| COLLECTION INFORMATION | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
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Size: Acquisition: Gift, Access: Open for research Processed by: |
John (Jack) A. Forman was born July 14, 1911, in Denison, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin for two years and traveled in Texas for the Quaker Oats Company from 1937 to 1942. In November of 1942 he entered the U. S. Army, serving for three years in Europe during World War II and participating in the invasion of Normandy on D-day. After receiving a discharge from the Army with the rank of Captain, Forman eventually moved to Nacogdoches where he worked for Texas Farm Products from 1953 until his retirement. John A. Forman died in Nacogdoches on May 4, 2005.
The collection contains a 37-page typescript narrative by Jack Forman of his World War II memories, papers and certificates providing a record of his military service, and documents which trace the 17-month march through Europe of Battery "A" of the 110th Gun Battalion, Forman's unit. The collection includes 200 photos and a number of negatives of war scenes in Europe. Also included are a 48-star U. S. flag, some foreign currency, and some war maps.
(Interview with John A. Forman, 10 Aug 1984. East Texas Research Center. Ralph W. Steen Library. Stephen F. Austin State University).
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374 ITEMS. (A-125)
Box 1:
Folder 1: Correspondence, special and general orders, memos relating to assignments, appointments, leaves, and commendations, 1943-1944. 12 items.
Folder 2: Correspondence, special and general orders, memos relating to assignments, appointments, leaves, and commendations, 1945. 11 items.
Folder 3: Correspondence, special and general orders, memos relating to assignments, appointments, leaves, and commendations, 1946-1951. 17 items.
Folder 4: Roster with home addresses entitled: "Headquarters Battery, 110th AAA Gun Bn. (Mbl.)," ca. 1944. 1 item.
Folder 5: Official "March Order" of Battery "A" as compiled from the Morning Reports census leaving the USA, ca 1945. 1 item.
Folder 6: Identification documents, immunization record, combined leave pass and railway ticket of the Allied Expeditionary Force, program of Christmas dinner of Battery C, 57th Antiaircraft Training Battalion, Camp Callan, California, 1940-1945. 7 items.
Folder 7: V-Mail letter (photocopy) to parents and change of address form postcard to wife, 1943-1944. 2 items.
Folder 8: Certificates, commendations, discharge papers, 1943-1946. 6 items.
Folder 9: Certificate and letter of discharge from the U. S. Army, 1951. 2 items.
Folder 10: Newspaper clippings, mimeograph of article, concerning activities of Forman and the First Army during the war, 1945-1984. 7 items.
Folder 11: "World War II Memories," typed transcript of taped memoirs of Jack Forman, 1985. 1 item.
Folder 12: Coast Artillery Field Manual, Antiaircraft Artillery, and 48-star U. S. flag, 1943. 2 items.
Folder 13: French, Belgium, and German currency, 1910, 1933-1945. 10 items.
Box 2
Contains snapshots and other photos relating to Forman's experiences in the military from his training in California to his departure for the United States after the end of the war.
Folder 1: Basic training and service in the U. S., 1942-43. 4 photos.
Folder 2: England (London, Oxford, and other places), Jan.-May 1944. 11 photos.
Folder 3: France (Omaha Beach, St. Lo, and other showing destruction), June-July 1944. 27 photos.
Folder 4: France (Paris, including liberation scenes), Aug.-Jan. 1945. 29 photos.
Folder 5: Belgium (scenes of country at war) Sept.-Dec. 1944. 32 photos.
Folder 6: Germany (various locations), March-May 1945. 16 photos.
Folder 7: Germany (various locations), April-Oct. 1945. 24 photos.
Folder 8: Germany (various locations), June-Nov. 1945. 19 photos.
Folder 9: Germany (various locations), 1945. 18 photos.
Folder 10: Scenes of troops going home, drilling, etc. Aug.-Nov. 1945. 22 photos.
Folder 11: Paris, 1944-1945. 28 negatives.
Folder 12: Riviera, France; England, 1945. 42 negatives.
Box 3
Not in Folder: Picture of Battery "C"-57th A.A. Training Battalion Camp Callan, California, June 1943.
Not in Folder: Picture of Battery "A" 110th AAA Gun en (Mbl.), Theodore H. Silverman, Capt., CAC., Com'd'g, Sept., 1943.
Folder 1: Picture of Officers; 110th And Gun Bn. (Mbl.), Sept. 1943.
Folder 2: Map of Ordnance Survey of England and Wales 2nd war revision, sheet 105, 1940.
A detailed map of the Channel Grossing (from newspaper), 1944.
Partial map of the Coast of France, April 1944.
Invasion map of Omaha Beach, ca May 1944.
Map of Far eastern Theater of War, 1941-1945.
Map of European Theater of War, 1939-1945.
Map of "Der Rhein von Koln-Bingen," 1940.
Folder 3: Booklets
(1) "Medals and Service Ribbons of the U.S. Armed Forces", n.d.
(2) "Pocket Guide of Uniform Insignia; United States, British Empire, U.S.S.R., France, China, and Poland", 1943.
(3) "The Landing Beaches" [of the Allied Forces], n.d.
(4) "Les Plages du Debarquement, Normandie, France" (colored map and descriptions of the landing beaches of the Allied Forces), n.d.
(5) "Going Back to Civilian Life", Aug. 1945.
(6) "Pocket Guide to Germany", ca. 1944.
Folder 4: Postcard of Spa in Belgium, ca. 1944.
Yellow German armband "Deutiche Wehrmacht", ca. 1944.
French money (5 francs), 1944.
Folder 5: Letter of gratitude and praise from Dwight D. Eisenhower to the members of the Allied Expeditionary Force, ca. 1945.
General Orders awarding the men listed the "Bronze Service Arrowhead", 11 pgs., June 1945.
Folder 6: Newspaper Stars and Stripes, Paris Edition, with headline "Victory", May 8, 1945
Article about the 1st US Army in Germany, ca. 1945.
Box 4
Folder 1: Newspaper articles about John Forman
Folder 2: Postcards from World War II
Folder 3: World War II photographs
Folder 4: Souvenir Paris photos and postcards, World War II
Folder 5: Keepsakes from Europe during World War II
Folder 6: World War II Omaha Beach revisited-1984 photographs
Folder 7: Letters from friends in the 110th Battalion, 1984-2000
Folder 8: Newspaper articles about the 110th A-A-A Gun Battalion
Folder 9: "A Memoir of the 110th A-A-A Gun Battalion: 1943-1945" by Leo Kania
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