Redden-Lancaster Families World War II Letters
Collection
Identifier: MSS-4163
Scope and Contents
The collection contains letters from Private Lloyd D. (Don) and Sergeant Glen C. Redden, and Robert Lancaster to the Redden's sister and brother-in-law and Lancaster's brother and sister-in-law, Barbara and James Lancaster in Peekskill, New York. The letters illustrate the similar and differing experiences the men had during the war and depict a soldier's life from basic training to deployment.
Glen Redden began writing his sister Barbara Lancaster while he was serving in the Army Air Corps. Originally stationed at the Jefferson Barracks in Missouri, he qualified as a weather observer and was sent to Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama, to attend "Air Education and Training Command" classes. By 1943, he was stationed in Cambridge, England, with the Eighteenth Weather Squadron of the Air Corps.
The bulk of the letters, some 279, are from Lloyd D. Redden to his sister Barbara. Redden, who went by his middle name Don, enlisted in 1943, and was stationed at Jefferson Barracks for his basic training. He then attended classes with the Air Force in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for officer placement. However, Redden flunked the course and was sent to Lincoln, Nebraska. In early 1944, he attended the Army Air Forces Technical School at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. He was sent to Oahu, Hawaii, in 1944 and then spent most of 1945 in the Pacific Theater before being sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey, to receive his discharge.
The smallest group of letters are from Lieutenant Robert C. Lancaster to his brother and sister-in-law, James and Barbara R. Lancaster. Lancaster joined the army in 1942 and received his basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He eventually entered officer training classes, becoming a 2nd Lieutenant by the end of the year. He was eventually sent to the Pacific with the Army Corps of Engineers.
Glen Redden began writing his sister Barbara Lancaster while he was serving in the Army Air Corps. Originally stationed at the Jefferson Barracks in Missouri, he qualified as a weather observer and was sent to Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama, to attend "Air Education and Training Command" classes. By 1943, he was stationed in Cambridge, England, with the Eighteenth Weather Squadron of the Air Corps.
The bulk of the letters, some 279, are from Lloyd D. Redden to his sister Barbara. Redden, who went by his middle name Don, enlisted in 1943, and was stationed at Jefferson Barracks for his basic training. He then attended classes with the Air Force in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for officer placement. However, Redden flunked the course and was sent to Lincoln, Nebraska. In early 1944, he attended the Army Air Forces Technical School at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. He was sent to Oahu, Hawaii, in 1944 and then spent most of 1945 in the Pacific Theater before being sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey, to receive his discharge.
The smallest group of letters are from Lieutenant Robert C. Lancaster to his brother and sister-in-law, James and Barbara R. Lancaster. Lancaster joined the army in 1942 and received his basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He eventually entered officer training classes, becoming a 2nd Lieutenant by the end of the year. He was eventually sent to the Pacific with the Army Corps of Engineers.
Dates
- 1941 - 1945
Creator
- Lancaster, Barbara R. (Correspondent, Person)
Biographical / Historical
Barbara Redden, third child and youngest daughter of George James and Nellie Lent Redden, was born on February 9, 1920, in Peekskill, New York. She married James Richard Lancaster; the couple had one son, James Richard, Jr.
Glen C. Redden, oldest child and son of George James and Nellie Lent Redden, was born on July 9, 1914, in New York. He served in the Army Air Corps as a weather observer from January 1942 until 1945. After the war he married Jean Battjer. He died in Trenton, New Jersey, on November 18, 1865.
Lloyd Donald Redden, youngest child of George James and Nellie Lent Redden, was born on February 11, 1923, in Peekskill, New York. He served in the Air Force from 1943 until 1946, rising to the rank of Sergeant. He died on May 18, 1963, in Peekskill; there is no current evidence that he ever married.
Robert Carl Lancaster, youngest child of Chauncy Mitchell and Sadie May Post Lancaster, was born on August 6, 1919, in Westchester County, New York. By the outbreak of World War II the family lived in Peekskill, New York. He served in the Army in the Pacific theater from 1942 to 1945 rising to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He died in Tucson, Arizona, on April 14, 1991; there is no current evidence that he ever married.
Glen C. Redden, oldest child and son of George James and Nellie Lent Redden, was born on July 9, 1914, in New York. He served in the Army Air Corps as a weather observer from January 1942 until 1945. After the war he married Jean Battjer. He died in Trenton, New Jersey, on November 18, 1865.
Lloyd Donald Redden, youngest child of George James and Nellie Lent Redden, was born on February 11, 1923, in Peekskill, New York. He served in the Air Force from 1943 until 1946, rising to the rank of Sergeant. He died on May 18, 1963, in Peekskill; there is no current evidence that he ever married.
Robert Carl Lancaster, youngest child of Chauncy Mitchell and Sadie May Post Lancaster, was born on August 6, 1919, in Westchester County, New York. By the outbreak of World War II the family lived in Peekskill, New York. He served in the Army in the Pacific theater from 1942 to 1945 rising to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He died in Tucson, Arizona, on April 14, 1991; there is no current evidence that he ever married.
Extent
0.6 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Overview
Letters from Lloyd D. (Don) and Sergeant Glen C. Redden, and Robert Lancaster to the Redden's sister and brother-in-law and Lancaster's brother and sister-in-law, Barbara and James Lancaster. The letters illustrate the similar and differing experiences the men had during the war and depict a soldier's life from basic training to deployment.
General
To provide faster access to our materials, this finding aid was published without formal and final review. Email us at archives@ua.edu if you find mistakes or have suggestions to make this finding aid more useful for your research.
Processing Information
Processed by Martha Bace, 2016
Creator
- Lancaster, Barbara R. (Correspondent, Person)
- Lancaster, Robert (Person)
- Redden, Lloyd D. (Person)
- Redden, Glen C. (Person)
- Title
- Guide to Redden-Lancaster Families World War II Letters
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- January 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository