Edward Justin O'Neill Second World War correspondence

Content Description

This collection contains over 200 correspondence written by LtCmdr. Edward Justin O'Neill, USN to his family back home during the Second World War. The correspondence was often addressed to his mother and father. O'Neill served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1946. His ship, the USS Grimes was one of the first to enter with US Marines and Army at the end of the war. His letters home range 1942 to 1946, spanning different subjects. Often he inquired about news at home, gave details about his duties and time spent in the Navy. In a letter dated January 27, 1942, O'Neill was at a defense training school in Boston, doing a 3 month course. Writing from the U.S.S. Kankakee on July 7, 1942, O'Neill was considering switching from the U.S. Navy to the U.S. Air Force. In a letter dated January 13, 1944, O'Neill briefly mentioned that he corresponds with Pat Corbett, the great granddaughter of James John "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, professional boxer and former World Heavyweight Champion. In his letter dated April 2, 1946, O'Neill wrote about the Aleutian Islands tsunami hitting Hawaii. He wrote about how Pearl Harbor wasn't affected by the tsunami as it mostly hit the north side.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

Gift of Virginia M. Garvey

Restrictions Apply

No