Carroll F. Heagey-Elsie M. Wolcott World War II Correspondence

The collection contains letters and V- Mail between Elsie and Carl from 1941-1945. The letters from Carl to Elsie are for the years 1941-1943, in cluding letters that were sent to her from a few other people. For 1945, there are a l so two letters to Carl from other people. There are letters and V-Mail from Elsie to Carl for 1944 and 1945. Breaks in correspondence, as noted, are mostly due to Carl being in transit or in training, and are also due to the holidays. There is no indication when Carl was discharged from the Army.

Elsie dated her letters and only wrote the days of the week on a few of them. Carl dated a few of his letters, and wrote days of the week on most of them. The breaks in the correspondence are noted in the Series Descriptions. These breaks were due to the fact that Carl was either in transit or in training.

1941

Carl's first letter is dated 2/19, and is postmarked 2/20. There is a break in the correspondence between June 30 and August 1, August 20 and September 11, and December 20 and January 1, 1942. Carl is in Fort Dix for most of the year, but then the 44 th Signal Corps moved down to Ft. Bragg. The postmarks start in Trenton, NJ, and then eventually wind up in and around Ft. Bragg, NC. There is one postmark from Gettysburg, Penna (where Carl's father lives), one from Blackstone, VA, one from Wadesboro, NC. The last two postmarks were from letters that he sent to Elsie while they were on their way to Ft. Bragg. In the latter part of the year, he was stationed at Camp Claiborne.

Carl mentioned that a picture would be taken of the radio room of the 44ili Signal Corps, and that it would appear in the Ft. Dix paper "First Call ". (Please note that the picture is in the 8/9/41 edition of First Call. John Mazzolla and Hubert Kelly are in the picture, but not Carl.) Carl mentioned that he was not in the picture. In his letter postmarked 5/9, he told her that that "they" (probably the unit, or the 44 th Signal Corp) would march in a parade on May 30. In his letter postmarked 8/12, he mentioned a rape case that was tried in Mt. Holly that made the papers. In his letter postmarked 12/1, he commented that the unit may/should be returning to Ft. Dix soon.

1942

There is a break in the correspondence between August 10 and September 1, and between December 20 and January 1, 1943. Carl is stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington for part of the year. In his let ter postmarked 5/12, he thanked her for the letter that she wrote with her family. (There is a letter from her family in the collection that is not dated, and this could be the letter that he is referring to.) In his let ter postmarked 5/14, he complained about his displeasure with the unit and ment ioned wanting to ask for a transfer. In his letter postmarked 5/17, Carl told her that he was promoted to Corporal. Carl closed his letter postmarked 6/1 with "50-12", but there is no explanation of what it means. He talked about gas rationing in his letter postmarked 6/3.

In his letter postmarked 6/9, he told her that he weighed 209 lbs., and that he had to lose weight. He also responded to the mention of a black out drill in one of her letters. There is also some artwork in a few of his letters (postmarked July 3-4, and 16). In his letter dated 8/4, he mentioned that he received a letter from his old girlfriend, Mildred Adams. Apparently, he no longer had feelings for her. In this same letter, he mentioned that his father was working in Baltimore.

1943

There is a break in the correspondence from April 10 through April 21, and between September 10 and January 1, 1944. There is no specific year giv en for the Western Union telegrams in Box 4, Folder 20. Carl was stationed at Stinson Field, Texas for part of the year. In his letter postmarked 3/12, he told her that he completed gas chamber training, and learned about air attack defense. In his letter postmarked 3/15, he told her that he had jitters about going overseas. In his letter postmarked. 3/16, he repeated that he had jitters about going overseas. He talked about "aeroplane" school in his letter postmarked 3/24. In his letter postmarked 3/31, he told her that received a GI driver's license, and that he learned how to fire the Tompson sub-machine gun. An arti cle announcing his promotion to Staff Sargent is included in his letter p ostmarked 6/9. In this same letter, he told her that he was promoted to Technical Sargent at the pay rate of $114/month, and that he received a good conduct ribbon.

1944

Elsie numbered all of her correspondence, which includes letters and V-Mail. Based on Elsie's letters, Carl is in England. Elsie mentioned that a ship crashed in Lakehurst in her letter dated 5/24. In this same letter, she said that Mr. Mccloskey of Lakewood has been elected Mayor. She also mentioned Mayor Mease from Ocean Gate. In the letter dated 6/14, Elsie mentioned that s h e saw in the local papers that C.O. Miller was demoted for talking too much. The Glovers Mange Factory, on Rob bins Street, burned (letter dated 6/23). This caused a great deal of concern for Elsie, because Dot (someone who is mentioned a lot in the letters) lived right across the street from the factory. In her letter dated 6/24, Elsie mentioned that Carl "looked older" and had"sad eyes" in the picture that he sent her of himself. Elsie mentioned "Robot planes", and Carl's younger brother, Sonny (15 years old), in her letter dated 7/ 4. Sonny stayed with Elsie for a while, and is mentioned a number of the letters. She joked about Carl telling her that he and his friend, Charlie, were "propositioned" by a few English girls (letter dated 7/21). Elsie mentioned that it was a year s i nce Carl went overseas (letter dated 7/31/). Elsie talked about the strike in Philadelphia, and that the "negroes" are driving streetcars and "busses" (letter dated 8/6/). Per Elsie, "guess they are afraid the negroes will really get the upper hand, if they let them go". Elsie mentioned the absentee ballot, and tal ked about Dewey runni ng in t he presidential race (letter dated 8/8). In this same letter, she asks h im to find a "Toby Jug". Florence Miller sent Carl a letter, and gave h im Ray Miller's address in San Diego (dated 8/16). Ray Miller is mentioned in many of the letters. Elsie talked about the taking of Paris a nd Marsalleise (letter dated 8/24). Elsie commented about Carl receiving a tetnus shot, and the fact t hat she is selling war bonds during the 6th War Bond drive.

1945

There are only two pieces of corr espondence from Carl to Elsie. They are both V-Mails, and o ne is dated 2/14 (for Valentine's Day), a nd the other is dated 9/9. Carl mentioned getting paid in Francs in the letter dated 9/9.