Finding Aid for the Franklin Ohr Second World War correspondence 2017.057.w.r

Sharon Clairemont
Center for American War Letters Archives
2/2/2018
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Franklin Ohr Second World War correspondence
Creator: Franklin Ohr
Creator: Zella Ohr
source: Tim Ohr
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.057.w.r
Physical Description: .5 Linear feet (16 folders)
Date (inclusive): 1944 July 10 - 1945 August 20
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence and photographs from Sgt. Franklin Ohr, USA during his service in the Second World War.
Language of Material: English .
Container: WWII 112
Container: 1-7
Container: 1-7
Container: WWII 113
Container: 1-9
Container: 8-16

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Tim Ohr.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type, author and date.
  • Series 1, Correspondence from Franklin Ohr to Zella Ohr
  • Series 2, Correspondence from Zella Ohr to Franklin Ohr
  • Series 3, Ephemera
  • Series 4, Photographs
  • Series 5, Books

Biographical / Historical

From Tim Ohr on donor form: "Franklin grew up in Union, New Jersey, and was an Eagle Scout. He had three brothers. One, Milton F. Ohr, served in Europe as an anti-aircraft gunner. They saw each other in Europe, described in letter. Franklin moved to Florida after the war and became a builder. Zella met Franklin at a Fort Knox USO dance while living in Louisville. She was born in Glasgow, KY." Brothers - Norman T. Ohr and Milton F. Ohr Zella Turner Ohr - b. July 20, 1915 - d. June 20, 2005 Married Oct. 28, 1944. From the Louisville Courier-Journal, Oct 1, 1944: "Mrs. Annie Turner, 1514 Olive Street, announces the engagement of her daughter, Miss Zella Turner, to Sgt- Franklin C. Ohr, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ohr, Union, N. J. The wedding will take place on October 28 in Douglass Boulevard Christian Church."

Access Information

Donor irrevocably transfers, conveys, and assigns to Chapman University all Intellectual Property Rights for the Donated Materials with the exception of books by Tim Ohr. For more information, consult original donation form.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Franklin C. Ohr Second World War correspondence (2017.057.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 correspondence and photographs from Sgt. Franklin Ohr, USA while serving with the 17th Army Postal Unit during the Second World War. Franklin Ohr wrote to his wife, Zella. There are also three letters from Zella to Franklin. The photographs, 1942 - 1945, include images of Ohr and places he was stationed or visited in the United States and Europe. The collection also includes two copies of the book "Under the Gun: They Will Be Legend" by Tim Ohr, Franklin and Zella's son.

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. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
World War (1939-1945) -- Victory in Europe Day (VE Day)
World War (1939-1945) -- France
Tim Ohr

box WWII 112, folder 1-7, folder 1-7, box WWII 113, folder 1-2, folder 8-9

Series 1, Correspondence from Franklin Ohr to Zella Ohr 1944-1945

Physical Description: .3 Linear Feet(9 folders)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from Sgt. Franklin Ohr, USA to his wife Zella Ohr during the Second World War. It includes handritten and typed letters and V-mail. The earliest letter in the series, July 1944, is written to Zella Turner, asking for a date. Most of the correspondence begins after their Oct. 28, 1944 marriage. The first letter, Nov. 26, 1944, is written from Cincinnati, OH while traveling to Ft. Devens, MA. On Nov. 28 he writes his letters are censored and he is unable to tell her anything about what he is doing or where he is.
Dec. 2, 1944 he writes of visiting his family in New Jersey. He writes of his love and missing her, inquires about family, Christmas shopping. -- December 25, 1944 - "Today was Christmas - it wasn't so bad considering I spent it on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic." December 31, 1944 - writing from England where he writes of his work sorting mail, of the cold weather, visiting pubs, a sight-seeing trip to London - "number 10 Downing Street just looked like an old house that needed a good coat of paint."
He writes of movies he's seen and songs on the radio. By March 8, 1945 he is in France. He writes of moving camp, of the "town crier," of former schoolmates killed or wounded in action, letters received and sent, activities of friends and relatives, movies he sees, playing cards and volleyball, the weather, describes the French house he is living in with other soldiers, reminisces about how they met at a dance. April 28, 1945 - He writes about it being their 6 month wedding anniversary.
May 2, 1945 - he asks her what she thinks of the news of Hitler's death. May 6 he writes about the town's preparations for celebrating the end of the war; tells her he's changed his mind about wearing a wedding ring and would like her to give him one for his birthday on June 29. On May 7 he writes about the previous day's celebration of the end of the war in Europe. May 11 - he writes he is finally allowed to write about where he is stationed; he is in Bar le Duc, France, "about 35 miles south of Verdun."
June 4 - he sends a postcard from Paris. In his June 6 letter he describes his visit to Paris, of inflated prices and sightseeing. June 14 "... we don't have much to do. I guess we will be pretty sick of this kind of life before we get out of here." June 18 - "...now that I know we are Pacific bound, I have a let down feeling because it looks like we will be stuck in this Army a long time."
June 29 he writes about a visit to Camp Washington near Laon, France. In July letters they share thoughts about adoption. Jly 19 - He writes about a visit from his brother Milt who was stationed at Metz.
August 19, 1945 is his last letter in the series and gives no indication of his homecoming.
box WWII 113, folder 3, folder 10

Series 2, Correspondence from Zella Ohr to Franklin Ohr 1944-1945

Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains three letters from Zella Ohr to Sgt. Franklin Ohr, USA during the Second World War. The letters were written Dec. 1, 1944, Jan. 10, 1945 and Jan. 20, 1945. She writes from home in Louisville, KY. She writes of buying pearl earrings as his intended gift for her and of other Christmas shopping. She writes about working and of being sick, about their friends' and family's health and activities, housekeeping, radio programs and songs on the hit parade.
box WWII 113, folder 4, folder 11

Series 3, Ephemera

Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains a registered mail receipt (Feb. 14, 1945) and a Red Cross map and program for London, England, Jan. 27, 1945.
box WWII 113, folder 5-8, folder 12-15

Series 4, Photographs 1942-1945

Physical Description: .075 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains photographs of Sgt. Franklin Ohr, USA and his family, friends, and fellow soldiers, as well as scenery and buildings in the United States, England and France. The photographs are informal, mostly snapshots. Most are identified or dated on the reverse. The earliest dated photos are identified as at Fort Dix (NJ) in May 1942. Images depict Army camps, soldiers, scenery in Washington (Puget Sound, Snoqualmie), unidentified camp in England, and Paris, Rouen and Camp Twenty Grand in France. There are several undated photographs of Franklin Ohr in uniform, and several unidentified post-war photos of friends and of an "Honor Roll" sign bearing the names of Milton Ohr and Franklin Ohr. People photographed next to the Honor Roll sign are unidentified, but likely family members.
box WWII 113, folder 9, folder 16

Series 5, Books 2008

Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains two paperback copies of "Under the Gun: They Will Be Legend," by Tim Ohr, 2008, World Publications.