Finding Aid for the Anna and Ernest G. Freed Second World War correspondence 2019.100.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
10/8/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Anna and Ernest G. Freed Second World War correspondence
source:
Wells, Fred
source:
Wells, Gloria
Identifier/Call Number: 2019.100.w.r
Physical Description:
0.01 Linear Feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1943 March 27 - 1944 July 21
Abstract: This collection contains four letters, including one V-Mail, to Anna and Ernest George "E.G." Freed during the Second World
War. Two letters were written by Sgt. Mildred Jaeger neé Huff, WAC, one by PFC Nick Paluka, USA (V-Mail), and one by Lt. Lloyd
G. Huff, USA.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 63
Container: 7
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Fred and Gloria Wells.
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Annabel Freed (1890?) and Ernest George "E.G." Freed (b. 9/4/1890) lived in Modesto, California as dairy farmers by way of
Abilene, Kansas. They were related to the Huff family. Sergeant Mildred Leona Huff, Women's Army Corps (8/8/1921 - 11/28/2006)
was born in Prescott, Kansas and is the niece of Anna and Ernest. She also had a brother, Lieutenant Lloyd George Huff, United
States Army Air Force (3/17/1918 - 12/19/1968).
Mildred was an auxiliary first class when she wrote her first letter, the Army equivalent of a private first class in the
Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC). By her second letter, she was a sergeant in the WAC after she was promoted and the organization
changed.
While at Fort Sheridan in Illinois, Mildred met Clinton James Jaeger, Jr., from Bayonne, New Jersey. According to their marriage
certificate letters in the collection, the two married the first day of a furlough on April 8, 1943 before he got to meet
her parents, George W. Huff and Violet G. Huff neé Putnam.
Lt. Huff registered for the draft on October 22, 1940 and served with the 68th Fighter Squadron, 412th Fighter Group in the
Pacific Theater and obtained the rank of major before being discharged.
This collection belonged to the Freeds. According to the donors, the Freeds were without children, and when they passed their
possessions were bequeathed to Fred and Gloria Wells.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Anna and Ernest G. Freed Second World War correspondence (2019.100.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 collection contains four letters, including one V-Mail, to Anna and Ernest George "E.G." Freed during the Second World
War. Two letters were written by Sgt. Mildred Jaeger neé Huff, WAC, one by PFC Nick Paluka, USA (V-Mail), and one by Lt. Lloyd
G. Huff, USA.
In the letter dated March 27, 1943, with WAAC letterhead, Sgt. Jaeger discussed some of her activities and mentioned an upcoming
furlough on April 8 which she hoped to spend with her new boyfriend she met on post at Fort Sheridan, Clinton J. "Clint" Jaeger,
with whom she hoped to marry if he was granted a longer furlough. Clint was transferred previously to Lockbourne Air Base
in Columbus, Ohio. In her second letter, she mentioned him serving overseas in England and that Lloyd may be back in the states.
His letter suggests that he was serving in the Pacific Theater. He mentioned Mildred's wedding (the letter is dated ten days
after her marriage) and he also censored his own letter with official censor stamp.
PFC Paluka wrote on July 21, 1944 thanking Ernest, whom he calls George for his middle name, for a harmonica he sent while
Paluka was stationed in New Guinea (the assumption is that it was prior to his current location).
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
Women and war
Women and the military
United States -- Army -- Women's Army Corps
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Pacific Area
United States -- Army -- Women's Army Auxiliary Corps
United States -- Army -- Women's Army Corps
Wells, Fred
Wells, Gloria
Freed, Ernest George, b. 1890
Freed, Annabel, b. 1889 or 1890