Glenn A. Barrett World War II collection

Collection

Identifier: Collection 509

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection contains printed material related to Glenn A. Barrett. The collection has two series. The first series is personal memoribila such as scrapbooks, photogaphs, and Barrett's military ephemera.

The second series is correspondence between Barrett and his mother, grandmother, and friends. These letters are broadly organized by date ranges. The bulk of his letters are dated 1944 and 1945, although the range of inclusive dates is the late 1930s to the 1950s (with one item from the 1980s).

Dates

1934 - 1950

Biographical / Historical

Glenn Albert Barrett was born March 20, 1923 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Albert and Myrtle Barrett. Barrett graduated from Union High School in 1940.

According to Veterans Affairs records in the Fold3 database, Barrett enlisted in the army in February of 1943. He served overseas as a part of the 31st Signal Service Battalion part of the China-Burma-India Theatre. Barrett ultimately was released in May of 1946.

After his years of service, Barrett worked for the Jarecki Corp. and Tassell Industries, among others before retiring in 1985. Glenn Barrett passed away on May 8, 2000 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Extent

4 Linear Feet (10 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Glenn Albert Barrett (1923-2000) lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan and served in the Army during World War II (1943-1946). Through his service in the military, Barrett traveled extensively and wrote about his experiences in letters home to his mother, Myrtle M. Barrett (nee Burtles); grandmother; and to various friends. Some letters contained in the collection are written to Barrett as well. Additionally, the collection contains some photographs of Barrett and others. A researcher interested in viewing primary material related to World War II and/or interested in a personal, first-hand account of serving in the military would be interested in viewing this collection.

Processing Information

The collection originally contained several other publications that were ultimately not retained in the collection, as they were national publications that are widely available and not unique to Barrett himself.

Letters from June and July of 1944 that had been mold-damaged were photocopied and the originals discarded. Also removed from the collection was one empty address book circa 1990.

Additionally, a small collection of Barrett's military and personal realia were transferred to the Grand Rapids Public Museum.