Apr 13, 2023 - Sale 2633

Sale 2633 - Lot 182

Price Realized: $ 1,250
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 600 - $ 900
(WORLD WAR TWO.) Letters and a diary, by 4 different soldiers and their families. Nearly 2000 letters and one diary (3 linear feet) in 2 boxes; almost all letters in original envelopes, condition generally strong, diary worn. Various places, 1942-1946
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Additional Details

Approximately 800 letters from Anton Paul "Tony" Brownkowski (1917-1985) to his future wife Marilyn Schacht (1925-2009), in original envelopes. Born in Wisconsin to Polish-born parents (the name was originally Bronczkowski), he worked in a Milwaukee foundry before he enlisted in May 1942 with the 310th Medical Battalion, part of the 85th Infantry Division. After training at Camp Shelby, MS and Camp Coxcomb, CA, they went overseas to North Africa from January to March 1944, then fought their way up Italy until the surrender. He enlisted as a private and was promoted to sergeant by the end of the war. As with most World War letters, Brownkowski was very cautious of the censors. He includes some details of camp life, but most of the content is personal. "I am sorry you hurt yourself at work. I hope it isn't bad. I wish I were there so you wouldn't have to work. . . . Darling, it won't be long and you will be taking care of our home." (6 April 1944, from Italy). Various places, circa 1942-1945.

Approximately 90 letters in original envelopes from Private Gilbert Leonard Datka (1922-1984) to the same woman, Marilyn Schacht (1925-2009), who was definitely not his future wife. In one letter, he pleaded "I know you never cared for me. . . . I'd do anything, anything in the world, if I could make you love me as much as you love Tony" (19 August 1944). Datka was a third-generation Polish-American, also from Milwaukee, who worked in the Pawling and Harnischfeger machine shop. He sent most of his letters from New Guinea, site of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. He gave his unit as "Headquarters Battalion, General Headquarters, APO #500"--General Douglas MacArthur's headquarters unit. Censors prevented any very juicy war news, but his letters nonetheless make good reading. "I saw John Wayne a week ago. He's really as big as he seems in his pictures. . . . He must be on the go day and night. His troop and himself really look tired" (1 February 1943 [1944]). "I know the girls in the defence plants are doing a good job. That's the reason I don't think my old job will be waiting for me when I do get my release from the Army. No kidding, I'm worried about that" (1 November 1944, from the Philippines). Various places, 1943-1944.

Approximately 900 letters from Fred Richard Haefner (1918-1999) to his future wife Arline Buechting of St. Louis. Before the war, he was a construction laborer in Kimmswick, MO, southwest of St. Louis. He enlisted in the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment, reaching the rank of sergeant. The regiment arrived in North Africa in November 1942, participated in the Tunisian Campaign and the invasion of Sicily, and then went north to play a key role in the D-Day landing at Normandy. He was wounded near the end of the war and remained hospitalized through 1946. Because of the censors, his combat experiences are not discussed directly. After the war, he and Arline were married, and he ran a gas station in Barnhart, MO. Various places, 1942-1946.

Diary / memorandum book of an unknown soldier. 12mo, front wrapper quite worn, lacking rear wrapper, partly disbound. Contains 8 pages sketching the dates out his unit's service (probably retrospectively), 1942-1945: activated in July 1942 at Camp Forrest, TN; arrived at Utah Beach, France on 3 August 1944; liberated Chalons-sur-Marne 29 August 1944; "first rounds of artillery into Germany" 30 November 1944; cease fire 7 May 1945; boarded the SS Jonathan Grout for home on 22 November 1945. Also includes 9 pages of addresses of fellow soldiers, and 4 pages of other memoranda. 1942-1945.