Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the Callahan Family Papers #5134, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Provenance

Purchased from Charles Apfelbaum of Watchung, N.J., in September 2003 (Acc. 99631).

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Callahan family
• Callahan, Thomas William, 1925-2003.
• Callahan, Warren E., 1926-1987.
• Family--Virginia--Social life and customs.
• Japan--Social life and customs--20th century.
• Korea--Social life and customs.
• Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American.
• Korean War, 1950-1953--Photographs.
• Soldiers--United States--History--Korean War, 1950-1953--Correspondence.
• Soldiers--United States--History--World War, 1939-1945--Correspondence.
• United States. Army--Military life--History--World War, 1939-1945.
• United States. Marine Corps--Military life--History--Korean War, 1950-1953.
• Vinton, Va.--Social life and customs.
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.

Brothers Thomas William Callahan (1925-2003) and Warren E. "Bud" Callahan (1926-1987) were born in Roanoke County, Va., the sons of Julian (1898-1990) and Florence Tyler Callahan (1902-1978). The Callahan family lived in Vinton, Va., a small town near the Blue Ridge Parkway on Route 24. The family moved within Vinton between wars. Thomas's World War II letters are addressed to Giles Avenue in Vinton; Warren's Korean War letters are addressed to Bowman Street, also in Vinton.

Thomas Callahan served in the United States Marines (1st Marines) during World War II, 1943-1945, fighting in Japan. After the war, he worked for Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works. He was a member of Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church and the V.F.W. Post #4522. He married Zelma Callahan and had two daughters, Sara and Judy. Warren Callahan served in the United States Army (32nd Infantry) during the Korean War, 1949-1951. Both brothers enjoyed fishing.

The collection includes war-time letters from Callahan family of Vinton, Va., brothers Thomas William Callahan with the United States Marines (1st Marines) during World War II and Warren E. Callahan ("Bud") with the United States Army (32nd Infantry) during the Korean War. Thomas's letters, 1943-1945, follow him from the Marine barracks at Parris Island, S.C., to Japan, and finally to Portsmouth, Va. About half of the letters date from January to May 1944 and are addressed to Julian, Florence, and Warren Callahan. The letters mainly describe everyday military life, including food, weather, and health issues. Two of the letters are from cousin Bill Sheaff, who fought in the war with a different unit. Warren's letters, January 1949-October 1951, follow him from Fort Jackson, S.C., to Japan and Korea. The letters are addressed to Julian, Florence, and Thomas Callahan. The letters mainly detail everyday military life in training camps and overseas. He also described civilian life in Korea and Japan. Three photocopies of wartime photographs accompany Warren's final letter, 20 October 1951. There are negatives for these photographs, but no positive prints.

Items separated include negatives (P-5134/1-3) for the photocopies of photographs attached to the 20 October 1951 letter. There are no positive prints of these photographs.