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Gehring, Edward Donald (Second World War correspondence)
2017.179.w.r  
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box WWII 103, folder 1, folder 1

Series 1, Correspondence to Edward Donald Gehring 1943 January 4 - 1943 January 31

Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains 40 correspondences written to Aviation Machinist's Mate Edward Donald Gehring primarily from his mother Elizabeth, grandmother Ethel, and aunt Madeline in Van Nuys, California. In the letters, they write about missing him while he's in training, catching him up with news from home, collecting letters for him from friends and relatives, being pleased by the Allies' progress in the War, letting him know that "We must see you, love, and we will find a way, so be assured that we all life for you and idolize you", advising him on which kinds of training courses to take part in, having to deal with rations, reminding him to not be too lonely, wanting to hear all sorts of details about his service, awaiting to visit him on furlough, assuring him that his training and skills will ellicit special attention from the officers, expressing praise for President Franklin Roosevelt, spurring him to "Keep your chin up and never say die, you will make the grade after these 3 weeks", anticipating the end of the War that year, dealing with financial issues, telling him to request a tranfer to the Air Corps base in Santa Ana, California (where baseball legend "Joe DiMaggio has enlisted"), reminding him to keep perspective and "let this experience teach you a new way of life", commanding him to go to the infirmary and do something about his cold, his aunt's reentry into the military workforce, awaiting his constantly late mail, keeping up to date with news about the War's progression and saying "What a rejoicing it will be when we all hear the war is over", his friends' attempts to enlist and decision to finish education, and encouraging him to follow through with completing boot camp.
box WWII 103, folder 2, folder 2

Series 2, Correspondence to Edward Donald Gehring 1943 February 1 - 1943 February 27

Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains 23 correspondences written to Aviation Machinist's Mate Edward Donald Gehring primarily from his mother Elizabeth, grandmother Ethel, and aunt Madeline in Van Nuys, California. In the letters, they write about getting the family car repaired, sitting through massive rain and flooding, hoping he'll transfer closer to home after his training, pushing him to do his best even though he is unhappy ("My wish is for you to enter into the spoil [?] of the Navy - Not to defeat yourself in mind and spirit, before your opportunity presents itself"), planning to visit him during training or meet with him if he is able to secure leave, reminding him to keep up with swimming lessons, having to go to the emergency room after Ethel suffers an "awful fall", telling him to write home more often, reminding him to apply for a spot in the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training program, hearing about the Allies' and Russia's progress in Europe, staying steadfast and hopeful ("It is difficult trying to be courageous, When one's only son is at war"), sending care packages and dealing with the rations and lacking basic foodstuffs.
box WWII 103, folder 3, folder 3

Series 3, Correspondence to Edward Donald Gehring 1943 March 2 - 1973 May 13

Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains 45 correspondences written to Aviation Machinist's Mate Edward Donald Gehring primarily from his mother Elizabeth, grandmother Ethel, and aunt Madeline in Van Nuys, California. In the letters, they write about awaiting him to come home for an upcoming visit, congratulating him on his rating promotion, underscoring "the importance of knowning how to swim. [...] Under dangerous circumstances it means the difference between life and death", managing to pay bills and buy groceries without a regular income, informing him of classmates who are now inducted into military service, the Allies' progress in the South Pacific and Russia's progress in Europe, setting up a dentist appointment for him, being disappointed by him not being able to leave and visit, feeling that "Life is filled with trifles and uninteresting people, one reason I believe we have wars", praying that he will be transferred to a base closer to home, worrying that his constant cold will develop into a worse condition, sprucing up the house, his aunt being laid off from work and searching for a new job, telling him not to worry about them back home, finding great joy in the lockets he sent as gifts, reminding him to persist through his training and service no matter "how bad it is now, it can't last", worrying about him as a typhoon passes his post, his grandmother suffering from severe illness and weight loss, awaiting his return home, hearing about the possibility of mandatory military training for all young adults, dealing with unruly neighbors, hoping he is spending his money wisely, losing mail through the post service, warning him to not accidentally "sign any papers that you do not know what it is, as they are coaxing them to reinlist", and mourning Ethel's death.
box WWII 103, folder 4, folder 4

Series 4, Biographical ephemera

Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains biographical information on Elizabeth Gehring, Ethel Wikel, Madeline Woolston, and Ralph Dox. The information was compiled by the donor. No information on Edward Gehring was included.
Elizabeth Margaret Gehring was born on 1 November 1894 in Pennsylvania. In the 1920s, she and her husband, William, lived in Erie, New York. At some point between 1920 and 1930, she became a housekeeper for Ralph Dox and moved into his home in Niagara, New York. William's status is unknown. She relocated to Van Nuys, California, in the mid-1940s to live near her mother. Elizabeth died on 8 April 1983 at the age of 88.
Ethel Elizabeth Wikel was born on 6 April 1874 in Pennsylvania. At some unknown date, she moved to Van Nuys, California with her family. She died on 15 January 1946 at the age of 71.
Madeline Woolston was born in 1907 in Pennsylvania. By 1940, she had moved to Van Nuys, California with the rest of her family.
Ralph Watson Dox was born on 9 May 1885 in Lockport, New York. He attended Columbia University, where he became an officer of the Philharmonic Society and the Barnard Literary Association. Dox graduated from Columbia Law School in 1909 and served as vice counsel to the United States at Nuremberg, Germany. When the United States was drawn into the First World War in 1916, he returned to New York to work in private practice. He lived in Lockport until his death on 3 March 1951 at the age of 65.
Edward Donald Gehring was born on 18 August 1923 in Pennsylvania and died on 12 February 2011 in Van Nuys, California at the age of 87.