Box 06
Container
Contains 11 Collections and/or Records:
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
Letters to Kern Family, 1945
Series — Box: 06
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3
Scope and Contents
This series contains correspondence sent by family, family friends, old neighbors, the War Department, and Elmer Jr's military friends. The correspondence sent by family and loved ones was separated by date into two subseries; before they found out about news of Elmer Jr's death and after.
Dates:
1945
From Relatives and Friends prior Kern's death, 1941 - 1945
File — Box: 06, Folder: 1
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 1
Scope and Contents
The letters were sent to Elmer Jr's family before news about his death was shared. There are five envelopes. There is one letter from 1941, which was sent by Emma McCombs. It was an invitation card to Mr. Rollin Koenig McCombs's Commencement from the University of Colorado (August 23, 1941). There are four other letters. One is from Edward Lawrence, who is closely related to Rose who is also featured in this collection. Rose talks about Edward a lot in her letters, giving Elmer Jr updates...
Dates:
1941 - 1945
From Relatives and Friends after Kern's death, 1945
File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 2
Scope and Contents
Correspondence in this folder were received by Elmer Jr's family after news about Elmer Jr's death was shared. There are numerous cards and letters relatives, old neighbors, and band directors (high school and Purdue) dating from April 27, 1945 to September 26, 1945 sharing their sympathies. There are fourty-nine envelopes in this folder.
Dates:
1945
From War Department, 1945
File — Box: 06, Folder: 4
Identifier: MSP 314, Series 2, File 3
Scope and Contents
This folder contains correspondence from the War Department and military officials to Elmer Jr's parents. There are letters from chaplains, a personal affairs officer of Birmingham Hospital, the General Accounting Office, the Veterans Administration, and the Army Effects Bureau of Kansas City. Most of the correspondence is details regarding his death at his parent's request. It is revealed that his family was notified about Elmer's death through a wire but was not given any details. Gathering...
Dates:
1945
From Lieutenant Willis Schalliol, 1945
File — Box: 06, Folder: 5
Identifier: MSP 314, Series 2, File 4
Scope and Contents
Lieutenant Willis Lee Schalliol was close friends with Elmer, and they both were in World War II. They lived side by side for the last five months of Elmer’s life for they shared a tent with their personnel officer, Thomas Black. They became “very good friends in every sense of the word”. He wrote numerous letters to Elmer’s family after Elmer’s death. He shared memories, photographs, and information regarding Elmer’s death with his family to help them find solace and peace. He also wrote a...
Dates:
1945
From Major Robert Joseph Low, 1945
File — Box: 06, Folder: 6
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 5
Scope and Contents
Major Robert Joseph Low is the man who identified Elmer’s body after he was shot down. In his letter, he reassures the family that it was Elmer and that he was the one who identified him, per Lieutenant Schalliol’s request. He ran into Schalliol as he was changing ports and Schalliol shared that his family would like his assurance. Also in his letters, he provides a decriptive explain about location, who was with him, and other details at the time of his death. He also shared that “they”...
Dates:
1945
From Weldon McLemore, 1943 - 1945
File — Box: 06, Folder: 7
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 6
Scope and Contents
Weldon McLemore is Myrt’s brother, also known as Elmer Jr’s uncle. This folder includes two letters from Weldon and two letters to Weldon. The two letters from Weldon are dated May 28, 1945 and April 28, 1945. The second letter is him and his wife, Edna, sending their sympathies.
Myrt sent a heart wrenching letter that she typed out sharing her thoughts surrounding Elmer’s death. She shared that his dad and sister had dreams about him dying the night before his death, and shared her anger...
Dates:
1943 - 1945
From Ruth, 1937 - 1944
File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 7
Scope and Contents
This folder consists of letters written by Ruth to her parents while attending Dodd College in Shreveport, Lousiana. This subseries contains six letters and one telegram.
Dates:
1937 - 1944
From Mayor William O'Dwyer of City of New York, 1949
File — Box: 06, Folder: 10
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 8
Scope and Contents
From the Series:
This series contains correspondence sent by family, family friends, old neighbors, the War Department, and Elmer Jr's military friends. The correspondence sent by family and loved ones was separated by date into two subseries; before they found out about news of Elmer Jr's death and after.
Dates:
1949
From Edward Elliott, President of Purdue University, 1945
File — Box: 06, Folder: 11
Identifier: MSA 394, Series 3, File 9
Scope and Contents
From the Series:
This series contains correspondence sent by family, family friends, old neighbors, the War Department, and Elmer Jr's military friends. The correspondence sent by family and loved ones was separated by date into two subseries; before they found out about news of Elmer Jr's death and after.
Dates:
1945