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Malbrain, John P. (Second World War correspondence)
2017.303.w.r
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Table of contents
box WWII 64, folder 1-3, folder 1-3
Series 1, Correspondence from John P. Malbrain 1944 September 9 - 1945 November 27
Physical Description: .3 Linear Feet(4 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This collection contains correspondence from John P. Malbrain to his wife Jeanne Malbrain while John was stationed on the
U.S.S. Egeria and later when he was recovering from an unspecified injury in a U.S. Naval hospital. His later letters detail
his journey home to San Francisco and his feelings about the end of the war.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
United States. -- Navy
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
box WWII 64, folder 4-5, folder 4-5, box WWII 65, folder 1-3, folder 6-8
Series 2, Correspondence from Jeanne Malbrain 1945 January 24 - 1945 June 20
Physical Description: .3 Linear Feet(4 folders)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains correspondence from Corporal Jeanne Malbrain to her husband John Malbrain. In her letters, Jeanne discusses
her life at Fort Myer, Virginia, during her time in the Women's Army Corps. She talks about her work cooking for the men on
the base as well as her training and her relationships with the other personnel on the base, including an ongoing feud she
seems to have had with another woman about the quality of Jeanne's cooking.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
United States -- Army -- Women's Army Corps
box WWII 65, folder 4, folder 9
Series 3, Other correspondence 1944 September 23 - 1951 March 21
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This collection contains correspondence from 8 different authors. The first set of letters is from Joe C. Malbrain, John's
father, to John. His letters, signed as Mother and Dad, discuss the events of their lives and the actions of other family
members, along with Jeanne's family members. They also sent a birthday card to Jeanne dated 6 February 1945.
The next set of letters is addressed from Marion Dockstader, Jeanne's sister, to John. She mostly tells stories about her
job, going around with her sister Jeanne, and her dates with men on the base.
Another set of letters is addressed from Norman "Goldie" Goldenberg, John's friend and a fellow radio and radar technician.
He discusses being in San Francisco with his wife Shirley and mentions taking classes on new radar technology. Goldie also
discusses his worries about his friends overseas, especially John since his ship often went directly into warzones. One of
Goldie's letters is addressed to Jeanne talking about John's status. He tries to ease her fears about the work John is doing
on the ship.
The next letter is addressed to John from Helen Hagen of Station KXOK, St. Louis. She writes about her work at the radio station,
especially about one particular incident where she woke up three hours late and was almost fired.
Another letter is addressed from Jesse and Lee Willingham- apparently friends of John's parents. They discuss having visited
with Jeanne and ask how John is doing.
The next letter is addressed from Milly Thurnbeek, apparently a friend of Jeanne's, to John. She discusses her life in St.
Paul, Minnesota. She talks about being enrolled at the Home Management House there in the city and taking a 6-week course
on home economics. She also talks about how much she loves Minnesota.
The following letter is from Jeanne's mother to John. She talks about being lonely now that her children are out of the house
and many of them are in the military. She also mentions that Jeanne has told her that John might be eligible for special training
in a few months, and she expresses her hopes that John would be able to stay with them for a time.
There are two birthday cards to Jeanne from her parents and a friend named Laura Morgan.
Another letter is addressed to Jeanne from Mary Chitwood. Mary discusses her life outside the WAC's and her recent divorce.
She talks about her lonliness and wonders if she will ever marry or enter the Army again.
The series also contains two empty envelopes, one addressed to Jeanne from someone in Sunnyvale, CA, and the other is addressed
to Doyle Worley, aboard the U.S.S. Egeria- no return address.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945)
box WWII 65, folder 5, folder 10
Series 4, Photographs
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This collection contains a photograph, a photo strip, and a small bag of photos and negatives.
The photograph shows a man in Navy blues and a woman in a military uniform standing arm-in-arm under a war memorial of some
kind.
The photostrip appears to be from a photo booth and shows two women in military uniforms smiling for the camera.
The bag contains headshots of two men, and the negatives show several presentation poster boards for television antennae installation.
These posters are marked, "A Typical Student Installation Team" with the headshots of the two men below and some text, "Meet
the Staff," under which John Malbrain is pictured alongside two other men, "Our Consultants" picturing two other men, and
"Televison Service Company" picturing a map and some text.
All of the photos are unlabeled.
box WWII 65, folder 6, folder 11
Series 5, Newspaper clippings
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.
This series contains two newspaper clippings included with letters from Joe C. Malbrain to John.
The first clipping from the letter dated April 10, 1945 shows the outcome of an election fraud case in Harlan county, Kentucky.
The second clipping from the letter dated May 22, 1945 shows a photograph of factory workers waving at the camera. The man
in the middle of the photograph has been marked with an "X."
The clippings are undated.
box WWII 65, folder 7, folder 12
Series 6, Ephemera
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.
This series contains two receipts for checks received aboard the U.S.S. Egeria, each of $100. This series also contains three
postcards, unmarked, announcing the birth of John and Jeanne Malbrain's first son Karl Steven Malbrain in 1950. The last item
in the series is a pamphlet explaining Public Law 346 passed in 1944.