Finding Aid for the Jack P. Bell Second World War correspondence 2014.160.w.rd
John Carlo Encarnacion
Center for American War Letters Archives
11/24/2014
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Jack P. Bell Second World War correspondence
source:
Christian, Shari Bell
Identifier/Call Number: 2014.160.w.rd
Identifier/Call Number: 199
Physical Description:
3 Linear Feet
(6 document boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1936 September 11 - 1946 February 22
Abstract: This collection contains 600 correspondence between Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA and Evabel Bell during the Second World War. Also
included are greeting cards, newspaper clippings, and other documents.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 38
Container: 1-5
Container: 1-5
Container: WWII 39
Container: 1-5
Container: 6-11
Container: WWII 40
Container: 1-5
Container: 10-15
Container: WWII 41
Container: 1-8
Container: 16-23
Container: WWII 42
Container: 1-2
Container: 24-25
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Shari Bell Christian
The Jack P. Bell World War Two correspondence collection is arranged by author, in chronological order.
Series 1, Correspondence from Evabel Bell (1936 - 1946)
Series 2, Correspondence from Jack P. Bell (1943 - 1946)
Series 3, Correspondence from Jack P. Bell's sister (1945)
Series 4, Documents (1941-1946)
Series 5, "Little Things" book
Series 6, Photographs
Private Jack P. Bell, United States Army (9/13/1918 - 7/4/2005) served with 78th Signal Company, 78th Infantry Division of
the United States Army, drafted in late 1942 and discharged March 1946.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Jack P. Bell Second World War correspondence (2014.160.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 is available online in Chapman University's Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/bell_collection/
This collection contains 600 correspondence between Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA and Evabel Bell during the Second World War. Also
in the collection are V-mail, postcards, greeting cards, newspaper clippings, an engraved lead strip, and other documents.
There is also one letter written by Jack's sister and another letter by an unknown author.
Jack P. Bell was a private with 78th Signal Company, 78th Infantry Division of the United States Army drafted in late 1942
and discharged March 1946. The majority of this collection contains correspondence between Jack P. Bell and Evabel Bell. Before
they married on March 1, 1941, Evabel's maiden name was Golechen. Most of their correspondence consisted of topics dealing
with the homefront such as friends and family, their love for each other, jobs and employment. Jack often described his daily
activities while in training.
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
Battle of the Ardennes (1944-1945)
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Germany
World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront
Christian, Shari Bell
Bell, Jack P.
Jack P. Bell's sister
Bell, Evabel
box WWII 38, folder 1-5, folder 1-5, box WWII 39, folder 1-4, folder 6-9
Series 1, Correspondence from Evabel Bell 3864 1936-1946
Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet(9 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains correspondence from Evabel Bell to Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA before and during the Second World War. The
folders contain her letters to Bell from 1936 to 1946. The subjects of the correspondence include general family news, the
homefront, work, and Evabel Bell's daily activities. In their letters they often referred to one another as "fink."
In an undated letter, Evabel includes a newspaper clipping of a story about her. The story was about a farewell party in honor
of Evabel for moving to Cleveland, Ohio the next week.
In another undated letter, Evabel writes to her sister, Isabel, about her feelings for Bell and how she's never liked a boy
this much before.
Of interest is another letter, postmarked August 21, 1937, about Evabel's views on their relationship before they married
and Bell was drafted. She was concerned about their different religious backgrounds; Evabel being Jewish and Bell being non-Jewish.
An engraved lead strip reading "You are always in my heart Jack darling" was included with one of Evabel's letters dated June
15, 1943.
box WWII 39, folder 5, folder 10, box WWII 40, folder 1-5, folder 11-15, box WWII 41, folder 1-6, folder 16-21
Series 2, Correspondence from Jack P. Bell 3865 1943-1946
Physical Description: 1.1 Linear Feet(12 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains correspondence from Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA to Evabel Bell before and during the Second World War. . The
couple referred to any of their short letters as a "Shorty Bell." The subjects in the correspondence include general family
news, the homefront, work, and Evabel Bell's daily activities, as well as training camp, daily routines and duties, and traveling
to different cities and countries. Near the end of the war and afterward, Bell wrote from England, and Hofgeismar and Lich,
two towns in Hesse, Germany.
Of interest is a letter dated March 30, 1943, is a form letter which soldiers can sign their name and send home, but Bell
instead wrote on the other side of the letter and sent it home himself.
Bell often inquired about the condition of the car and the gasoline rationing back home.
box WWII 41, folder 7, folder 22
Series 3, Correspondence from Jack P. Bell's sister 3866 1942-1945
Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains one correspondence to Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA from his sister during the Second World War. The sister's
name is unknown. The subject of the letter involves the homefront: daily activities, friends, and family.
In the letter, the sister mentioned reading about Bell's division, the 78th Division, in the newspaper and about how they
might be going home soon. The sister tells Bell that she and a friend, Betty, saw a stageplay called "Angel Street." She wrote
about an old neighbor named Bill Jones who was in the Navy for the past 2 years and was promoted to a lieutenant.
box WWII 41, folder 8, folder 23
box WWII 42, folder 1, folder 24
Series 5, "Little Things" book 3868 1946
Physical Description: 0.04 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains a bound book called "Little Things" which was was put together by men in the 78th Signal Company at the
conclusion of the Second World Wwar. The book recalls how the 78th Signal Company was put together in late 1942 and chronicles
their training, their trip to England, the Battle of the Bulge, and entering Germany and remaining there until they sailed
home in early 1946.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1939-1945) -- Germany
Battle of the Ardennes (1944-1945)
box WWII 42, folder 2, folder 25
Series 6, Photographs 3869 1941-1944
Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains two photographs, one of Pvt. Jack P. Bell, USA and Evabel Bell when they married on March 1, 1941, and
the second photo of Jack Bell meeting with his brother, Charlie Bell while on leave in London, England.
The photograph of Jack and Evabel is an original and the one of Jack and Charlie is a reproduction of a photograph. Both came
with photocopies.