Finding Aid for the Alvin W. Koester and Don Engel Second World War correspondence 2022.004.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
1/14/2022
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Alvin W. Koester and Don Engel Second World War correspondence
source:
Durgan, Margaret V. née Schell, d. 2021
Creator:
Koester, Alvin W., PVT
Creator:
Engel, Don, CPL
Identifier/Call Number: 2022.004.w.r
Physical Description:
0.01 Linear Feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1943 November 12 - 1945 August 20
Abstract: This collection contains three letters to Margaret V. Schell from Pvt. Alvin W. Koester, USA and Cpl. Don Engel, USMC during
the Second World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 157
Container: 6
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Margaret V. Schell Durgan.
This collection is arranged chronologically.
According to the donor, the two correspondents were classmates of Margaret in at Ellensburg High School in Ellensburg, Washington.
They both shipped out of Seattle to Texas, California, and Ohio.
Private Alvin W. "Al" Koester, United States Army trained with 4th Platoon, Company B, 63rd Battalion, 13th Regiment at Camp
Fannin, Texas and went to school with Company A, 1555th Service Unit.
Corporal Don Engel, United States Marine Corps served overseas with Headquarters and Service Battery, 3rd Battalion, 13 Marine
Regiment, 5th Marine Division.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Alvin W. Koester and Don Engel Second World War correspondence (2022.004.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 URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains three letters to Margaret V. Schell from Pvt. Alvin W. "Al" Koester, USA and Cpl. Don Engel, USMC
during the Second World War.
Koester wrote two letters, dated November 12 and December 13, 1943. The first was written on the penultimate day of basic
training from Camp Fannin, Texas. He mentions marching to the city of Tyler to participate in a parade, proud of their marching
as the least trained company in the regiment, a change in his address, and a picture of the company he sent to his mother.
The second letter was written at the University of Cincinnati and discusses 35 hours of classes, including chemistry, physics,
and other mathematics, and hoping to stay there as it is better than Texas. He also mentions dances and formals at school
and asks Margaret about her prom, not making it home on a seven-day furlough he was granted and having to stay there without
seeing home for at least another year-and-a-half.
Engel wrote from overseas on August 20, 1945. He mentions the atomic bomb saying, "The first news of the A-bomb and the armistice
sort of surprised everyone and the anxiety of waiting for the final news has kept everyone on edge." He also mentions having
no sympathy for new soldiers getting sent to Europe for occupation, because that will help veterans return home sooner.
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
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
Durgan, Margaret V. née Schell, d. 2021