Demas Lindley Sears Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0734

Collection Organization

The D.L. Sears Papers is an outstanding collection of material relating to World War II in the Pacific and the service of an individual involved in mid-level intelligence activities. Consisting of correspondence, reports, photographs, maps, and printed material, the bulk of the information spans the period from just before the War, related to Sears' National Guard service, through to the end of hostilities in 1945.

The correspondence in this collection is a significant file from 1942 through 1945, consisting of the carbons of Sears' outgoing correspondence. Unfortunately, many of the recipients are unidentified except by first name, but a few who are known include Milo Warner and Melvin Lewis, Sears' law partners in Toledo, and John Bricker, Governor of Ohio. This series of letters, thanks to the fact that they are typed and very detailed, give an excellent personal view of the war, from comments on military operations to descriptions of a Bob Hope U.S.O. show. Since Sears was middle-level intelligence, his narratives contain a number of references to upper echelon brass.

Concentrating on operations in the Pacific Theater late in the war, one of the most significant portions of this collection is the Reports, both daily and periodic, to G-2 regarding intelligence activities. The includes public relations type reports, which would have been cleared by intelligence prior to release to the civilian news media.

Another significant portion includes translated diaries captured from the Japanese, interrogation reports which were analyzed for intelligence data by G-2, and Sears' own personal journals of his activities.

As would be expected in regard to Sears' position and service, there are a great number of both maps and photographs in the collection. The maps pertain primarily to the Pacific Islands on which the 37th Division had operations, including Fiji, Bougainville, and Luzon (Phillippines). The photos, which show both military operations and conditions of natives living on the islands, have limited identification.

Correspondence - Sears to various friends, politicians, etc., 1942-1945

 File – Box 1, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1942-1945

Letter from Jackson describing pictures of Fiji and ceremony, 1943

 File – Box 1, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1943

Official correspondence, letters of appreciation, 1945

 File – Box 1, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1945

G-2 Periodic Reports (Intelligence Reports), No. 1-164, January-June 1945

 File – Box 1, Folder: 5-9
Dates
Creation: January-June 1945

After Action G-2 Daily Reports (Intelligence Reports), July-September 1945

 File – Box 2, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: July-September 1945

Battle of Bougainville, press releases and confidential reports, March 1944

 File – Box 1, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: March 1944

Battle of Luzon, press releases and confidential reports, September 1944

 File – Box 2, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: September 1944

Battle of Luzon maps, September 1944

 File – Box 2, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: September 1944

After Action Report: Operations of the 37th Infantry: Luzon P.I. (M-1 Operation), 1944-1945

 File – Box 2, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1944-1945

37th Infantry Division in World War II : press summary, 1944-1945

 File – Box 2, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1944-1945

Battle of the Solomon Islands to Date (Paper), n.d.

 File – Box 2, Folder: 7

Article Describing the Japanese Surrender of the Philippines n.d.

 File – Box 2, Folder: 8

Report by Lieutenant Isireli Korovulavula about a Plane Crash n.d.

 File – Box 2, Folder: 9

Paper Detailing the General Operations of a G-2 Section, n.d.

 File – Box 2, Folder: 10

Ground Information Bulletin No. 16, 1944

 File – Box 2, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: 1944

Notes for Address: Layman's Day, Court Street Methodist Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 1941

 File – Box 3, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1941

Interrogation Report of Kazuo Hiwatari, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1944

American Forces in Fiji : G-2 Section Journal & Diary (Sears), 1940-1943

 File – Box 3, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1940-1943

Diary of Japanese Soldier (translation), 1942-1943

 File – Box 3, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1942-1943

Field Diary of Japanese 3rd Company, 6th Independent Engineer Regiment (translation), July 1942

 File – Box 3, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: July 1942

Typed diary, From the Fiji Islands to Guadalcanal with the 37th Division (possibly Sears), April-July 1943

 File – Box 3, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: April-July 1943

Diary, handwritten (possibly Sears), November 1943-June 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: November 1943-June 1944

Typed diary entries, Bougainville Mission (possibly Sears), n.d.

