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W.W. Embree Collection, RC 2, Box 1, Folder 11 Soldiers not only craved news from home, such as in the letter from Waite Embree to Major Loren Ake, but were desperate to get information back to their families. Robert Borden, a sailor from Rockford, Illinois tried unsuccessfully to inform his family about his responsibilities and location. Most of his letters were marked rejected by censors and returned. Borden evaded censors by handing off a nine-page letter to a shipmate who was returning to Illinois from their ship, which was located near Japan. Loose Lips Sink Ships.
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Oversize Collection, RC 200, Drawer 15
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Audiovisual Collection, UA 11, Political Memoriabilia, 5, WWI Service Ribbons
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Oversize Collection, RC 200, #315
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Faculty Papers, US 18, Page, Box 1, folder 8 Arthur S. Beverly wrote Edward Page on November 13, 1918 describing the abrupt end of the war:
Well we were right in the very front line of trenches when the armistice was signed and up to the last minute were dodging machine gun bullets that were whizzing over our heads some times lying in the bottom of a deep muddy hole as the shells burst around us. The Jerry who was firing that gun must have been a union man for he worked hard up to eleven oclock but stopped promptly at that time. Then we heard them yelling in their lines and all firing was over. In a few minutes we saw them coming over with cigaretts all of them unarmed some cheering and tossing up their hats. We sent out and met them and shook hands.
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Faculty Papers, US 18, Page, Box 1, folder 2 G.W. Patrick sent Page a letter with a photograph of three classmates in uniform and gas masks asking if Page could recognize the students by their shapes. Edward Page was the first history professor at Northern Illinois State Normal School (NIU). Before many of his students left campus for WWI military service, Page asked them to write to let him know how they were faring.
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Audio Visual Collection, UA 11, Embree box 6 Red Cross Hospital flag used by the 3rd Regiment Illinois Volunteer during the Spanish American War
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W.W. Embree Collection, RC 2, box 6, folder 5 Col. Elvin H. Wagner's obituary
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W.W. Embree Collection, RC 2, box 6, folder 11 Letter to Mamma and All
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W.W. Embree Collection, RC 2, box 6, folder 4 Elvin Wagner enlisted in 1898 with the help of a relative. However, this help came with stipulations. Arthur Wagner writes to his brother, H.H. Wagner:
Try to impress upon Elvin, however, that while Captain Scott and any other friend of mine will carefully look out for him, he must not expect any indulgences that would not ordinarily be show to a private soldier but will be expected to be in every respect a man.
By 1901 Wagner is a 2nd Lieutenant and already in charge of his own company. He writes home to his mother, "There is a big military prison here with 89 convicts to look out for but I always carry my revolver and they know it..." Wagner also states that he has 5 men in the guard house for misconduct. "They had a mistaken idea as to who was running the company, they or I." Wagner's obituary clearly shows the he proved himself as a more than competent soldier and that Arthur need not have worried.
