George J. Wanserski Papers and Photographs
1940-1945
WVM Mss 55
1.8 linear ft. (5 archives boxes and 1 oversize folder) of papers and 0.1 linear ft. (3 folders) of photographs.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum
(Map)
Papers and photographs of George J. Wanserski, a boatswain's mate in the Navy during World War II. The majority of the collection consists of letters Wanserski, a South Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, exchanged with his wife Florence during the war. The letters are long and fairly descriptive in chronicling both George's service with the Navy and the conditions Florence dealt with on the home front. George's letters describe his daily activities aboard a ship, the recreational activities of his fellow sailors, his Catholic faith, and his longing for his family. Florence's letters describe the growth and development of their children, the family's financial situation, and a slightly anti-German sentiment growing in the Milwaukee area. Also included are letters written by other family members to George. His military papers provide details about his service and include a continuous service certificate and summary of service in the Aleutian Islands. An undated watercolor painting, made by Wanserski, depicts the explosion of the Petersburg Mine during the Civil War. Several photographs show Wanserski and his family during the war.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss00055