Finding aid prepared by Caitlin Tetreau and Jennifer Cox.
Collection number: BLC-CR27
Title: Charles W. Willson Collection, 1940-1942
Dates: 1940-1942, bulk 1940-1941
Extent: .25 linear feet 63 letters
Collection Scope and Content
This collection contains 30 letters, postcards and documents about and from U.S Navy member Charles C. Willson (created 1940-1942) while he served aboard the U.S.S. Lexington in Division S. Willson says he 鈥渟eas the world through the porthole鈥 of his ship. In his earliest letters he talks about how the U.S. should get involved in the war and his work at a butcher shop. Willson informs his parents that while he is docked in San Francisco, a British cruiser named the HMS Liverpool comes into port. The British cruiser is on its way to Frisco, NY and then will head across the sea. Willson was briefly stationed at Pearl Harbor in November and early December 1941, mentioning in a letter of December 4th that they have a Japanese war scare and how he hopes nothing happens. " The Japs", Hitler and Russia are mentioned in a few letters. In one particular letter, Willson states he believes Hitler is just waiting to take down Russia and that he doesn鈥檛 believe the U.S. has anything to fear from Japan. Accompanying the collection are a salute pamphlet, two U.S. Navy training sheets, newspaper clippings, U.S.S. Lexington newspapers, and a U.S.S. Lexington postcard showing the ship.
Arrangement
Arranged roughly chronologically.
Related Material
Collection Contents
Folder
001 October 12-October 24, 1940
002 October 22-December 17,1940; undated
003 January 3-January 30, 1941
004 February 4-March 25, 1941
005 April 9, 1941-June, 1941
006 Mother's Day Telegram, c.a. 1941
007 July 19-September 15, 1941
008 November 6-December23, 1941
009 December 25-January 26, 1942
010 April 14-April 25, 1942
011 July 19, 1942
012 Memorabilia U.S.S. Lexington