Finding Aid for Walter W. Swayze Second World War correspondence 2017.284.w.r
Benjamin Stevens
Center for American War Letters Archives
6/4/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Walter W. Swayze Second World War correspondence
Creator:
Swayze, Walter Wesley, Technical Sergeant, 1921-1990
source:
Collins, Susan
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.284.w.r
Physical Description:
1 Linear feet
(9 folders)
Date (inclusive): 1943 September 10 - 1945 October 06
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from T/SGT Walter W. Swayze, USAAF and Hilda Swayze during the Second World War as
well as various documents and items kept by T/SGT Swayze from during his service or received afterwards.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 148
Container: 3-9
Container: 1-7
Container: WWII 149
Container: 1-2
Container: 8-9
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Susan Collins, the daughter of T/SGT Swayze.
This collection is arranged chronologically by material type:
- Series 1, Correspondence
- Series 2, Newspaper Clippings
- Series 3, Photographs
- Series 4, Various documents
- Series 5, Realia
- Series 6, Envelopes
Technical Sergeant Walter Wesley Swayze, United States Army Air Force (6/6/1921 - 6/14/1990) was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan,
when his father, Burton, was 22 and his mother, Katherine, was 20. He registered for the draft on February 13, 1942, and listed
his employer as the Ford Motor Company. He was inducted into the Army on July 31, 1942 and served as a flight maintanance
gunner on B-29 bombers until October 12, 1945. He had three sons and one daughter with Hilda Beatrice Harleton. He died in
Dearborn, Michigan, at the age of 69.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Walter W. Swayze Second World War correspondence (2017.284.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 URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This series contains correspondence from T/SGT Walter W. Swayze, USAAF to his wife Hilda. There are also correspondence to
his parents. There is one folder of material sent to T/SGT Swayze, mostly greeting cards from his wife and children.
See series notes for more 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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Armed Forces -- Correspondence
Bombardier aircraft
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Families of military personnel
Greeting Card
Michigan
Military aircraft.
Newspaper clippings
Postcards.
United States -- Army -- Air Forces -- Bombardier
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
World War (1939-1945) -- England
Collins, Susan
box WWII 148, folder 3-5, folder 1-3
Series 1, Correspondence 1943 September 10 - 1945 October 06
Physical Description: .3 Linear feet(3 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains 103 total letters to and from T/SGT Walter W. Swayze, USAAF. The letters are mostly signed, "Wally."
Folder 1 of 9 contains 54 correspondence sent from T/SGT Swayze from September 10, 1943 to March 28, 1945.
He mostly wrote about missing his family and the plans he had for after he finally returned. He worried about the amount of
work his wife was doing and frequently reminded her to take it easy. He wrote to his parents to apologize for getting married
without their knowledge. He gave brief updates as to his location and status but never any detail. The letters all seem to
be from a lonely husband desiring the affection of his wife.
Folder 2 of 9 contains 36 correspondence sent from T/SGT Swayze from April 21, 1945 to October 06, 1945 and approximately
22 undated random pages of correspondence.
The letters are mostly the same as in the previous folder, however he went into some minor details describing England. He
also refers to his job in the military infrequently.
Folder 3 of 9 contains 13 correspondence sent to T/SGT Swayze (uncertain date range).
The correspondence are nearly all greeting cards for observed holidays and/or personal dates of importance. There is one drawing
titled "Our Dream Home."
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945) -- England
box WWII 148, folder 6, folder 4
Series 2, Newspaper Clippings 1944 April 02 - 1944 May 12
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains eleven newspaper clippings. Three of them reference "Sgt. Walter W. Swayze." Two of them are Sad Sack
comics. One is a diagram of a B-29 Superfortress. The rest reference the state of Michigan or the unit T/SGT Swayze was in
during his service abroad.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Newspaper clippings
World War (1939-1945) -- Newspapers
Bombardier aircraft
Military aircraft.
box WWII 148, folder 7, folder 5
Series 3, Photographs 1979 December 25
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This collection contains seven total photographs. one copy of a photograph of T/SGT Swayze, three photos of Hilda Swayze,
one photo of a young T/SGT Swayze, One photo of Hilda's mother holding one of T/SGT Swayze's children, and one photo of grandma
and grandpa Swayze in 1979.
box WWII 148, folder 8-9, folder 6-7
Series 4, Various Documents 1942 August 01 - 1984
Physical Description: .4 Linear Feet(2 folders)
Language of Material: English.
Various documents including military temporary passes, stamps, comics, club cards, manuals, pay records, ration cards, ration
notices, return receipts, tickets, road maps, identification cards, and travel pamphlets.
box WWII 149, folder 1, folder 8
Series 5, Realia
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
this series contains one hat, three unit emblems, two rank patches, two shoulder patches, one USAAF patch, one regimental
insignia, one ingraved broken heart, and a row of ribbons with three oak leaf clusters and 2 bronze stars.
box WWII 149, folder 2, folder 9
Series 6, Envelopes 1943 November 27 - 1945 October 6
Physical Description: .2 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains 107 envelopes sent with the collection from the donor. The envelopes were empty upon arrival so it is
uncertain which letter each envelope belongs with. However, the envelopes sometimes contain short additional letters or messages
to the recipient.