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West Virginia and Regional History Center
1549 University Ave.P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu
Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History Center
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Ralph John, WWII Letters and Other Material, A&M 3600, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Scope and Contents
Letters, 1941-1944, authored by Private Ralph J. John of the 3rd Battalion, Headquarters Company, 112th Infantry, 28th Division. They document his experiences in the military, including training in the United States and time overseas when stationed in England prior to the invasion of France. He was killed in action near St. Lo, France on August 15, 1944, at the age of 30. Ralph John was a native of Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. There are also family papers of his parents, including greeting cards and postcards. There is also printed ephemera, including a telephone index with Morgantown advertising (1940-1941), an Army Song Book (1941), and a History of the 28th Division, Condensed (18 pp., 1941).
Series include:
1) Memorial Material
2) Incoming Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Ross John
3) Incoming Postcards to Mr. and Mrs. Ross John
4) John Family Business
5) Greeting Cards to Mr. and Mrs. Ross John
6) Printed Ephemera & Photo
7) Clippings and Newsletter
8) Artifacts
9) Incoming Letters to Ralph John
10) Outgoing Letters from Ralph John
11) Oversize Clippings and Newsletter
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- John, Ralph J.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Soldiers' letters
Container List
Series 1. Memorial Material
1949
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Ralph John; (includes three Order of Service cards and a photocopy of the, "Obsequies for Pvt. Ralph John")1949
Series 2. Incoming Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Ross John
1940-1956
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
From Friends and Family; (includes a letter from a North Carolina family who befriended Ralph while he was in training near Fort Bragg)1940-1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
From Friend and Evangelist, Rev. Gay Benson1942, 1956
Series 3. Incoming Postcards to Mr. and Mrs. Ross John
1940-1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
From Friends and Family; (includes a Washington DC postcard, picturing the Japanese Cherry Blossoms and postmarked December 7, 1941, 11 AM, three hours before the attack on Pearl Harbor)1940-1942
Series 4. John Family Business
1897-1956
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Miscellaneous (includes insurance, telephone and tax receipts and a letter regarding civil defense signals for the Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania area in 1956)1939-1942, and 1956
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Miscellaneous (includes a 1897 cemetery plot deed, Union Bylaws for Pipe line workers, instruction for filing to receive a copy of Ralph John's Birth Certificate)1897-1951
Series 5. Greeting Cards to Mr. and Mrs. Ross John
1942-1947
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
From Family and Friends1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Christmas Cards From Family and Friends1947
Series 6. Printed Ephemera & Photo
1939-1944
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Miscellaneous; (includes postcards, pamphlets, 1941 bus schedule, and 2 empty V-mail envelopes, stating the "inclosed V-mail letter is returned because it was undeliverable at the address shown or to which forwarded." and postmarked October 19, 1944 and November 29, 1944, after Ralph John's death, August 15, 1944)1939-1944
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
1940-1941 Telephone Index Book, Compliments of Friend Furniture, 163 Pleasant Street, Morgantown, West Virginiaca. 1940
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Miscellaneous; (includes Army Songbook, Church Bulletins, "History of the 28th Division" Booklet, (Private Ralph John's Division), clipping with photograph of Camp Croft (South Carolina) Troop Parade, and undated portrait of Ralph John)1941-1943
Series 7. Clippings and Newsletter
1941-1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Miscellaneous (includes January 3, 1942 Pennsylvania National Guard Newsletter and 2 full page clippings with photographs of basic training at Camp Croft, South Carolina, published in the Spartanburg Herald Journal, May, 1941; and maneuvers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, published in the Baltimore News-Post, October, 1941) (includes photocopies of all clippings and newsletter) (these are oversize items that are stored in Box 7)1941-1942
Series 8. Artifacts
1926 and undated
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
"Dad's Puzzler"; (puzzle game)1926
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
Wood Sample and Advertisement for "Harbord Lumber"undated
Series 9. Incoming Letters to Ralph John
1940-1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
From Various Friends and Family Members; (includes three postcards)1940-1942
Series 10. Outgoing Letters from Ralph John
1941-1944 and undated
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes a valentine and postcards Ralph sent to his parents from various Army camps)n.d.
