Walter Keeler Second World War correspondence
Content Description
This collection contains 368 correspondence between Techinical Sergeant Walter Keeler, United States Army Air Force, and his wife Florence (neé Mesner) during the Second World War. Their correspondence occurs over the span of one year, 1945.
Their courtship was swift and, apart from the usual troubles which arise from long-distance relationships, the couple endured additional difficulties, such as an unplanned pregnancy and Florence's decision to abort. Florence discusses her decision and describes her physical and emotional experiences in a series of letters from April 25 - May 11, 1945.
Also included are several correspondence written to Florence from her brother, Johnnie, and one Sergeant William Y. Hecht.
This collection is available online in Chapman University's Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/wkeeler_collection/
Dates
- 1944 September 10 - 1946 December 26
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
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.
Biographical / Historical
Technical Sergeant Walter Keeler, United States Army Air Force was born c. 1914. Walter and his first wife, Lola, lived in Waukegan Township, Lake County, Illinois, just north of Chicago. His sister, Helen, and her family resided in nearby Lake Forest.
Walter's marriage to Lola ended and, in 1945, he met Florence Mesner, while visiting California. At the time of their meeting, Walter was stationed in Tohopah, Nevada, but the two corresponded daily and, with several furloughs spent in Los Angeles, where Florence was living at the time, the two quickly formed an attachment and later married the first week of August, 1945.
Extent
1 Linear Feet (1 carton)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains over 360 correspondence between T/Sgt. Walter Keeler, USAAF, and his wife, Florence, during the Second World War. Also included are several greeting cards from Walter to Florence.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically by material type:
- Series 1, Correspondence from Walter Keeler
- Series 2, Correspondence from Florence Keeler
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Sherry Treling-Kendall.
- Atomic bomb -- Japan Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Local sources
- Nagasaki-shi (Japan) -- History -- Bombardment, 1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States -- Army -- Air Forces Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- V-E Day (1945) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Walter Keeler Second World War correspondence
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Andrea Paquin
- Date
- 7/30/2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Center for American War Letters Archives Repository
