topics, Szalay's daily activities, Szalay's
travels, and the activities of her family and friends.
box WWII 77, folder 3-5, folder 15-17, box WWII 78, folder 1-7, folder 18-24, box Oversize 3, folder 1
Series 2, Photographs, negatives, and other material 1944 - 1984
Frances S. Szalay negatives
Physical Description: .5 Linear feet(10 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains photographs, negatives, 8mm film reel, a stereo book, and a large poster of Frances S. Szalay signed
by friends and family. The photographs were taken and developed by Szalay.
There are 805 photographs in this series depicting different events, people, and locations during and after the Second World
War. The bulk of the photographs feature Frances S. Szalay, Fort Oglethorpe, Women's Army Corps events, other WAC service
members, and different locations to which Szalay traveled. One of the photographs is of actress Norma Shearer with an autograph
signed to Szalay. After the Second World War, a number of photographs depicted WAC Veterans Association conventions and WAC
exhibit displays.
227 of the photographs were found in a box labeled with "Italy riots 1945," "Stateside 1945," "Overseas training," and "Gang
Ft. Oglethorpe." These photographs depict various subjects: Szalay's visits to Italy, Germany, Egypt; the architecture and
art from her travels; the citizens of the cities she visited; and WAC service members from Fort Oglethorpe.
351 negatives were found in a wooden box. Most of the negatvies have started decaying. The negatives have been digitized,
linked to this resource, and deaccessioned. These negatives depict WAC service members, Fort Oglethorpe, Italy, and other
subjects that were not described by the photograph sleeves.
476 negatives were found in a cigar box. Most of the negatives have started decaying. The negatives have been digitized, linked
to this resource, and deaccessioned. In this cigar box were also three photographs. The first photograph is of Ronald Reagan
with a message printed on the back by Buz Lukens. The second photograph is of Pat Boone and his family with a message signed
by Pat Boone. The third photograph is of two women.
Other negatives were found in a tin container. Most of these negatives have started decaying. The negatives have been digitized,
linked to this resource, and deaccessioned.
There are also glass negatives depicting subsequent events of the execution of Benito Mussolini. Two of the negatives depict
Mussolini's body, along with other fascists, hanging from a gas station in Piazelle Loreta, Milan. The third negative depicts
a crowd of people standing around a pile of bodies on the ground. Two of the negatives are of stock photographs that can be
found on the internet.
The 8mm film reel, according to descriptions on the container, is footage of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia in 1944.
The stereo book features cities in the U.S. occupied zone of Germany. Included are the stereoscope and pictures of German
cities.
The poster is a 30x20 inch photograph of Szalay in her WAC uniform. The poster is signed by her friends and family for her
90th birthday.
box WWII 79, folder 1-2, folder 25-26
Series 3, Military discharge papers, service record, and certificates 1943 - 2003
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet(2 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains Frances S. Szalay's honorable discharge papers, service record, and certificates. According to her discharge
certificates, Frances S. Szalay was officially honorably discharged on August 4, 1948. She reenlisted again in 1946 and was
officially honorably discharged a second time on November 13, 1950.
Her certificates include her certificate of citizenship for the United States of America, certificate for being a lifetime
member of the Women's Army Corps Museum Society, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate in memory of Frances S. Szalay given
to the donor, April Mae Holznecht.
box WWII 79, folder 3-9, folder 27-33, box WWII 80, folder 1-4, folder 34-37
Series 4, Booklets and periodicals 1943 - 1990
Physical Description: .6 Linear Feet(11 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains an assortment of booklets and periodicals that Szalay acquired during and after the Second World War.
Also included are photocopies of various WAC newsletters.
The miscellaneous booklets in the series contain three WAC related booklets; an armed services of edition of "My Three Years
with Eisenhower" by Captain Harry C. Butcher; a booklet about Fort Oglethorpe; a postcard booklet "Souvenir of the Berchtesgaden";
and a booklet about Berchtesgaden, Germany.