 File – Box 3, Folder: 8

Notes on Solomon Island Rec (Sears' reconnaissance journal), August 23-29, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: August 23-29, 1944

Greater East Asia Joint Declaration (newsclipping), November 1943

 File – Box 3, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: November 1943

Loose newsclippings on the War, Sears, and 37th Division, 1943-1967

 File – Box 3, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: 1943-1967

Yank, the Army Weekly, February 25, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 12
Dates
Creation: February 25, 1944

Sears obituary clippings and last words notice, 1987-1988

 File – Box 3, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1987-1988

National Geographic Map, South Pacific, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - Palauig PT, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - San Fernando PT, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - Talim Island, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 17
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - Pampanga Bay, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 18
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - Cagayan River, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 19
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - Chico River, 1945

 File – Box 3, Folder: 20
Dates
Creation: 1945

War Dept. topographic/vegetation map - Magat River, 1945

 File – Box 3, Folder: 21
Dates
Creation: 1945

War Dept. road map - North Philippines Islands, 1944

 File – Box 3, Folder: 22
Dates
Creation: 1944

War Dept. Street Map - Manila and vicinity (set of 4), 1945

 File – Box 3, Folder: 23
Dates
Creation: 1945

Colony of Fiji, 1938

 File – Box 3, Folder: 24
Dates
Creation: 1938

City of Manila (Spanish historic map - copy of 1671), n.d.

 File – Box 3, Folder: 25

Solomon Island naval survey map, 1940

 File – Box 4, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1940

Military map of Third Army maneuvers in Texas and Louisiana, 1940

 File – Box 4, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1940

Map of Approach Routes of major units - Bougainville Island, 1944

 File – Box 4, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1944

Empress Augusta Bay - Bougainville Island, 1944

 File – Box 4, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: 1944

Viti Levu and Adjacent Islands - Colony of Fiji, 1939

 File – Box 4, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1939

Philippine Islands Sketch Map - Philippines Campaign, 1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1945

Sketch map - Central Luzon, 1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1945

Sketch map - North Luzon, 1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: 1945

Enemy Assembly Areas and Routes of Approach - Cape Torakina Area, 1944

 File – Box 4, Folder: 9
Dates
Creation: 1944

Map of East Indies and Malay States, n.d.

 File – Box 4, Folder: 10

Pacific War Maps - Issued by Pure Oil Company, 1944

 File – Box 4, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: 1944

International News Service World War Atlas, n.d.

 File – Box 4, Folder: 12

Certificates of Commission, National Guard and Army, 1938-1947

 File – Box 4, Folder: 13
Dates
Creation: 1938-1947

Legion of Merit citation, with photo of Sears receiving it, 1944

 File – Box 4, Folder: 14
Dates
Creation: 1944

Air Medal citation with supporting certification, 1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 15
Dates
Creation: 1945

Program, Welcome Home 37th Division, Toledo, Ohio, 1946

 File – Box 4, Folder: 16
Dates
Creation: 1946

Program, 37th Division Day, Camp Perry, Ohio, 1954

 File – Box 4, Folder: 17
Dates
Creation: 1954

Christmas Dinner Menu for 37th Div. Officers, 1942

 File – Box 4, Folder: 18
Dates
Creation: 1942

Menus from the S.S. President Coolidge (3), 1942

 File – Box 4, Folder: 19
Dates
Creation: 1942

Testimonial Banquet Honoring Maj. Gen. Robert Beightler, 1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 20
Dates
Creation: 1945

Gen. Beightler's Report to the State of Ohio on the Activities, 1945?

 File – Box 4, Folder: 21
Dates
Creation: 1945?

Japanese Defense of Cities as Exemplified by the Battle for Manila, 1945

 File – Box 4, Folder: 22
Dates
Creation: 1945

Fighting on Guadalcanal, 1943

 File – Box 4, Folder: 23
Dates
Creation: 1943

37th Infantry Division in World War II, by Stanley A. Frankel, 1948

 File – Box 4, Folder: 24
Dates
Creation: 1948

History and Photographic Record of the First Cavalry, 1919

 File – Box 4, Folder: 25
Dates
Creation: 1919

Sugar in Fiji, 1949

 File – Box 5, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: 1949

Opening of the Angat Novaliches Water Supply System, 1940

 File – Box 5, Folder: 2
Dates
Creation: 1940

Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force - Pacific Tour, 1944

 File – Box 5, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1944

National Geographic - Return to Manila, October 1940

 File – Box 5, Folder: 4
Dates
Creation: October 1940

New Minutiae Pocket Atlas of Nippon (Japan), n.d.

 File – Box 5, Folder: 5

Allied Geographical Section - Terrain Handbook, Manila City, 1944

 File – Box 5, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1944

Allied Geographical Section - Handbook, Cagayon Valley, 1945

 File – Box 5, Folder: 7
Dates
Creation: 1945

The Colony of Fiji, 1874-1924

 File – Box 5, Folder: 8
Dates
Creation: 1874-1924

A Yank's Eye View of Fiji, n.d.

