Finding Aid for the Robert P. Ebersole Second World War correspondence 2023.054.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
5/30/2023
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Robert P. Ebersole Second World War correspondence
source:
Holtorf, Linda
Creator:
Ebersole, Robert Pelot , Lieutenant, 1922-2005
Identifier/Call Number: 2023.054.w.r
Physical Description:
0.01 Linear Feet
(1 folder)
Date: 1945 May 21
Abstract: This collection contains one letter from Lt. Robert P. "Ebby" Ebersole, USA to Agnes Heil née Wright during the Second World
War. The letter was written in condolence of her son Robert J. "Bob" Heil, USA who was killed in a car crash overseas.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 33
Container: 16
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Linda Holtorf.
Lieutenant Robert P. "Ebby" Ebersole, United States Army (7/29/1922 - 10/1/2005) was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Glen and
Dora Ebersole along with three siblings including his younger sister Dorothy, mentioned in the letter. The family lived in
Arcadia, Florida and Robert was a college graduate who served in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War as a Liaison
Pilot for Headquarters Battery, Field Artillery Battalion. He lived in Florida for decades with his wife Barbara (married
1951) before he moved to Walnut Creek, CA where he passed away in 2005 at the age of 82.
First Lieutenant Robert J. "Bob" Heil, United States Army (1923 - 5/21/1945) was born in Hamilton, Ohio to Agnes and Clifford
Heil. He served with the 655th Field Artillery Battalion in the Pacific Theater. He died after an accidental car crash in
Forth McKinley, Manila, Philippines in May 1945.
This collection was found by the donor amongst the papers of their grandmother Winnifred Parsons née Wright.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Robert P. Ebersole Second World War correspondence (2023.054.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 one letter from Lt. Robert P. "Ebby" Ebersole, USA to Agnes Heil née Wright during the Second World
War. The letter was written in condolence of her son 1st Lt. Robert J. "Bob" Heil, USA of Ohio who served as a liaison pilot
in the Pacific Theater and was killed in a car crash. The letter was evidently copied for family after the fact, as he mentions
writing it illegibly while sitting up in bed.
The letter was dated May 21, written by hand in his hospital bed at Fort McKinley in Manila, Philippines only hours after
the death of Robert Heil. It explains that Heil had come to visit Ebersole in the hospital, whose plane had crashed in the
water just the day before. Heil visited and then honked as he drove off, soon after being thrown from the jeep from a possible
collision with an amphibious vehicle; though Ebersole admits nobody was sure what happened.
Heil was given a bed next to Ebersole and apart from some head trauma and being knocked unconcious, appeared largely unhurt.
He later awoke and explained that he was not in pain, but the doctors understood he had at least a concussion and perhaps
other complications and wanted him to lie still where he talked a little with Ebersole. He passed away later that night after
his pulse dropped in his sleep, apparently painlessly.
The letter details the day's events and how Heil sought religious comfort from his Catholic rosary and a priest, giving confession
and being given last rites in the night before he passed after midnight, in the early hours of May 21. Ebersole consoles his
mother in the letter by extolling the virtures of Robert Heil and explaining his lack of pain or suffering.
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)
Death notification
War -- Death notification
World War (1939-1945) -- Pacific Area
World War (1939-1945) -- Pacific islands
United States -- Army -- Pacific Theater of Operations
World War (1939-1945) -- Hospitals
Military hospitals
Religious thought -- 20th Century
Christianity
Holtorf, Linda
Heil, Robert J., First Lieutenant, 1923-1945