Box 01
Container
Contains 19 Collections and/or Records:
Letters to Kern, 1942 - 1945
Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1
Scope and Contents
This series contains letters that were written to Elmer F. Kern Jr from numerous people including family members and friends. In these letters, the senders told Elmer about their days, about what is happening in their lives, asking him how things are going, and other small conversation points. These letters were sent to him while he was at Purdue and to him at his numerous placements while in the military. Most of the letters remain in their original envelopes, so note the numerous different...
Dates:
1942 - 1945
From Mother, 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 1
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 1
Scope and Contents
In this file, there are eleven V-Mail letters addressed to Elmer from his mother, Myrt, dating from March 23 to April 23 of 1945. Nine of them are in their original envelopes, with all of them with the stamp "deceased" on the back of the V-mail letters. They arrived in Germany at their base after Elmer's death, so they were never opened by her son. They were opened by Thomas B. Black, who signed the "deceased" stamps. Thomas Black is also mentioned in the photographs that were sent by...
Dates:
1945
From Father, 1941 - 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 2
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 2
Scope and Contents
In this file, there are five telegrams and five V-Mail letters from Dad, Elmer Sr., to Elmer Jr. with three of them with their original envelopes from the Embarkation Army Post Office. The last three letters are stamped "deceased" on the back of the letter, signed by Thomas B. Black (Elmer's personnel officer). The envelopes are stamped with the following; "the inclosed v-mail letter is returned because it was undeliverable at the address shown or to which forwarded". The five telegrams are...
Dates:
1941 - 1945
From Ruth, 1943 - 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 3
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 3
Scope and Contents
This file includes letters written to Elmer Jr from his older sister, Ruth Catherine Kern. She graduated from Proviso High School in 1937 and went into the work force. She wrote letters to him while he was at Purdue, at liaison flying school in Kansas, at Fort Sill, at Camp Cooke, and overseas. There are letters in nine envelopes and one v-mail letter included in this subseries.
Dates:
1943 - 1945
From Miss Ethel Kern, 1944 - 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 4
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 4
Scope and Contents
Miss Ethel Kern is Elmer Jr's aunt. In this file, there is one letter dated March 22, 1944 and one v-mail letter that has no date.
Dates:
1944 - 1945
From Mrs. W.C. Rogers, 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 5
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 5
Scope and Contents
Mrs W.C. Rogers, also referred to as “Audrey Sr” in her letters, is Elmer Jr's aunt and mother of Miss Audrey M Hunt and Miss Annie Lee Hunt, whose letters are also featured in this collection. In this folder, there are three envelopes. The first envelope postmarked March 21, 1944 has six letters dating from February 11, 1944 to April 7, 1944 and one postcard with the front drawing described as "huge hammer head crane, one of the largest of its kind, U.S. Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington". The...
Dates:
1945
From Miss Audrey M Hunt, 1944
File — Box: 01, Folder: 6
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 6
Scope and Contents
Miss Audrey M Hunt, also referred to as “Audrey Jr” in her letters, is a cousin of Elmer Jr, a daughter of Mrs W.C. Rogers, and older sister of Miss Annie Lee Hunt, whose letters are also featured in this collection.
In this folder, there are four envelopes with numerous letters. The first envelope is postmarked April 17, 1944 with six letters dating from around New Year's time of 1943 to April 15, 1944 and two photographs of Audrey Jr and Annie Lee. The second envelope is...
Dates:
1944
From Miss Annie Lee Hunt, 1943 - 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 7
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 7
Scope and Contents
Miss Annie Lee Hunt is a cousin of Elmer Jr, a daughter of Mrs. W.C. Rogers, and younger sister of Miss Audrey M Hunt, whose letters are also featured in this collection. In this folder, there are five envelopes. The first envelope is postmarked April 17, 1944 and contains seven letters with two of them dated December 18, 1943 and March 2, 1944 and the other five letters are undated. Also included in this envelope is a potrait of herself. The second envelope is postmarked October...
Dates:
1943 - 1945
From Sergeant J.R. Willer, 1942 - 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 8
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 8
Scope and Contents
Sergeant J.R. Willer, also referred to as “Jack” in his letters, also attended Proviso High School, the same school that Elmer attended. Jack graduated in 1941 and attended Northwestern University. He served in the Marine Corp at the same time that Elmer served.
In his letters to Elmer, a close friendship is evident between the two at this time. Jack told Elmer about his days and shared some tidbits of information such as that he was working in the Ordinance Plant at his placement, taking...
Dates:
1942 - 1945
From Private Donald F Schwarz, 1944
File — Box: 01, Folder: 9
Identifier: MSA394, Series 1, File 9
Scope and Contents
Donald Schwarz, also referred to as “Don” in his letters, attended Purdue University and was in ROTC with Elmer. In his two letters to Elmer, Don states that he is “in the Army now” and was in the Infantry in Georgia both dated in June of 1944. Don tells Elmer about his first night at Fort Devens and that he liked how they passed out the raincoats, shaving equipment kits, and towels. He talks about how the next morning they went and saw a show about how the Army places you. From there, they...