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (include letters and postcards Ralph sent from various Army camps)1941
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes letters and postcards Ralph wrote to his parents from Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania while working at a local gas station) (Before His Army Induction)1941/February
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes postcards Ralph wrote to his parents while travelling to his first basic training camp at Fort Meade, Maryland) (Before and After His Army Induction)1941/March
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes postcards and letters regarding camp life, army training and studying the Browning Automatic Rifle, a valued weapon in WWII) (During Basic Training at Camp Croft, South Carolina)1941/April
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes postcards and letters regarding the local towns and people, Ralph's first payday in the Army and his scores on the rifle range, qualifying for "Marksman", missing "Sharpshooter" by one point)1941/May
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes clippings from "The Journal and Carolina Spartan" newspaper, June 28, 1941, reporting a review of the troops at Camp Croft)1941/June
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 9
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes news of Ralph changing location to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania and his transfer to a medical unit) (During Basic Training at Camp Croft, South and Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania)1941/July
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 10
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes clippings regarding war games at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia) (During Training at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania)1941/August
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 11
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John (In training near Fredericksburg, Virginia and Lilesville, North Carolina)1941/September
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 12
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes postcards and letters describing various duties such as Hospital Duty) (During training near Fort Bragg and Lilesville, North Carolina)1941/October
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 13
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's description of his trip back to camp in North Carolina, returning from his grandfather's funeral in Mt. Morris1941/November
- Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 14
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's mentioning of the changes of attitudes in the soldiers since the United States entered the war, such as the First Sergeant announcing there will now be a moment of silent prayer before each meal) (During training near Fort Bragg and Lilesville, North Carolina and Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania)1941/December
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 1
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's impressions of the Deep South) (During training at Camp Livingston, Louisiana)1942/January
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 2
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's attending various churches, finding friends from Mt. Morris at camp and discussions of hometown news)1942/February 3rd-18th
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 3
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes clippings from Louisiana newspapers, regarding the 28th Division, Ralph's description of camp life and a USO Club he visited during a weekend pass, the cost to spend the night at the Club was $.25)1942/February 19-28
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 4
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1942/March 1-15
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 5
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's comments on his one year anniversary in the army, the huge increase of new draftees in camp, also includes an Easter card and a church bulletin)1942/March 16-31
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 6
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes the news of an army plane crash near camp and Ralph's usual comments regarding lack of news to write home due to army censorship)1942/April
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 7
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes a Mother's Day card)1942/May 1-15
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 8
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1942/May 19-30
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 9
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's description of Hospital Ward Duty and the types of illnesses being treated)1942/June 2-13
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 10
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes a Father's Card and the news of hometown friends in the army and "over a thousand" Japanese POWs being held at Camp Livingston)1942/June 16-27
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 11
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's plans for coming home on furlough and questions about gas rationing)1942/July
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 12
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes a description of revue in honor of the new commanding general, Omar Bradley and 2 postcards)1942/August
- Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 13
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 1
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes a clipping regarding the 28th Division's Labor Parade, in Alexandria, Louisiana for General Bradley)1942/September 1-13
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 2
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's description of local towns and church services while on maneuvers)1942/September 16-30
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 3
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes four postcards and Ralph's comments on hometown news, the weather and inflated prices, one bottle of coke costs $.101942/October 1-18
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 4
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes reports from Ralph regarding army life in Texas and Louisiana backcountry while on maneuvers)1942/October 20-30
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 5
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1942/November 2-15
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 6
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes one postcard and a church bulletin from a worship service Ralph attended)1942/November 17-29
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 7
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes one postcard and one telegram from Ralph explaining furloughs had been delayed and he would be home late)1942/December
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 8
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1943
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 9
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes explanation of Ralph's Division being sent to Camp Carrabelle, Florida, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico for amphibious training) (During training at Camp Livingston, Louisiana and Camp Carrabelle, Florida)1943/January
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 10
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John (During training at Camp Gordon, Johnston, Florida)1943/February 1-13
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 11
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes reports of training off-shore in boats and swimming lessons)1943/February 14-28
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 12
To Mr. amd Mrs. Ross John; (includes one postcard and church bulletin)1943/March 4-16
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 13
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1943/March 16-28
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 1
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes one postcard)1943/April 2-16
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 2
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1943/April 16-30
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 3
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes church bulletins and a "certificate" awarded to Private John by his Commanding Officer for completing the "prescribed hikes"1943/May 1-10
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 4
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1943/May 18-28
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 5
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes information regarding the transfer of Ralph's Division to Camp Pickett, Virginia) (during training at Camp Gordon, Johnston, Florida, and Camp Pickett, Virginia)1943/June
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 6
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John (during training at Camp Pickett, Virginia)1943/July 3-14
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 7
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes comments on a Typhoid epidemic in Western Pennsylvania)1943/July 18-31
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 8
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's descriptions of mountain training in West Virginia) (During training in the West Virginia mountains)1943/August 2-18
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 9
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John (during training at Camp Pickett, Virginia)1943/August 19-31
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 10
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's comments regarding training on a LST ship, [Landing Ship Tank])1943/September 2-22
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 11
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1943/September 23-30
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 1
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes the 28th Division's embarkation to England and Ralph's first V-mail) (during preparation for embarkation to England and arrival in England)1943/October
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 2
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's apology for writing "dull and uninteresting letters", explaining censorship prohibited writing about even the weather, so "blame it, (the dull letters), on Hitler") (during training "Somewhere in England")1943/November
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 3
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John (during training "Somewhere in England")1943/December
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 4
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1944/January
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 5
To Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's week long visit to London and his descriptions of the historic sights and landmarks)1944/February
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 6
Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes clipping photograph of soldiers praying at mealtime)1944/March
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 7
Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1944/April
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 8
Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes a clipping photograph of Medics training on the English coast for the Normandy Invasion, Ralph's comments pertaining to the photograph were cut out by the censor)1944/May 1-12
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 9
Mr. and Mrs. Ross John1944/May 18-29
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 10
Mr. and Mrs. Ross John; (includes Ralph's June 6th letter reporting to his parents he was fine and not involved in the first wave of the invasion, his letter has been censored)1944/June
- Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 11
Mr. and Mrs. Ross John, the last letter in the collection from Private Ralph John; (includes Ralph's comments regarding his affection for his parents and how much he misses home) (somewhere in France, after deployment to the frontlines)1944/July
Series 11. Oversize Clippings and Newsletter
1941-1942
- Mixed Materials Box: 7
Miscellaneous (includes January 3, 1942 Pennsylvania National Guard Newsletter and 2 full page clippings with photographs of basic training at Camp Croft, South Carolina, published in the Spartanburg Herald Journal, May, 1941 and maneuvers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, published in the Baltimore News-Post, October, 1941) (includes photocopies of all clippings and newsletter)1941-1942