Correspondence, photographs, audiocassettes, manuscripts, professional papers, and other materials, 1921-2011, from lesbian speech pathologist and veteran, Esther Herbert, and her partner, Marvyl Doyle. The correspondence contains letters between Herbert and Doyle written between 1944 and 1996 with the bulk of the letters being exchanged during World War 2 while they were stationed separately in the Women's Army Corps. Also included is an extensive collection of photographs documenting their military service. Among the papers are published materials by both Herbert and Doyle regarding their respective work in speech pathology and writing composition; as well as a collection of Doyle's poetry. The collection also includes recorded interviews with Esther Herbert regarding her experience of living as a lesbian in the 1940s and 1950s.

Esther Herbert was born in Rochester, New York on May 25, 1920. Herbert graduated from Brooklyn College in 1941 and shortly after, began a Masters Program in Speech Pathology at the State University of Iowa. In 1942, she briefly taught at Boise Junior High School in Boise, Idaho before joining the army in 1943. For most of the war, she worked in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) company administrative office, eventually earning the rank of Technical Sergeant. It was during this period that she met her lifelong partner, Marvyl Doyle.Marvyl Doyle was born in Clear Lake, Iowa on May 10, 1921. She graduated from Hampton High School in Hampton, Iowa in 1939 and was later accepted to National Youth America Training Corps to be trained in radio. After completing her training, she joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942 and became an Advanced Radio Mechanic.

6.4 Linear Feet 3 archive boxes + 3 archive binder-boxes + 1 archive shoebox.

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.