Carleton Elliott Simensen Military Heritage Collection, 1862-

Printer-friendly | Contact Us About This Collection

Collection Overview

Abstract

Collection Historical Note

Subject/Index Terms

Administrative Information

Box and Folder Listing

Series 6: WW II Pacific Theater

The Pacific War began on 7/8 December 1941 with the Japanese invasion of Thailand for the invasion of British Malaya, and the attack on Pearl Harbor in the United States' Territory of Hawaii by the Empire of Japan. Some authors consider the conflict in Asia can be dated as far as 7 July 1937, beginning with the Second Sino-Japanese War between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China, however it is more widely accepted that the Pacific War itself started in early December 1941, with the Sino-Japanese War then becoming part of it as a theater of the greater World War II.

The following folders contain documents and photographs pertaining to WWII and the Pacific Theater

Sub-Series 1: La Veern Abelson

La Veern Abelson was born in Sanish, North Dakota on September 1, 1916. He attended the University of North Dakota and was a classmate of Carleton Elliott Simensen, a fellow ROTC officer and 1940 graduate. In 1941, Abelson enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in the Philippines. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese during the fall of Bataan and Corregidor in May, 1942. He died five months later. The La Veern Abelson Collection consists of materials donated by Russell Lake, Abelson's fellow UND alumnus and ROTC officer, and by Bernice Houser, Joseph Breslin and Jeffrey Wilbur of New Town, North Dakota. (Abelson's mother moved to New Town later in life.) The one folder of materials contains the following:

1) A letter and photocopy of two newspaper clippings from Bernice Houser, secretary of Sanish Riverview Cemetery near New Town, North Dakota, containing genealogical information on the Abelson family.

2) A photocopy of the 1945 church bulletin for Abelson's memorial service in Sanish and a letter from Joseph Breslin, who describes his memories of Abelson. Both items were donated by Joseph Breslin.

3) A photocopy from the Mountrail County book of World War II veterans, donated by Jeffrey Wilber. Additional notes by Wilber are included on the photocopy.

4) The actual church bulletin from Abelson's memorial service in Sanish in 1945. The bulletin was donated by Russell Lake.

5) Photocopy of a plaque honoring Abelson from the American Legion Post in New Town, North Dakota. Donated by Jeff Wilber (Acc.#99-2366).

Three photos of La Veern Abelson, donated by Russell Lake, were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. (OGL #1278-65, 66, 67)

Box 1

Folder 16: La Veern Abelson Collection

Sub-Series 2: Linda Adams

Linda Adams donated a series of thirteen photographs. She found the photos in a book that she purchased at an auction. Each photo depicts a scene from the Pacific Theatre of Operations during World War II. The photos were apparently taken by a soldier in the 164th Infantry, who describes each photo on the back. Photos depict captured Japanese equipment and buildings, Japanese ships (including one photo taken of a Japanese ship as it is sinking), a dead Japanese soldier, the 164th Infantry on the move and beaches where the 164th Infantry landed. The photos were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. (#1278- 79-91)

Sub-Series 3: Harold T. Anderson

Harold T. Anderson was born in Minot, North Dakota, on September 16, 1916. He joined the United States Army on December 27, 1941 and was discharged on December 11, 1945. He served in the Asiatic/Pacific Theatre with the 6th Army Air Force Radio Squadron (Mobile). The papers consist of several letters written by Anderson to his sister, Thelma, as well as his parents. Also included are several letters of Thelma Anderson, regarding her entry into nursing school in 1924. Donated by Jim Benjaminson, Walhalla, ND (Acc.#96-2080).

Four photographs and one unidentified and undated snapshot album were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. They include: one photo of Harold T. Anderson taken at Camp Roberts, California in 1942 (1278-112); two photos of Harold T. Anderson taken in India in 1945 (1278-113 and 1278-114); one unidentified photo (1278-115) and one "Aristo Snapshots" album.

