Finding Aid for the David Clark Fransen Second World War coconut letter 2016.001.w.r

Andrew Harman

Center for American War Letters Archives

8/30/2016

Leatherby Libraries

Chapman University

Orange, CA 92866

speccoll@chapman.edu

URL: http://www1.chapman.edu/library/archives/

Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives

Title: David Clark Fransen Second World War coconut letter

Creator: Fransen, David C. , Mr. , 1912-1974

Identifier/Call Number: 2016.001.w.r

Physical Description: 0.75 Linear Feet (1 folder, 1 box)

Date: 1943

Abstract: This collection consists of a coconut sent by Capt. David Clark Fransen, USAAF, to his daughter Susan during the Second World War. The collection also contains supplemental material pertaining to Capt. Fransen and his daughter Susan. A photo of Susan and a photo of Capt. Fransen, as well as photocopies of material related to the coconut and Capt. Fransen's military service.

Condition Description: The addresses on the coconut are mostly faded.

Physical Description: The coconut contains a carved face and addresses written in white paint (or white-out). The writing is mostly damaged or fading.

Language of Material: English .

Container: WWII 11

Container: 16

Container: Fransen 1

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Toni C. Fransen.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type:

Series 1, Coconut letter
Series 2, Supplemental materials

Biographical / Historical

Captain David Clark Fransen, United States Army Air Force, was born May 21, 1912 in Cedar Bayou, Chambers County, Texas to his parents Mays David Fransen and Pansy Agusta Clark. He remained in Texas and married Dorothy Householder on June 20, 1937 and they had a daughter, Susan Byers Fransen, on September 24, 1939.

Fransen graduated from Texas A and M and worked at Humble Oil and Refining Company of Houston before joining the United States Army Air Corps on February 15, 1942. After training at Hoffman airborne station in North Carolina, where his wife and daughter joined him, he served as a glider rifle company commander in the airborne infantry in the Philippines. That is where, in 1943, he sent home a coconut with a carved face for his daughter. Capt. Fransen then returned to the United States on April 3, 1945 for further treatment due to a shrapnel wound in his back.

Susan took on a sudden illness later that year and died on August 5, 1945 shortly before her sixth birthday. The Fransens then moved to Houston where they stayed until Capt. Fransen passed away on November 24, 1974.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], David C. Fransen Second World War coconut letter (2016.001.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 consists of a coconut sent by Capt. David C. Fransen, USAAF, to his daughter Susan during the Second World War. The collection also contains a photo of Susan and a photo of Capt. Fransen, as well as photocopies of material related to the coconut and Capt. Fransen's military service.

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

Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945

World War II

World War (1939-1945)

World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines.

World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines -- Mindanao Island.

United States -- Army -- Pacific Theater of Operations

United States. -- Army Air Service

United States. -- Army. -- Air Corps

Military hospitals

World War (1939-1945) -- Hospitals

Battle casualties

box Fransen 1

Series 1, Coconut letter 1943

Physical Description: 0.75 Linear Feet(1 box)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains one coconut sent by Capt. David C. Fransen, USAAF, to his daughter Susan in 1943 during the Second World War. The coconut has a carved face and addresses written on it that are faded or damaged.

box WWII 11, folder 1

Series 2, Supplemental material

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains supplemental material related to Capt. David C. Fransen, USAAF and his daughter Susan during the Second World War. Inventory:

1 coconut, with addresses written in ink, and a face carved into one side

1 photo, b/w, Susan Byers Fransen

1 photo, color, David C. Fransen, in uniform

1 photocopy page, including a copy of Fransen's identification card, a card to his father, and a newsclipping

1 photocopy page, photo of Susan and information about what was written on the coconut

1 label, printed label stand for the coconut displayed for an exhibit