Processed by
Kathryn M. Wilmot
July 2007
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
Manuscript Materials: 2 document cases, 1 OM folder |
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COLLECTION |
1942–1945 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Charles Apfelbaum Rare Manuscripts, Watchung, NJ, August 2000 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
None |
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RELATED |
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ACCESSION |
2000.1100 |
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NOTES: |
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George Henry Yeagy, Jr. was born 5 August 1914 in Attica, Indiana, son of George Henry Yeagy and Bertha Viola (Coon or Von Koon) Yeagy. The couple also had at least two other children: Emery and Murrell [?]. The family later moved to Kokomo, Indiana.
George’s letters begin in December 1942 while he was stationed at the Great Lakes United States Naval Training Station in Illinois. In March 1943 he transferred to the Naval Armory in Detroit, Michigan, and transferred again in July 1943 to the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Chicago, Illinois. While in Chicago, George was with Company Q. By July 1944 he was an A.E.M. 3/c [Aviation Electrician’s Mate, Third Class] at the U.S. Naval Technical Training Center, Jacksonville, Florida. During these years, George went to electrician service school and worked on the wiring of generators and planes.
George remained in Florida until April 1945 when he transferred to Alameda, San Francisco, and Shoemaker, California. While in California he worked in the ordnance shack and in the electric shop as an electrician. From California, his letters are addressed alternately as Hedron F.A.W. 8 [Headquarters Squadron, Fleet Air Wing 8] and U.S. Naval Receiving Station, Battalion #18, T.A.D.C.E.N [Training and Distribution Center]. In July 1945 George was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and worked in the Assembly & Repair Shop #748. While there George repaired generators and worked on accessory overhaul. In November 1945, George returned home to Kokomo.
After leaving the service, George became a professional hairdresser, owned his own shop, and taught at Wright Beauty College. He was also an artist, a member of several art associations, and the recipient of various art-related awards. George died in Kokomo on 27 September 1984. He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Sources:
Information in the collection
Kokomo Tribune, 28 September 1984, p. 2.
The collection consists of letters written by George Henry Yeagy, Jr. to his parents in Kokomo, Indiana, while he served in the United States Navy. Although the letters cover the period from 1942–1945, there are a few gaps in the correspondence; namely, from December, 1945, February–June 1944, August–September 1944, and the month of March 1945.
The letters reveal the close relationship George had with his mother Bertha. With her, he discusses home decorating, gardening, hairdressing, and Technicolor films and stage plays he has seen starring entertainers such as Rita Hayworth, Bob Hope, Sonja Henie, Frank Sinatra, and “Lassie” to name a few. He also includes a few sketches in his letters.
George seems to enjoy life in the Navy and writes about the camaraderie, healthy food and canteens, camp routine, U.S.O. events, athletics, and the sightseeing he does while on liberty in Detroit, Chicago, California, and Hawaii. George also describes the classes he takes in electrical school. He writes often of his friends Lawrence J. M. McDonald and Burgette, and visits with Lawrence’s parents in Detroit. In a letter dated 22 June 1943, George writes about one of the most violent racial conflicts in United States history, the Detroit race riots of 21–22 June.
There are several black-and-white photographs of George in the collection, and on his letters to his mother he often attached a photograph of himself the size of a postage stamp.
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Correspondence, 15 Dec. 1942–13 Mar. 1943 |
Box 1, Folder 1 |
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Correspondence, 20 Mar.–6 July 1943 |
Box 1, Folder 2 |
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Correspondence, 9 July–17 Oct. 1943 |
Box 1, Folder 3 |
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Correspondence, 26 Oct. 1943–17 Nov. 1944 |
Box 1, Folder 4 |
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Correspondence, 19 Nov. 1944–9 Feb. 1945 |
Box 1, Folder 5 |
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Correspondence, 12 Feb.–4 May 1945 |
Box 1, Folder 6 |
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Correspondence, 7 May–15 June 1945 |
Box 1, Folder 7 |
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Correspondence, 17 June–25 July 1945 |
Box 1, Folder 8 |
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Correspondence, 27 July–26 Aug. 1945 |
Box 1, Folder 9 |
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Correspondence, 27 Aug.–13 Sept. 1945 |
Box 2, Folder 1 |
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Correspondence, 15 Sept.–13 Oct. 1945 |
Box 2, Folder 2 |
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Correspondence, 14 Oct.–20 Nov. 1945 |
Box 2, Folder 3 |
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Protestant Chapel service programs, 5–19 Nov. 1944 |
Box 2, Folder 4 |
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“Naval Armory Recreation Building to be Opened Formally Sunday,” newspaper article removed from letter dated 9 May 1945 |
OM 0450, |
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Photograph of George Yeagy, Jr., ca. 1942–45 |
Photographs, |
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Photographs of George Yeagy, Jr., removed from letter dated 25 July 1945 |
Photographs, |
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Photograph of George Yeagy, Jr., removed from letter dated 22 Sept 1945 |
Photographs, |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0919).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.