Box 5

Folder 27: Harold T. Anderson Papers: 1924, 1927, 1933, 1942, 1945, 1948

Sub-Series 4: Orville Bergren

Orville Bergren was a classmate of Carleton Elliott Simensen, having graduated from the UND School of Commerce with him in 1940. While at UND, Bergren and Simensen were both in the ROTC, and upon graduation, both were appointed Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Marine Corp. Bergren was present (along with Simensen) at the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and he was stationed on the U.S.S. West Virginia at the time. Bergren's donated materials consist of a letter describing both his relationship with Simensen and the Pearl Harbor attack (Acc. # 93-1921).

Box 1

Folder 6: Memoirs, 1993

Sub-Series 5: Robert George Bjoring

Robert George Bjoring was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota on August 26, 1920. In 1938, he entered the University of North Dakota with the intention of becoming a lawyer. While at UND, he participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and earned a private pilot's license. In 1940, he entered the United States Army Air Corps pilot training program. Upon graduation, he was stationed in the Philippines. He arrived there on Thanksgiving Day, 1941. He participated in battles on Luzon in the Philippines from December, 1941 through April, 1942. He was on the Bataan Peninsula when it was captured by the Japanese. When the prisoners were forming up to begin the Death March from Bataan, Bjoring escaped along with three other men. They were recaptured in Southern Luzon in July 1942, and Bjoring was then a prisoner of war until September, 1945.

Bjoring contributed two folders to the Carleton Elliott Simensen Military Heritage Collection. The first folder contains a photocopy of a paper that Bjoring wrote for a military history class at the University of Maryland in 1949. The paper concerns the defense of the Philippines from 1939-1942. Bjoring researched the paper from materials at the Library of Congress. The first folder also contains a 1993 letter from Bjoring describing the creation of his manuscript, "A 1920 Baby." Also included is a list of North Dakota World War II POW's found in the book Some Survived by Manny Lawton.

The second folder contains a copy of Bjoring's unpublished manuscript "A 1920 Baby." In this work, Bjoring describes his experiences during World War II. (Accession # 93-1931)

Box 2

Folder 47: Memoirs: 1949, 1993

Folder 48: Memoirs: 1993

Sub-Series 6: Aaron Boetcher

Nancy Mulhern contributed a booklet written by her father, Aaron Boetcher. The booklet, entitled "Years Later I Remember the Months Serving in the Pacific War in the Decade that Changed the World," was written circa 1994. In it, Boetcher describes his experiences as a soldier in the South Pacific during World War II.

Box 2

Folder 40: Memoirs, not dated

Sub-Series 7: Gordon Caldis

Gordon Caldis was born March 26, 1920, in Bertha, Minnesota. He graduated from UND in May 1942 with a bachelor's degree in Commerce, after which he entered the U.S. Navy's Midshipman Program at Columbia University. While at Columbia, he volunteered for PT (Patrol Torpedo) Boat duty. He was sent to the Pacific Theater in June 1944 and saw action in several campaigns, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944), and the invasions of Luzon and Borneo (1945). He was discharged in 1946, after serving as the Senior Interviewing Officer at the US Navy Separation Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He returned to UND and graduated with a law degree in 1948.

The material consists of Caldis' memories of World War II, entitled Gordon Caldis' Experiences in World War II, written in December 1997. It is 32 pages long, in addition to several photocopied photographs, maps and diagrams. Also included is a short biographical sketch. Caldis describes his naval training following graduation from UND, the inner-workings and missions of a PT Boat, the campaigns and battles he took part in, and Japanese kamikaze attacks against US Fleets. He also describes several Japanese attacks against his boat, PT Boat 522. Donated by Gordon Caldis, Grand Forks, North Dakota, on May 27, 1998 (Acc.#98-2236).

Box 6

Folder 13: Gordon Caldis' Experiences in World War II

Sub-Series 8: Rebecca Livengood Dyer

Rebecca Livengood Dyer is a first cousin of Carleton Elliott Simensen. During World War II, she served in the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service). Materials donated by Livengood Dyer include her written recollections of military service and a photocopy of her discharge papers. A photograph of Livengood Dyer in uniform, taken circa 1944, was separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. (OGL #1278-54).

