Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles W. Lannan letters

Abstract

The Charles W. Lannan letters (dated 1942-1945, undated; 0.04 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises letters from Charles Lannan to his wife that document life serving in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles W. Lannan letters
Date
1942-1945, undated (inclusive)
Creator
Lannan, Charles W.
Extent
0.04 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Letters.
World War, 1939-1945.
Military life.
Long-distance relationships.
Ocean travel
Arrangement
Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.1056: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles W. Lannan letters, 1942-1945, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Charles W. Lannan (1905-1988) was born in Louisville, Kentucky to John Lannan (1860-1914) and Margaret Toles (1876-1979). He worked as a paint salesman and Jefferson County constable. In 1936, he married Lois Myrtle Atwell (1914-1990). Between 1943 and 1945, Lannan served in the US Navy.
American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
Scope and Content
The Charles W. Lannan letters (dated 1942-1945, undated; 0.04 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises letters from Charles Lannan to his wife that document life serving in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. The letters are primarily sent from Charles to his wife, discussing daily life in camp, missing his wife, duties he is given, traveling by train to deploy abroad, life on board a ship, opinions on New Guinea and the Philippines, how the fighting with the Japanese is going, how much he misses their dog, his hopes to be home soon, rumors about the war ending, tension with commanding officers, dealing with letter censors, and writing letters to other family members and friends. Additionally, there are two letters in the collection, one to Charles and his wife concerning money, and one from Charles and his wife talking about a recent trip.
The Charles W. Lannan letters collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American Letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Charles W. Lannan letters, 1942-1945, undated

  • Box WH-148, folder 1
To top

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

Requests

No items have been requested.



Submit a request for SCRC materials.




You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.