Herbert L. Claassen Second World War correspondence
Content Description
This collection contains two letters written by Pvt. Herbert L. Claassen, USA to his parents during the Second World War. The two letters were written the same day from a camp near Richmond, presumably in Virginia. He mentioned going to a boxing match where the fighters were very good, one even having fought Joe Louis. He wrote again after the boxing match and was seeing a band with a few men from Oregon, where his parents were living at the time.
Dates
- Creation: 1944 September 23
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.
Biographical / Historical
Private First Class Herbert L. Claassen, United States Army (6/17/1917 - 3/10/1945) was born near Byron, Illinois and lived on a farm five miles out of town with German parents, Henry and Ella Claassen, and his five brothers Henry, Charlie, Alfred, Edward, and Donald (Alfred was the father of the donor of the collection). The family moved to Lorraine, Oregon in late 1939. Henry had emigrated from Germany through Ellis Island in the 1920s.
PFC Claassen enlisted in the Army on February 1, 1944. He served with Company B 310th Infantry 78th Division and was killed in Germany on March 10, 1945. He was one of four of the brothers that served during the war. Alfred flew 45 bombing missions over the Pacific and was stationed in New Guinea. Edward served in the Army and Donaled in the Navy.
According to the donor, Herbert's niece, her father and his younger brother Alfred "Al" also served. He was a gunner aboard a B-24 in the Pacific Theater with 50 completed combat missions and was awarded the air medal with two oak leaf clusters.
Extent
0.01 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains two letters written by Pvt. Herbert L. Claassen, USA to his parents during the Second World War.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Margaret Partner (Claassen)
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Herbert L. Claassen Second World War correspondence
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Andrew Harman
- Date
- 4/10/2019
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Center for American War Letters Archives, Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives Repository
