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 John W. Beal papers #4675-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Acquisitions Information

Purchased from Charles Apfelbaum of Valley Stream, N.Y., in September 1993 (Acc. 93128).

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.

Processed by: Roslyn Holdzkom, November 1993

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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.

• Beal, John W.
• Camp Pickett (Va.)--History.
• Fort Jackson (S.C.)--History.
• Philippines--Description and travel.
• Soldiers--United States--Correspondence.
• United States. Army--Military life--History.
• United States. Army. Infantry Division, 106th.
• World War, 1939-1945--Engineering and construction.
• World War, 1939-1945--Pacific Area.
• World War, 1939-1945--United States--Personal narratives.

John W. Beal served with the 81st Engineers, 106 Infantry Division, during World War II.

Letters, 1 April 1943-15 October 1945, chiefly from John W. Beal with the 81st Engineers, 106 Infantry Division, to his mother, Cordia Beal, in East Saint Louis, Ill. From April through August 1943, John wrote from Fort Jackson, S.C., where he was undergoing basic training; from September to December 1943, he wrote from Camp Pickett, Va., where he received further training. Most letters from these camps discuss basic training and camp life in general, activities of friends and family members, and letters and packages John received. Some letters deal with John's desire to transfer from the engineers, who were primarily involved in building bridges and roads, to the air corps, where he thought the work would be more interesting. From February 1944 through April 1945, John wrote from "somewhere in New Guinea" and, from May to September 1945, from "somewhere in the Philippines." In both locations, John was involved in road building. While John wrote little about his impressions of New Guinea, after his arrival in the Philippines, his letters include descriptions of his activities and a bit about his interaction with the local population. The last letter, dated 15 October 1945, left John waiting to hear whether he would be sent home or to Japan.