Box 1

Folder 4: Memoirs and Naval Discharge Papers: 1945, 1994

Sub-Series 9: PT Boats Inc.

PT Boats, Inc. was founded in 1946 to preserve the history of PT Boats in World War II. The National Headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee. Duane Renville, a World War II PT Boat veteran from Walhalla, serves as the PT Boats, Inc. State Coordinator for North Dakota. Materials in this accession were donated by Duane Renville and Gordon Caldis. Renville donated two copies of a pamphlet entitled "PT Boaters," a list of North Dakota PT Boaters, which includes some biographical information, and a copy of a bibliography on PT Boats, compiled by the National Headquarters of PT Boats, Inc. (Accession # 94-1948) Caldis contributed a photocopy of his biographical sketch from the book Knights of the Sea. (Accession # 94-1949)

Photos of several North Dakota PT Boaters, taken at a 1993 "North Dakota PT Boaters Bull Session" have been separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. Individuals photographed include Walter Hewitt of Minto, Harold Zolbahn of Drayton, Harold Wick of Grand Forks, Gordon Caldis of Grand Forks, Duane Renville of Walhalla, Steve Gorman of Fargo and Roscoe Kensworthy of Grand Forks. (OGL #1278-45 - 1278-51) A group photo of all of the above individuals is also stored in the Photograph Collection (OGL #1278-52). The collection also includes two additional photos of Renville - one taken at a PT Boat Reunion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1993 (OGL #1278-44) and one taken in 1943 depicting Renville in naval uniform. (OGL #1278-53) Also separated was one oversize map depicting the Battle of Surigao Strait on October 25, 1994. Duane Renville received the map at the 1994 Annual PT Boat Reunion in Denver, Colorado. The map was stored in OGL #1278 Oversize Folder #5.

Box 2

Folder 37: PT Boats, Inc.: 1994

Oversize Folder 5: Assorted Maps

Map of Battle of Surigao Strait, undated

Sub-Series 10: Russell Lake

Russell Lake was a close friend of Carleton Elliott Simensen and a fellow UND classmate and ROTC officer. In 1941, Lake enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was immediately assigned to the recruiting station in Fargo where he enlisted. Following this assignment, Lake was transferred to the University of Notre Dame to receive officer training. Lake was commissioned a Lieutenant and assigned to the LST 478. He saw duty in the South Pacific for the remainder of World War II. Following the war, Lake remained in the Naval Reserve and was honorably discharged in 1955. Lake contributed seven folders of documents and several photographs to the Carleton Elliott Simensen Military Heritage Collection. Documents include newspaper clippings relating to Lake's military experiences and to Carleton Elliott Simensen's death and posthumous citation for bravery, one folder of documents that Lake received from the U.S. Navy - consisting chiefly of enlistment papers, discharge papers and orders of assignment or transfer, a roster of Lake and his classmates in Officer Training School at Notre Dame, a poem written by Russell Lake shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a letter from Mabel Elliott Simensen written shortly after her son's death, "The True Story of the LST 478" by Carolyn Jewett Keefe [the daughter of Lake's fellow officer on the LST 478] and the discharge papers of H.A. Sneesly, uncle of Lake and World War I veteran. (Accession # 93-1900)

Several photos have been separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. These include: A photo of William Pratt, Phyllis Pratt, Verona Kumm and Carleton Elliott Simensen, circa 1941 (OGL #1278-57), two photos of Simensen at UND, circa 1936-1940 (OGL #1278-58, 1278-59), one group photo of Alan Severson, Russell Lake, La Veern Abelson, Robert Chatfield and Carleton Elliott Simensen, circa 1940 (OGL #1278-60), two photos of LST's in World War II, circa 1941-1945 (OGL #1278-61, OGL #1278-62), one official U.S. Navy photo of two unidentified sailors taken in World War II, circa 1941-1945 (OGL #1278-63), a portrait of Russell Lake, circa 1941-1945. (OGL #1278-64)

Box 1

Folder 9: Poem Written by Russell Lake [circa 7/15/41]

