Fee, William (Second World War correspondence)

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Fee, William (Second World War correspondence)

2014.050.w.r

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Table of contents

box WWII 3, folder 1-5, box WWII 4, folder 6-8

Series 1, Correspondence from William Fee. 3272 1943-1945

Physical Description: 0.63 Linear Feet(8 folders)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence from PFC William Fee, USA during the Second World War. The bulk of the material is addressed to his father Dwight Fee and discusses William's daily routines in the Army. This series contains letters and casual notes, hand drawn diagrams and a few magazines clippings. Subjects of conversation include, training with an assortment of weapons, types of drills, various training exercises, deployment to France and recovery from being wounded.

Of interest are a series of hand-written notes by William Fee, comparing weapons specifications and training practices for different types of weapons. For example, Fee compares the older style Thompsons model 1921 A1 and M1 sub-machineguns to the newer style M3 Grease Gun. Topics such as weight, rate of fire, magazine capacity and overall layout are discussed. These can be found in folders 4 and 5 in box 1.

Also of interest are the letters from William concerning his recovery process while in the hospital after being wounded by a landmine.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945) -- Battlefields -- France

World War (1939-1945) -- Campaigns -- France -- Normandy.

World War (1939-1945) -- Equipment and supplies

World War (1939-1945) -- Casualties

Battle casualties

box WWII 4, folder 9-11

Series 2, Correspondence to William Fee. 3273 1945

Physical Description: 0.25 Linear Feet(5 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence to PFC William Fee, USA during the Second World War. The bulk of the material was written by his father Dwight Fee and concentrates on gathering information on William's daily routines and his life in the Army.

Being a former infantry soldier in the First World War, Dwight spends the bulk of these letters sending typed questionnaires and asking for information regarding his son's current training practices, weapons, gear and procedures. He makes numerous comparisons of his days as a foot soldier and the newer practices of the U.S. Army in the 1940s.

This series also contains letters from Dwight regarding Williams recovery after being wounded from an exploding landmine.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945)

Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945

World War (1939-1945) -- Casualties

Battle casualties

box WWII 5, folder 38

Series 3, Correspondence to Dwight Fee. 3274 1945 June

Physical Description: 0.2 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence to Dwight Fee from his wife Lucille Fee during their son's hospital recovery during the Second World War, regarding PFC William Fee, USA in June 1945.

In these letters, Lucille keeps Dwight up-to-date on William's condition.

Of interest is one Father's Day card sent to Dwight Fee, in 1945.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945) -- Hospitals

box WWII 5, folder 39

Series 4, William Fee Retrospective Diary. 3275 1944-1945

Physical Description: 0.2 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains a transcription of a retrospective diary written by William Fee regarding his service during the Second World War entitled, "With the Eleventh Armored Division in the Battle of the Bulge". In this diary, Fee gives a detailed account of his experience as a PFC (private first class), in the light machine gun squad of the 55th Armored Infantry Battalion, 11th Armored Division. This diary recounts the Ardennes campaign, December 1944 through January 1945. The diary focuses on the 11th Armored Divisions time in combat and provides some additional details of William's military deployment.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945) -- Equipment and supplies

World War (1939-1945) -- Battlefields -- France

box WWII 5, folder 40

Series 5, Correspondence and Documents - Miscellaneous 3391

Physical Description: 0.2 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence and documents of the Fee family. The majority of these correspondence deal with William Fee's Army service and promotion as well as the wounds he sustained in March of 1945.

This series also includes letters from Dwight Fee, written to William Fee's commanding officers and higher ranking military brass associated with the army infantry.

NOTE: See also 2014-049-w-r Dwight Fee First World War correspondence, Series 3, for more materials by William Fee.

Box 3:

Folder 5 Jan. 1943 - Mar. 1946

Subjects and Indexing Terms

World War (1939-1945) -- Public opinion

World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront

Collection Contents

Series 1, Correspondence from William Fee.

Series 2, Correspondence to William Fee.

Series 3, Correspondence to Dwight Fee.

Series 4, William Fee Retrospective Diary.

Series 5, Correspondence and Documents - Miscellaneous