Gerald M. Rees papers

The collection of World War II service letters written by Gerald M. Rees provides a glimpse of the training experience of a typical enlisted man, but also the thoughtful observations of a well-educated and culturally aware individual in a variety of situations. In many circumstances the descriptions Gerald wrote to his mother of places and events were laced with references to home and comparisons with local sights, such as comparing a rocky beach to the one at Marblehead, Ohio, or using the Toledo Museum of Art as a point of reference in describing other museums he visited.

Thanks to his participation in the short-lived Army Specialized Training Program which had him stationed in New York, the letters from November 1943 through March 1944 are full of descriptions of the cultural activities in New York, a pattern that continues as the opportunities of places like London and Paris were also presented. All through the narrative of his correspondence references are made to concerts, plays, radio programs, and museums, demonstrating his deep and abiding love of music. Some references are fascinating for the double layer of cultural influence, such as in the letter written from Paris on May 21, 1945, where he talks about visiting the Academy de Musique for a performance of the opera "Boris Goudenow", but then spends additional space describing the huge chandelier and connecting it to the central action in the film "Phantom of the Opera".

The content of the letters related to the war are most detailed during his period of training in a variety of places in the U.S., including in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New York, due to the fact that those letters were not subject to censorship. As of the end of April 1944 he had 9 moves in 11 months. Once Gerald received orders for overseas service, however, that situation changed and the content became more general. Although he was able to provide rich details on his living situation, the British lifestyle, monetary system, food, housing, entertainment options, and other daily events, the letters of this period provide almost no hint of his military activities or his locations. He also wrote enthusiastically of the work of both the U.S.O. and Red Cross.

The letters in the collection also demonstrate the effective use V-mail from overseas posts, with initial skepticism on Gerald's part to a whole-hearted endorsement of the system. In a letter dated July 4, 1944, he also expresses enthusiasm for the G.I. Bill of Rights (signed into law on June 22, 1944) and furthering his education, with references in future letters indicating his intention to make use of the program at the conclusion of his service. Other letters with significant content include those of May 8 and 9, 1945 (reporting reactions to VE day and also describing a trip to Dachau). Both were also reprinted in the Pemberville Leader issue of July 4, 1945. It might be noted that a corporal from the 292nd was responsible for the capture of the Commandant of Dachau at the end of April 1945. After July 1945 Gerald returned to the U.S. and due to frequent furloughs, there were few additional letters.