Outgoing correspondence to family, 1943 June-December
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the World War II correspondence of Edward A. Ferguson spanning the period of 1943 to 1946. This correspondence consists of approximately 300 letters of outgoing correspondence and 6 letters of incoming correspondence. Ferguson's outgoing correspondence has been separated into letters written to his family and to his fiancé (and later wife) Jean Hiatt and then organized chronologically. Ferguson's incoming correspondence is from Latha Akers and spans the period of 1945 to 1946. Latha Akers was the wife of George "Red" Akers, a shipmate and close personal friend of Ferguson's who was killed whenLST # 7499 sank in the Sulu Sea in December 1944. This incoming correspondence was written in response to the letters Ferguson wrote to Latha Akers explaining the death of her husband. Overall, Ferguson's letters are descriptive and discuss numerous topics, including his perception of the war in the Pacific, food and housing conditions in the Philippine Islands and New Guinea, his duties as an engineer, surveyor, MP, and tower guard, his impressions of occupied Japan, and other similar topics.
Researchers further interested in Ferguson's wartime experiences should also see his approximately 500 page unpublished memoir entitled "Reminiscences of War: The World War II Journal of Edward A. Ferguson" (Special Collections and Archives call #: Book Coll 58, # 91).
Dates
- Creation: 1943 June-December
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Restrictions
Open to public research.
Extent
From the Collection: 1 box (.5 linear feet)
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu