Inventory of the Warren J. Mone Collection SPC.2021.001
Karen Clemons
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
2020-02-08
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Warren J. Mone Collection
Creator:
Mone, Warren J. , 1922-
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2021.001
Physical Description:
1 box
Physical Description:
.21 Linear Feet
(21 letters; 2 essays; 1 issue of "Cycloner"; 6 partial issues of "Cycloner"; and other material)
Date (inclusive): 1942-1945; undated
Abstract: This collection contains letters, essays, issues of the "Cycloner" (the daily paper of the 38th Infantry Division), and other
materials from Sgt. Warren J. Mone, sent mostly to his aunt and uncle, Maurice and Josephine Whelan from 1942-1945 during
his time in the Army. Letters were sent from Camp Roberts; New York City; Hawaii; New Guinea; and the Philippines. Also included
in this collection are cards with Warren's address; newspaper clippings; and a Japanese Government ten Pesos note.
Language of Material:
English
.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
For information about citing archival material, see the
Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.
Warren J. Mone was born in 1922 and lived in San Francisco, CA. with his aunt and uncle, Maurice and Josephine Whelan. Mone
enlisted in the Army on August 21, 1942 with the designation of Private. His term of enlistment was "enlistment for the duration
of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law".
Mone was a part of the 38th Infantry Division in artillery, and then was transferred to the Office of Information and Education
while stationed in the Philippines, where he wrote articles for the daily paper of the 38th Infantry Division, the "Cycloner".
Mone was listed as a Sergeant on his letters; and as Tech 4 on issues of the "Cycloner". Mone was discharged from the Army
circa October 1945.
The Warren J. Mone Collection (1942-1945; undated) contains 21 letters, 2 essays, 7 issues and partial issues of the "Cycloner"
newspaper, clippings, and other material from Sgt. Warren J. Mone sent mostly to his aunt and uncle, Maurice and Josephine
Whelan. The letters were sent after Mone enlisted in the Army and include his experiences in the 38th Infantry Division while
training at Camp Roberts; visiting New York City as a civilian; and military experiences in Hawaii, New Guinea, Manila, and
other locations in the Philippines. A majority of the letters were sent while Mone was in Oahu, HI prior to going overseas
to the Philippines. In his letters, Mone also discussed his work for the "Cycloner", the daily paper of the 38th Infantry
Division. Also included in this collection are issues of the "Cycloner" including articles written by Mone and others, and
illustrations by his good friend, Marshall Potter; as well as cards with Warren's address; stamps; newspaper clippings; and
a Japanese Government ten Pesos note.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Manila (Philippines)
Oahu (Hawaii)
Correspondence
Journalism, Military
United States. Army. Infantry Division, 38th
Whelan, Maurice
Whelan, Josephine
Camp Roberts (Calif.)
box 1, folder 1
Correspondence and Essay 1942-1944
In the letter dated October 4, 1942 sent from Mone at Camp Roberts, California to his aunt and uncle, he discusses finishing
basic training, taking an I.Q. test, attending Officers Prep School, and being selected to work at Regimental Headquarters.
He also talks about other ways he spends his time there including participating and winning first prize in a show he competed
in, attending school, writing an article for the camp paper, studying, attending church, and other activities.
In the essay sent to Mrs. M.J. (Josephine) Whelan entitled "New York City, A First Impression" Mone talks about traveling
from Camp Livingston, LA. to New York on a B-17 bomber, his observations regarding Times Square, Central Park, 5th Avenue,
Greenwich Village, and Park Avenue; and lists all of the Broadway shows he attended. He also discusses some of his experiences
while in New York such as horseback riding in Central Park, restaurants he ate at, tourist attractions he visited such as
the Met, Rockefeller Center, and Radio City Music Hall, seeing Frank Sinatra sing, and meeting Choo-Choo Johnson. Also included
in this folder is a letter postmarked March 2, 1944 where Warren discusses his trip to New York City to his family. This letter
includes similar details to those that are in the essay.
box 1, folder 2
Correspondence February-July 1944
Two letters from February 1944 are addressed to M.J. Whelan. In the letter to "honey" Mone discusses being somewhere in the
Pacific but is unable to tell them any information regarding his whereabouts or what he is doing due to censorship. He also
talks about writing and advertising a small paper called, "Scuttle-Butt". In the other letter, he is able to disclose that
he is in Hawaii and talks about his experiences in Oahu including visiting Pearl Harbor, attending Hula and USO shows, and
visiting Waikiki.
In the letters from March-July 1944 sent to Mr. Maurice J. Whelan and Mrs. M.J. Whelan, Mone continues to write about his
experiences in Hawaii, discusses sending them his bonds, talks about attending shows, discusses his experiences during a training
course, writing for a local paper, participating in a play, his plans to work on writing a book, and talks about receiving
letters from friends.
Also included in this folder is a letter sent to Josephine from Maurice discussing the mail that was received including a
letter from Mone and a few books. July 3, 1944.
box 1, folder 3
Correspondence; issues of the "Cycloner" November 1944; August-November 1945
In a letter dated November 2, 1944 written from "down under" to his family, Mone discusses being amidst "wild life" and "jungle
foliage". He talks about building a shelter and provides sketches; discusses the rain; watching movies; and catching butterflies.
He then talks about his journey on the S.S. Mexico; working on his paper, "Scuttle-Butt"; celebrating his birthday; and receiving
gifts and letters from his family and friends.
In a letter dated May 6, 1945 from "in the Philippines", Mone writes about changing assignments from artillery to the office
of Information and Education(I & E), and includes a list of who he works with. He also talks about writing special articles
and news coverage for the daily paper they put out called the "Cycloner"- named after the 38th, Cyclone Division. This letter
includes a copy of "The Sunday Cycloner", June 24, 1945.
In the letters sent to "Toots" and his family from August-October 1945, Mone discusses his experiences toward the end of the
war as a guest at a home on the grounds of the [Malacañang] Palace, attending the Manila symphony, the possibility of being
sent to Japan, talks about the potential for Japanese surrender, and discusses his experiences while working for the "Cycloner"
during the "hectic days and nights when everything happened at once". He then talks about getting discharged and anticipating
the start of his journey home mid-October; talks about his plans during his last nights overseas; talks about his friend Marshall
Potter's post-war plans; discusses receiving gifts from friends and family; and talks about some of his post-war plans.
Also included in this folder is a partial issue of the "Cycloner" that features illustrations by Marshall Potter; and a letter
dated November 30, 1945 sent to "Toots" from Mone in which he discusses staying at someone named, Bill's home. The envelope
with this letter also contains an essay entitled "Benny's Got the Dominoes", business cards, newspaper clippings of comics
and poems, and an address for Joseph U. Kennedy, Navy mail clerk at Pearl Harbor.
box 1, folder 4
Ephemera; partial issues of the [Cycloner] circa 1944-1945
This folder contains undated material circa 1944-1945 and includes: cards with Warren's address; stamps; a birthday card sent
to Mrs. M.J. Whelan from Mone; a Japanese Government ten Pesos note; and partial issues of what is presumably the "Cycloner"
featuring illustrations by Marshall Potter and an article written by Mone entitled, "Manila the Second Beginning".