Finding Aid for the John W. Coyle, Jr. Second World War correspondence 2017.246.w.r

Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
2/22/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: John W. Coyle, Jr. Second World War correspondence
source: Morrow, Kathy
Creator: Coyle, John W., Jr., Sergeant, 1917-2000
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.246.w.r
Physical Description: .08 Linear feet (1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1943 April 22 - 1945 January 12
Abstract: This collection contains six correspondence written by Sergeant James W. Coyle, Jr., United States Army Air Force to his sister, Rosemary, during the Second World War.
Language of Material: English .
Container: WWII 146
Container: 8
Container: 1

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Kathy Morrow.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in chronological order.

Biographical / Historical

Sergeant James W. Coyle, Jr., United States Army Air Force (1/29/1917 - 11/17/2000) was born in Corsica, South Dakota to John E. and Rose Coyle. He had three brothers, Paul, Eugene (Gene) and Peter, and two sisters, Rosemary and Joy Ann. According to the donor, both Gene and Peter served in the Korean War.
The family lived in South Dakota and Iowa before John joined the Army Air Force on February 21, 1942. He left the US head for Trinidad on March 26 and returned a year later on May 27, 1943. He then left the US again for France on March 23, 1944. He served in France with the 22nd Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group until he returned on October 12, 1945. He was discharged on October 23. (this information from his application to the state of Iowa for World War II service compensation, and the 1940 census, available at ancestry.com).

Preferred Citation

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], John W. Coyle, Jr. Second World War correspondence (2017.246.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.

Content Description

This collection contains six correspondence written by Sgt. John W. Coyle, Jr., USAAF to his sister, Rosemary, during the Second World War.The first letter is an Easter card in April 1943. The rest of his letters describe the cold weather while he is in training in the United States, after having spent warm months in Trinidad, and later in France. Rosemary was working at a plant in Long Beach, California and later found a better job in 1944 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Sgt. Coyle thanks her in two letters for the Christmas package she sent, and also mentions that France "is pretty country" [sic] and that the people "keep Sunday very holy," as they dress their best and all go to church.

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.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945) -- France
United States -- Army -- Air Forces
Morrow, Kathy
Windham née Coyle, Rosemary , b. 1922