 File – Box 5, Folder: 9

6th Army News Pictorial (2 issues), 1945

 File – Box 5, Folder: 10
Dates
Creation: 1945

American Legion Post 335 (Toledo) Newsletter with Letters Home from Sears (6 items), 1943-1944

 File – Box 5, Folder: 11
Dates
Creation: 1943-1944

Speech (translated) by Capt. Masaharu Mushitani, regarding the death of 5 Japanese enlisted men during the attack on Corregidor, n.d.

 File – Box 5, Folder: 12

Japanese printed materials, including a song book, magazine, propaganda book, and diary (?) n.d.

 File – Box 5, Folder: 13

Official Army Register, December 1, 1918

 File – Box 6, Folder: 1
Dates
Creation: December 1, 1918

Miscellaneous photos, taken in the Pacific Theater, WWii

 File – Box 6, Folder: 2

2 5x7 photos of uniformed men, n.d.

 Item – Box 6, Folder: 2, Item: 1-2

3 3x5 photos, including 37th Division Staff members, n.d.

 File – Box 6, Folder: 2, Item: 3-5

2 8x10 photos of General Beightler, one inscribed to Sears, n.d.

 File – Box 6, Folder: 2, Item: 6-7

Miscellaneous photos, taken at Bougainville, Fiji, etc., 1941-1944, n.d.

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3
Dates
Creation: 1941-1944, n.d.

4 8x10 photos 37th Division Headquarters Staff and General Conelly

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3, Item: 1-4

7 5x7 photos scenes in Pacific, including officers and color guard

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3, Item: 5-11

3x5 photos, Japanese dead & prisoners, mortars shooting

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3, Item: 12-32

10 3x5, various shots at Bougainville, some with identification

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3, Item: 33-42

5 7x7 aerial reconnaissance photos, other landscape shots

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3, Item: 43-47

11 8x10 photos, 37th Div. Staff in Pacific (Bougainville?) with identification sheet and other unidentified shots

 File – Box 6, Folder: 3, Item: 48-58

17 8x10 photos, Natives of Fiji, general shots, with soldiers, buildings, etc., n.d.

 File – Box 6, Folder: 4

15 3x5 photos of natives and landscapes of Ellice Islands, n.d.

 File – Box 6, Folder: 5

29 3x5 photos of Manila after Allied takeover, troops leaving for home, arriving (many with identification on verso), 1945

 File – Box 6, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1945

16 8x10 photos of natives and G.I.s (in envelope marked Guadalcanal), n.d.

 File – Box 6, Folder: 7

49 Aerial reconnaissance/surveillance photos, unidentified, n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 1

18 8x10 photos of tribal ceremony honoring the 37th Division, many with identifying labels on verso, n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 2

19 8x10 photos, most unidentified, Pacific area, n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 3

14 4x6 & 3x5 photos of soldiers and landscapes, n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 4

10 3x5 photos showing 37th Div. Intelligence reading maps, and with Japanese prisoners on Bougainville (with some identification), 1944

 File – Box 7, Folder: 5
Dates
Creation: 1944

10 3x5 photos of rice farming and fish farms on Luzon in the Philippines, 1945

 File – Box 7, Folder: 6
Dates
Creation: 1945

10 8x10 photos, Mbouhui village, with identifications on some n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 7

9 photos (various sizes) from folder labeled Pre-war pictures, Camp Perry, Camp Shelby, n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 8

3 8x10 photos, postwar American Legion functions (Post 335), n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 9

10 miscellaneous photos, including group photo identified as Silver Wedding Guests, n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 10

Postcards, Japanese scenes (14 items, some duplicates), n.d.

 File – Box 7, Folder: 11

Japanese occupation currency, 1934-1945

 File – Box 7, Folder: 12

Scrapbook of news articles, mainly from the Toledo Blade, 1945

 Item – Box 8, Item: 1
Dates
Creation: 1945

Certificate of Appointment, State of Ohio, of Sears as Major in the Ohio National Guard, 1938

 Item – Box 8, Item: 2
Dates
Creation: 1938

Certificate of Appointment, State of Ohio, of Sears as Lt. Col. In the Ohio National Guard, 1939

 Item – Box 8, Item: 3
Dates
Creation: 1939

Photograph (encapsulated and mounted), probably Ft. Leavenworth, KS, with identification sheets, 1940-1941

 Item – Box 8, Item: 4
Dates
Creation: 1940-1941

Topographic maps of the Philippines and other Pacific Islands (approximately 40), circa 1930-1940

 File – Box 9
Dates
Creation: circa 1930-1940