Finding Aid for the John A. Chinn Second World War correspondence 2016.004.w.r

Sharon Clairemont
Center for American War Letters Archives
6/28/2016
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: John A. Chinn Second World War correspondence
source: Chinn, Denice
Creator: John Chinn
Creator: Erma Chinn
Identifier/Call Number: 2016.004.w.r
Physical Description: 1 Linear feet (21 folders)
Date (inclusive): 1942 - 1945
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence written by SSgt. John A. Chinn, USAAF, to his wife Erma Chinn during World War Two.
Language of Material: English .
Container: WWII 82
Container: 1-8
Container: 1-8
Container: WWII 83
Container: 1-7
Container: 9-15
Container: WWII 84
Container: 1-6
Container: 16-21

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Denice Chinn, 1/20/2016.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type and date:
  • Series 1: Correspondence from John A. Chinn to Erma Chinn
  • Series 2: Correspondence from Erma Chinn to John A. Chinn
  • Series 3: Correspondence from Mrs. Jack Chinn to John A. Chinn
  • Series 4: W.M. Woodward and Elwin C. Woodward to Erma Chinn
  • Series 5: Miscellaneous Correspondence
  • Series 6: Ephemera

Biographical / Historical

Staff Sergeant John Arthur Chinn, United States Army Air Force, was born on February 18, 1918 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to John Russell Chinn and Valeda Marie Decker. He married Erma Jayne Woodward in February 1942, the same month he joined the United States Army Air Force. He served in the Second World War and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant with the 63rd Air Depot Group in Cairo until he returned from overseas in November 1945. SSgt. Chinn passed away on March 29, 1989 in Sacramento, California.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], John A. Chinn Second World War correspondence (2016.004.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.

Content Description

This collection contains correspondence written by SSgt. John A. Chinn, USAAF to his wife Erma Chinn during the Second World War. It also contains several letters from Erma Chinn to SSgt. Chinn, from Mrs. Jack Chinn to SSG Chinn and from W.M. Woodward to Erma Woodward Chinn. SSgt. Chinn's service in the Army Air Corps included training at Patterson Field in Fairfield, Ohio, Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois, Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas and at Brookley Field in Mobile, Alabama. He served as an airplane mechanic in Egypt. John and Erma Chinn lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Conditions Governing Use

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) -- Homefront
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- North Africa
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Airplanes, Military -- Maintenance and repair
Sheppard Field (Tex.)
United States -- Army -- Air Forces
Chinn, Denice

box WWII 82, folder 1-8, folder 1-8, box WWII 83, folder 1-7, folder 9-15, box WWII 84, folder 1, folder 16

Series 1, Correspondence from John A. Chinn to Erma Chinn 1942 - 1945

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from SSgt. John A. Chinn, USAAF to his wife, Erma Chinn. Chinn writes to his wife at least weekly, sometimes several times a week. SSG Chinn and his wife were married just before he left for military service. He always writes, usually at length, about how much he misses her. SSgt. Chinn describes daily life on base; although little about his work as a airplane mechanic, much about training, meals, music, movies and his friends. His letters contain sexual innuendo, teasing and flirting. As his service extends into years, he writes a great deal about his loneliness and how little there is to do on base. When based near Cairo, Egypt he describes a few furlough trips to Alexandria and to Israel.
box WWII 84, folder 2, folder 17

Series 2, Correspondence from Erma Chinn to John A. Chinn 1942 April 15 - 1942 May 14

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from Erma Chinn to SSgt. John A. Chinn, USAAF written in April and May 1942.
box WWII 84, folder 3, folder 18

Series 3, Correspondence from Mrs. Jack Chinn to John A. Chinn 1942 April 9 - 1942 May 18

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from Mrs. Jack Chinn to her son SSgt. John A. Chinn, USAAF during the Second World War.
box WWII 84, folder 4, folder 19

Series 4, Correspondence from W.M. Woodward and Elwin C. Woodward to Erma Chinn 1940 - 1945

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from W.M. Woodward and Elwin C. Woodward to their sister Erma Woodward Chinn.
box WWII 84, folder 5, folder 20

Series 5, Miscellaneous correspondence 1943 - 1946

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from Private V.M. Chinn, Women's Auxiliary Corps to Erma Chinn -- from "dad" to Elwin C. Woodward -- and from the War Department to John A. Chinn.
box WWII 84, folder 6, folder 21

Series 6, Ephemera

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains:
  • one war ration book
  • one US Navy pamphlet on venereal disease
  • one mechanical drawing by John Chinn
  • one sergeant stripes emblem patch
  • one ticket for CBS Radio Theatre in New York
  • one cocktail napkin from Grand Central Terminal Restaurant, NYC
  • one business postcard from The Nankin Chinese restaurant, Chicago
  • one Employee's Earnings Record for Erma Chinn from University of Minnesota, 1945
  • one withholding receipt (W-2) for Erma Chinn, 1945
  • Schedule of Withholding Tax
  • 22 retail receipts from Dayton Co.
  • two receipts for magazine subscriptions
  • one receipt for professional services of Martin Nordland, M.D. for Erma Chinn, 1944
  • one University of Minnesota football ticket receipt, 1944
  • nine mail receipts
  • two rent statements