Mark D. Van Ells Papers and Photographs
1981-2001
WVM Mss 46
1.6 linear ft. (3 archives boxes and 1 flat box) of papers, 0.1 linear ft. (5 folders and 1 oversize folder) of photographs, 0.1 linear ft. (3 folders) of paper prints.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum
(Map)
Papers and photographs of Mark D. Van Ells, a member of the Air Force during the 1980s and an historian who worked at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum during the 1990s. The collection contains materials that document Van Ells' researching and writing of a history of the Wisconsin County Veterans Service Officers (CVSO). Correspondence relating to the project, questionnaires filled out by current and retired CVSOs, the written history, and several conference papers provide substantial information about the organization. Other writing projects in the series include an examination of Wisconsin German-Americans prior to World War II. Another large portion of this series consists of flyers, handbills, and posters that Van Ells collected in Madison, Wisconsin during the 1990s. The majority deal with the Persian Gulf War, 1990-1991. These flyers present the alternate view of a relatively popular war. Other flyers relate to American operations in Somalia, Haiti, and Bosnia. Materials from Van Ells' time in the Air Force include his enlistment and discharge papers, certificates, and some letters he wrote to his family. There are also several emails Van Ells exchanged with friends and students regarding their reactions to the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Photographs contain several shots of Van Ells in Air Force uniform, both alone and in groups. There are also three photographs of the Madison 'Salute to the Troops' parade, held on July 6, 1991, that show protesters holding signs in the background.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss00046