Dates:
1944
From Mildred, 1944
File — Box: 01, Folder: 10
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 10
Scope and Contents
Mrs. F.W. Lytle, also referred to as “Mildred” in her letter, is married to Bill with young children at the time of this letter. It is unclear what the relationship is between Elmer and this couple. In this letter, Mildred tells him that they were glad that he spent a weekend with them in Hollywood, California. This is presumably right before he arrived at Camp Beale and asked about his trip through San Francisco. No other information is known about Mildred at this time.
This folder contains...
Dates:
1944
From Rose, 1944
File — Box: 01, Folder: 11
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 11
Scope and Contents
Rose, also known as Mrs. V.W. Lawrence, is Elmer Jr's aunt. There is mention of Mildred and Audrey (both also in this series), in a couple of her letters to Elmer. In her letters, she talks about her life updates and asks how Elmer is doing. She made a couple of comments of how she hopes he stays in the country, and provides updates on her son, Edward Lawrence, as he is in the military as well. No other information is known about Rosie at this time.
This folder contains thirteen letters...
Dates:
1944
From Fran, 1942
File — Box: 01, Folder: 12
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 12
Scope and Contents
Fran is a friend from his hometown (Maywood, Illinois), and she wrote to him while he was at Purdue. In her letters, she talks about Ruth, his dad, and Jack (all are also included in this series). She works a job and still lives in Maywood. Not much else is known about her.
This folder contains two letters with one unknown date and the second one dated August 12, 1942 in two envelopes postmarked April 22, 1942 and July 16, 1942. Also included is an undated Valentine’s Day card.
Dates:
1942
From Ensign E.A. Mahood, 1944
File — Box: 01, Folder: 13
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 13
Scope and Contents
Ensign E A Mahood, also referred to as “Betty Mahood”, wrote a letter to Elmer on a piece of paper with “W.A.V.E.S United States Navy” as the header.
This folder contains one letter dated April 16, 1944 in one envelope postmarked April 18, 1944.
Dates:
1944
From Proviso Township High School, 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 14
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 14
Scope and Contents
His old high school sent Elmer a booklet for the Christmas season of pictures of classmates and a few quotes from classmates. Also included is a little slip of the high school saying that they did not have his current military address in time, so they sent the booklet after the holiday.
This folder contains one booklet dated December 1944 and the slip of paper dated January 1945 in an envelope postmarked January 10, 1945.
Dates:
1945
From First Methodist Church of Maywood, 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 15
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 15
Scope and Contents
This envelope contains volume 3, number 2 issue of the “Proxy” dated February 1945. The “Proxy” was a newsletter dedicated to the servicemen of the First Methodist Church of Maywood. It has updates about the different servicemen such as where they are located or what they are doing. It also has updates about news about people in Maywood such as baptisms, vacations, and other exciting news like that. It is also stated that “Elmer Kern’s family has moved to Van Nuys, California.” Also included in...
Dates:
1945
Holiday and Celebration cards, 1943 - 1944
File — Box: 01, Folder: 16
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 16
Scope and Contents
Card from “E McCombs”: E McCombs, also referred to as Emma in her card, and Rollin sent a congratulatory card to Elmer on his graduation from Purdue. No information is known about the relationship as of right now.Card from “Edna, Merrill, and Weldon”: This envelope contains a congratulatory card on Elmer’s graduation from Purdue from Edna, Merrill, and Weldon. Weldon and Edna are his aunt and uncle, and Merrill is his cousin. Card from “Dad, Mother, and Ruth”: Included...
Dates:
Majority of material found within 1943 - 1944
From Purdue University , 1941 - 1945
File — Box: 01, Folder: 17
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 1, File 17
Scope and Contents
From the Series:
This series contains letters that were written to Elmer F. Kern Jr from numerous people including family members and friends. In these letters, the senders told Elmer about their days, about what is happening in their lives, asking him how things are going, and other small conversation points. These letters were sent to him while he was at Purdue and to him at his numerous placements while in the military. Most of the letters remain in their original envelopes, so note the numerous different...
Dates:
1941 - 1945
Elmer F. Kern, Jr. papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSA 394
Scope and Contents
The Elmer F. Kern, Jr. papers contain more than four hundred and fifty letters, including twenty-four v-mail letters, written to and from Kern and loved ones. In his letters to family members and friends, he describes his life in vivid details from when he was a student at Purdue University, from his different assignments in the Air Corps, and until his death in Germany. His letters show the different envelopes represent the numerous places he has been with different sender addresses and types...
Dates:
1938 - 1945