Kenneth R. Blessing, a Milwaukee native who served in the United States Army Air Corps during and post World War II, wrote three memoirs (late 1980s-early 1990s) on his experiences growing up in Milwaukee in the 1930s and on his service. The transcripts of diaries and letters are from which the memoirs were mostly derived.
Coming of Age in the 1930s documents Blessing's teenage years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The memoir mainly consists of transcribed diaries kept daily by Blessing from 1934 to 1940. The diary transcriptions describe Blessing's daily activities and social life and news stories, including the beginning of World War II in 1939. Blessing's diaries for 1934-1940 are also included. The original diaries include the costs of family trips as well as money won whilst playing games amongst family members on these trips.
A Yank on the Homefront consists of transcriptions of the detailed and descriptive letters Blessing wrote home describing a serviceman's life at the various army training camps in which he served. This memoir principally covers the social and recreational activities pursued by stateside servicemen and civilians during WWII. Original correspondence for 1943-1946 is also included. The memoir concludes with a chapter entitled Post-War Adjustment of a WWII Veteran which are transcripts of a diary Blessing maintained from his discharge on April 1, 1946 until September 21, 1946. The original diary is not included.
A Yank Abroad continues in the same vein principally describing the social life and surroundings of an American GI in Europe. It concludes with an autobiographical essay about Blessing's post-war experiences: his training and career in special education; his work at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; and information about his immediate family. Both memoirs are interspersed with photocopies of photographs; the originals are not included in this collection.
Also includes a few slides from 1972 to 1982, depicting Northern Wisconsin, including Eagle River, unidentified buildings, and inside a 1970s mall.