Folder 10: Naval Papers, 1941-1946, 1955 and not dated

Folder 11: Company 3, Platoon 3 - Morrisey Hall, Notre Dame - Names and Addresses, 1942

Folder 12: Newspaper Clippings, not dated

Folder 13: Letter from Mabel Elliott Simensen, not dated

Folder 14: "The True Story of the LST 478" by Carolyn Jewett Keefe, 1988

Folder 15: Discharge Papers of H.A. Sneesly (Uncle of Russell Lake), 1921

Sub-Series 11: Senator Evan Lips

North Dakota State Senator Evan Lips is a UND graduate and was recruited into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941 by Carleton Elliott Simensen. He enlisted as a Private and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. During World War II, Lips saw combat in the South Pacific, including engagements at Guam and Iwo Jima. Senator Lips donated one folder of materials containing a letter describing his experiences in World War II and his friendship with Carleton Elliott Simensen.

Box 1

Folder 5: Memoirs, 1994

Sub-Series 12: Robert C. Moore

Robert C. Moore grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1941. Following service on an aircraft carrier, he was transferred to the Navy Air Corps and received pilot training. He ended World War II as a pilot in the U.S. Navy. His two younger brothers also served in the war - Jack in the Army and Clarence in the Navy. Moore's grandfather, Ambrose Goodbout, served in the Civil War with a Minnesota regiment and was later a member of the Grand Forks Grand Army of the Republic. Bob Moore donated 17 folders of materials. These include one folder of genealogical information regarding Moore's grandfather, Ambrose Goodbout, including photocopies of obituaries, a death certificate, a photo of his grave in The Civil War Cavalry Veterans Cemetery in Grand Forks and papers regarding his claim of a soldier's pension for service in the Civil War. The other folders relate to Moore's World War II service and include correspondence, a 1944 newspaper clipping from the Grand Forks Herald regarding Moore and his brothers and papers from Moore's attendance at naval flight training school, including a composition book, a completed exam sheet, a flight manual and several manuals and text books on aviation. Moore also donated his scrapbook, which contains newspaper clippings relating to his military service.

Nine photographs were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. These include one photo of Henry Wheeler, a veteran from Grand Forks, taken circa 1944 (#1278-69) and one photo of James Trepanier, taken circa 1951 (#1278-70). Trepanier was a veteran of World War II and Korea who was killed during the Korean Conflict. Other photographs include one of Ambrose Goodbout (circa 1900) (#1278-77), one of an antiaircraft gun crew taken in 1945 in Germany [includes James Devaney of Grand Forks] (#1278-75), one of Moore and his classmates in naval aviation school (circa 1944) (#1278-76), and three 1942 photographs taken aboard the U.S.S. Altamaha, an aircraft carrier (#1278-72 - 1278-74) and a 1942 photo of the Navy Mothers Club of Grand Forks (#1278-71).

Box 3

Folder 1: Ambrose Goodbout - Genealogical Information, 1865-1917

Folder 2: Papers, 1943-1944

Folder 3: Correspondence, 1944

Folder 4: Composition Book, not dated

Folder 5: Naval Flight Training Manuals, 1943

Folder 6: Naval Flight Training Manuals, 1943 (cont.)

Folder 7: Air Navigation Manuals, 1943

Folder 8: Air Navigation Manuals, 1943 (cont.)