The military history related booklets include four booklets about American occupational forces in the European Theatre and
the Mediterranean, African and Middle East Theatre; one "In Memoriam" about George S. Patton, Jr.; one about the 65th Infantry
Division; two copies of booklets about the Third U.S. Army Headquarters in Bad Tölz, Bavaria, Germany; "As You Were" by the
2629 WAC Battalion; and "Our Leave in Switzerland," a booklet of 200 photos about American servicemen's visit to Switzerland.
The periodicals are all WAC related, published during and after the Second World War. There are four issues of "WAC News Letter,"
four issues of "Women's Army Corps Journal," 10 issues of "WAC Weekly," five issues of "WAC High Lights," four issues of "The
WAC Journal," five issues of "The Guidon," one issue of "Overseas Woman," one issue of "Troop IE Bulletin," one issue of "Information
Bulletin," one issue of "The Arlingazette," and one issue of "The Channel."
box WWII 80, folder 5, folder 38
Series 5, Military newsletters, documents, and narratives 1943 - 1972
Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains an assortment of military related documents such as orders, memorandums, schedules, newsletters, and
narratives. Some of the documents deal with the United States Constabulary's WAC Detachment, which Frances S. Szalay was assigned
to. Also included in the series is a WAC Mobilization Training Program Outline, which lists the instruction courses for various
training programs in the Women's Army Corps.
box WWII 80, folder 6, folder 39
Series 6, Maps 1945 - 1946
Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains four maps collected by Frances S. Szalay. There is an American Red Cross map and guide to Vienna, a map
of the Rhine Valley that describes the Rhine's geography and history, a map of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military
Park, and a U.S Constabulary Troopers Road Map of the U.S. Zone of Germany.
box WWII 80, folder 7, folder 40, flat-box Specimen Box 1, Compartment 6, carton WWII Uniforms 3
Series 7, Realia and textiles 1943 - 1986
Language of Material: English.
This series consists of 10 pieces of realia and three pieces of textiles collected by Frances S. Szalay: an American Legion
pin "Past Historian" medal and ribbon, a European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, a Republican Presidential Task Force
pin 1981-1986, a Women's Army Corps pin, a "W.A.C. Veterans" matchbook, 3 American flag toothpick flags, 2 Women's Army Corps
toothpick flags, a Women's Army Corps Veterans Association National Convention ribbon, an American Legion cap, and an American
Legion tie.
box WWII 80, folder 8, folder 41
Series 8, Ephemera 1946 - 1973
Physical Description: .08 Linear feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains an assortment of ephemera and other materials collected during and after the Second World War. This series
includes an army exchange ration card, an American Legion membership card, two bank notes, two military payment certificates,
a hotel visitor card, a Heidelberg GYA Girls Center information card, a piece of paper describing the view from the town of
Caserta, six stamps of Zurich, Switzerland, three pieces of scratch paper with notes, an Enlisted Man's Temporary Pass, a
bus ticket, four greeting cards, a bookmark, a pamphlet about protection from venereal diseases, and a music sheet.
box WWII 80, folder 9, folder 42
Series 9, Supplemental and biographical information 2003
Language of Material: English.
This series contains three pages of supplemental and biographical information about the collection: a brief note from the
donor, April Mae Holznecht, about Szalay; Szalay's life history depicted as a list of events; a letter from Holznecht to Szalay's
WAC friends about her passing; and an inquiry from Holznecht to the National D-Day Museum about donating Szalay's photographs,
film reels, and slides.
box WWII 80, folder 10, folder 43, folder WWII O-F 2
box WWII 81, folder 1, folder 44, folder WWII O-F 2, folder 1, folder 46, folder WWII O-F 3, folder 1, folder 46
Series 11, Scrapbooks 1944 - 1947
Language of Material: English.
This series contains three scrapbooks of Frances Szalay's photographs and other material regarding WAC activities and her
European travels. The photos are of landscapes, people and events. Some images are identified. They includes photos of some
of the women with whom she corresponded. One scrapbook includes insignia patches, German currency, military payment certificates,
ration cards, invitations,and newspaper articles as well as photographs.