Folder 9: Pictorial Manual, 1942

Folder 10: "Operation of Aircraft Engines," 1943

Folder 11: Recognition Sketching Manual, 1944

Folder 12: Naval Pilot Training Booklets, 1943

Folder 13: Booklets on Weather and Aviation, 1951, 1955

Folder 14: University of Arizona, Ground Instruction Course Manual, 1943

Folder 15: Aircraft S.E.5A - List of Drawings of Aircraft Parts, circa 1943-1944

Folder 16: "Elementary French Grammar for Beginners," 1942

Folder 17: "Maptalk," 1945

Box 4

Folder 1: Robert C. Moore's Scrapbook

Sub-Series 13: Edwin Rupp

Edwin Rupp was a graduate of UND, and played football with Carleton Elliott Simensen. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1941. In October of that year, he reached Pearl Harbor, but his ship, the U.S.S. Tennessee, was at sea. He thus reported to the U.S.S. Arizona and was reunited with Simensen, who was the Officer of the Deck on that day. Rupp was in Pearl Harbor, on the Tennessee, when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. After the attack, Rupp was transferred to the U.S.S. Doyle DD494, which was assigned to convoy duty in the North Atlantic. Rupp was present at the invasions of Normandy and Southern France. He was discharged from the Navy in 1947 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Rupp contributed one folder of materials describing his experience at the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. (Accession # 93-1908)

Box 1

Folder 8: Memoirs, 1993

Sub-Series 14: Eugene V. Schwartz

Eugene Schwartz of Grafton, North Dakota, served in the U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Arizona. Materials donated by Schwartz include a pamphlet on the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor (circa 1969-1979), a booklet entitled "Crossing the Line - U.S.S. Arizona, July 1940," [circa 1940] which describes a "crossing the Equator" ceremony aboard the U.S.S. Arizona, and a newspaper clipping circa 1940 describing the commissioning exercises of the U.S.S. Hornet. (Accession # 94-1954)

One photograph of the U.S.S. Hornet was separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets. (#1278-68).

Box 2

Folder 38: Materials on U.S.S. Arizona and U.S.S. Hornet, 1940 and not dated

Sub-Series 15: Agnes Shurr

Video tape of a speech given by Agnes Shurr in Grand Forks to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Shurr was a nurse in the United States Navy during World War II. In the speech, Shurr recalls her experiences at Pearl Harbor and serving on a hospital ship in the South Pacific in 1941-1942. Separated and placed with Special Collections videotapes (# V 846). Donated by Beverly Jensen of Drayton, North Dakota (Accession # 94-1967).

Sub-Series 16: George Vaughan

George Vaughan was a UND classmate of Carleton Elliott Simensen. Vaughan also joined the Marine Corps and saw combat in World War II. Materials donated by Vaughan consist of a letter describing his friendship with Simensen at UND and his early days in the Marine Corps.

Box 1

Folder 7: "Reminiscences of Carl Elliott Simensen," 1994

Sub-Series 17: Robert Wasson

Robert C. Wasson served in the Pacific Theatre of World War II as member of Headquarters Company, 350th Infantry, 88th Division. Wasson began his service at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, on April 1, 1942. His primary assignment was as a Personnel Officer, and some of his tasks included censoring mail, tutoring soldiers in the division, monitoring the motor pool and establishing camping areas. Wasson saw action in the October 1944 invasion of the Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands. At this time, he also took on some intelligence and security responsibilities. He was involved in several other campaigns in the Pacific, including Okinawa, before the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945. Wasson was sent back to the United States in late 1945, because a skin ailment he had obtained was thought to be cancerous. He eventually separated from the military in January 1946, from Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. The materials were transferred from the Al Austin Papers (Acc.#97-2167).

Box 6

Folder 5: A Summary of my Military Service, by Robert Wasson (undated)

Folder 6: Correspondence: Robert Wasson to Al Austin (UND Journalism Department), 21 April 1992

Sub-Series 18: IX Corps Grenade

Japanese pictorial, Kathryn (Kay) Lawrence of Grand Forks, North Dakota, was the first woman to graduate from the University of North Dakota's Flight Training Program in 1942. After graduation she worked for Boeing Aircraft Company before joining the Women Auxiliary Ferrying Service (WAFS) in July 1943. On August 4, 1943, while flying a PT-19, Lawrence's plane crashed near Sweetwater, Texas, causing her untimely death. Seventeen days after her death the WAFS and the Women’s Flight Training Detachment (WFTD) merged to form the Women Air force Service Program (WASP) on August 21, 1943.

The material consists of an 8x10 photograph of Kay Lawrence deposited by Marcy (Gilbertson) Schoenecker, Denver, Colorado, on April 20, 2005 (Acc. #2005-2767). Also within the collection are photocopies from the Dacotah annual, Alumni Review, and information pulled from the World Wide Web, all of which were deposited by Special Collections staff.

Box 8

Folder 5: Kathryn (Kay) Lawrence: 1940-46

Sub-Series 19: Erhart Ziemann

Erhart Ziemann was born on a farm near Hazen, North Dakota, on March 6, 1926, and was attending Hazen High School when the United States entered World War II. His older brother, Eddie, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and Erhart was eager to follow him into the military. In his senior year of high school, Erhart learned that he was to be drafted into the U.S. Army, rather than his beloved Marines. He enlisted instead on April 28, 1944, in order to join the Marines. He trained at Fort Pendleton in California, where he distinguished himself as an excellent rifle marksman. He was deployed to Hawaii on December 26, 1944, where he joined the Fourth Division. Ziemann was highly decorated for his service in the first wave of the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he was wounded. He was honorably discharged on May 17, 1945. He married Lucille Reinhardt on May 30, 1948. He and Lucille had four children: Cindy, Gerald, Wes, and Tiffany. Ziemann’s daughter, Cindy Highley of Bismarck, North Dakota, donated four folders of materials to the Carleton Elliot Simensen Military Heritage Collection in July 2021 (2021-3444).

The first folder contains information of Erhart Ziemann’s life and family history, his parents, enlistment, training, the Battle of Iwo Jima, news articles, photos of the family, and Erhart’s obituary, as well as his daughter’s efforts in assisting the creation of the World War II memorial.

The second folder contains the letters of Erhart Ziemann to his family, from June 17, 1944, as he was en route to boot camp following his enlistment, until July 27, 1945, when he was discharged.

The third folder contains materials regarding Ziemann’s military service, including his enlistment forms, his muster records, stories of his service written by his daughter, newspaper articles, and information on the medals he was awarded for valor.

The fourth folder contains general information about World War II, the Pacific theater, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Processed by Siri Ullery, Jacob Schweigert, and Jacob Siedschlag (students in History 240) in October 2021.

Box 9

Folder 19: Life of Ehart Ziemann

Folder 20: Correspondence from Erhart Ziemann, 1944-1945

Folder 21: Military Service of Erhart Ziemann

Folder 22: General Information

Sub-Series 20: Edwin Ziemann

Edwin Ziemann was the son of Immanuel and Martha Ziemann. Edwin was born in Krem, North Dakota, though he lived in Montana for much of his life. Edwin married Emogene “Jean” Maria in Lewiston, Montana on August 25, 1946. They had two daughters, LaDonna Ost, and Anita Boyum. Edwin served in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater as a Chief Petty Officer, First Class. Edwin joined the Navy on February 21, 1942, in Seattle, Washington. He served until December 22, 1945. Edwin’s first assignment was in April 1942, aboard the U.S.S. Henderson, which left from San Diego, California, in route to Pearl Harbor.

This collection consists of transcribed letters Edwin wrote to his family, mainly his older brother, Herbert, and Herbert’s wife, Ella Ellwein Ziemann, while he was in the United States Navy. These letters were transcribed by Cindy Highley, who is Edwin’s niece. The original letters were saved by Ella Ziemann and came into Cindy’s possession after Ella’s death. The originals were kept by the family, so the transcripts are the only available documentation.

Much of the letters describe Edwin’s living and working conditions for his day-to-day life while in the Navy, as well as his thoughts and discussions regarding his family. The letters date from March 3, 1942, until April 26, 1945, although there are long gaps between letters. There are photocopied images of Edwin Ziemann on the July 31, 1942, letter, a photocopied image of Edwin with his signature on page two of the November 29, 1943, letter, and a photocopied image of Edwin from 1949 within April 26, 1945, letter.

Donated by Cindy Highley, Bismarck, North Dakota, on July 13, 2021 (2021-3445). Processed by Julie Faust, Special Collections Assistant, February 2022.

Box 9

Folder 23: Correspondence of Edwin Ziemann, 1942-1945