Scope and arrangement
The majority of this collection are materials related to LeRoy Hale service during World War II. He served in the U.S. Army in the 314th Infantry in the 79th Division. Materials related to his service are hand written letters, photographs, textiles, memorabilia, separation papers, newspaper and clippings, postcards, and handbooks.
A small portion of this collection contains information about Lorraine Hale's employment at ECU and her contributions to the manuscript by Sir Ivor Noel Hume called First and Lost: In Search of America's First English Settlement.
Administrative information
Custodial History
September 12, 2018, 0.1 cubic feet; Included are an unpublished manuscript by Sir Ivor Noel Hume with corrections by Lorraine Hale Robinson titled FIRST and LOST: In Search of America's First English Settlement. Discussion in 2008 to have the book published through the East Carolina University Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences fell through at some point and it remains unpublished. Gift of Lorraine Hale Robinson.
August 29, 2020, ( addition 1), 4.6 cubic feet; A large part of this addition is materials related to the WWII service of LeRoy M. Hale, father of the donor Lorraine Hale Robinson, who served with the U.S. Army in the 314th Infantry in the 79th Division. Included are correspondence (1942-1945) with his wife Emma; photographs; memorabilia such as medals, service pins and patches, badges, and campaign ribbons; separation papers; newspapers and clippings; postcards; and handbooks such as the Basic Field Manual, German phrase book, history of the 79th Division, and a guide to Camp Phillips near Salinas, KS.
The remainder of this addition contains items related to the donor's career as a Professor in the English Department at East Carolina University, items related to former English Department member Dr. Ralph Hardee Rives, and a few books. Some of these items may be transferred to the University Archives. The material related to Ralph Hardee Rives will be added to his collection #24.
Gift of Lorraine Hale Robinson.
Source of acquisition
Gift of Lorraine Hale Robinson
Copyright notice
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.
Existence and Location of Originals
Joyner Library Special Collections does not own the original World War II images of soldier LeRoy M. Hale in France. The two photographs were loaned to the library for digitization in 2020 and have been returned to the donor.
Container list
1337
Digitized Material
Box 1 Folder a
Emails from Lorraine Hale Robinson. 17 pages (2006-2008)
Box 1 Folder b
Edits and Draft of "First and Lost: The Search of America's First English Settlement" 180 pages
Box 1 Folder c
Edits and Drafts of Projects by Noel Hume. 48 pages (2008)
Box 1 Folder d
"Roanoke Island: America's First Science Center" By Sir Ivor Noel Hume. 16 pages (reprinted from 1994 Issue)
Box 2 Folder a
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 20 pages (Aug. - Oct. 1942)
Box 2 Folder b
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 27 pages (Oct. 1942)
Box 2 Folder c
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 33 pages (Nov. 1942)
Box 2 Folder d
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 30 pages (Nov. 1942)
Box 2 Folder e
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 44 pages (Nov. 1942)
Box 2 Folder f
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 30 pages (June - July 1943)
Box 2 Folder g
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 39 pages (Aug. 1943)
Box 3 Folder a
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 32 pages (Aug. 1943)
Box 3 Folder b
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 25 pages (Aug. 1943)
Box 3 Folder c
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 53 pages (Sept. - Nov. 1943)
Box 3 Folder d
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 55 pages (March 1944)
Box 3 Folder e
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 55 pages (April - Nov. 1944)
Box 4 Folder a
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 34 pages (Jan. - April 1945)
Box 4 Folder b
Correspondence between LeRoy M. Hale and his wife Emma. 57 pages (April - Aug. 1945, undated)
Box 4 Folder c
Postcards with correspondence on them. 20 pages (1942 - 1945)
Box 4 Folder d
LeRoy Hale WWII related materials. 56 pages (1942 - 1945)
Box 4 Folder e
LeRoy Hale' Official Service File. 13 pages (1945)
Box 4 Folder f
Items related to 79 Division WWII paper Items & Clippings. 35 pages (1943-1945)
Box 4 Folder g
General WWII Military Ephemera. 12 pages (1944 - 1945, undated)
Box 4 Folder i
Photographs - Majority are WWII related. 46 items
Box 4 Folder j
Negatives - Majority are WWII related and are for the photographs in 1337-b4-fh & -fi. 58 items
Box 5 Folder a
Correspondence from a soldier in the 18th Infantry Station in Germany. 15 pages. (1945-1946)
Box 5 Folder b
Cards received by LeRoy Hale when he entered the Army and during his WWII service. 17 items (1943, undated)
Box 5 Folder c
Special occasion cards LeRoy Hale sent to his wife, Emma, while in the army during WWII. 17 items (1943-1945)
Box 5 Folder d
Certificates. 4 pages (1946-1993)
Box 5 Folder e
Bulletins for Service of Remembrance for WWII Veterans and for LeRoy Hale's Burial Service and Birth Information.13 pages. (1972-1995)
Box 5 Folder f
Poems and Humorous Story. 3 pages
Box 5 Folder g
Combat History of the 79th Infantry Division. ca. 195 pages. (1945)
Box 5 Folder h
Correspondence Related to Prof. Robinson's time teaching at ECU. 5 items (2003, 2009)
Box 5 Folder i
Materials related to book "Combat Chaplain" which a memoir of Chaplain Israel A. S. Yost's experiences in WWII. Includes photocopies of cover and inside cover of book; correspondence from Yost's daughter Monica found in the book related to giving the book to yost's secretary when he was pastor of Prince and Peace Lutheran Church in Baltimore, Maryland; and a photograph of Pastor Yost. [Book is cataloged in Joyner Library Stacks]. 5 items (2006, undated)
Box 5 Folder j
WWII Military Publications. 2 items (1945)
Box 6 Item 1
"I Was There Army War Show" flag
Box 6 Item 2
Handkerchiefs. 5 items
Box 6 Item 3
Welcome Home Sign
Box 6 Item 4
Torn Banner with red border and blue star
Box 6 Item 5
"12 Original-Photographien" Frankfurt A./Main
Box 6 Item 6
Luxembourg
Box 6 Item 7
"The Cross of Loraine Division: The Story of the 79th Infantry Division" (1944)
Box 6 Item 8
"Camp Phillips"
Box 6 Item 9
"Advanced Map and Aerial Photograph Reading" (1944)
Box 6 Item 10
"Basic Field Manual: Soldiers Handbook" (1941)
Box 6 Item 11
"Pocket Guide to France"
Box 6 Item 12
"Welcome to the Riviera: Instruction Book and Guide to the United States Riviera Recreational Area"
Box 6 Item 13
"Welcome to the Riviera: Instruction Book and Guide to the United States Riviera Recreational Area"
Box 6 Item 14
"Perlen des bayersichen Hochlandes" Series 6 and 7 (Postcards)
Box 6 Item 15
"La Turbie" (Postcards)
Box 6 Item 16
"Der malerilme Rhein" (Postcards)
Box 6 Item 17
"German Phrase Book" (1943)
Box 6 Item 18
"Zurich" (Postcards)
Box 6 Item 19
"Nurnberg" (Postcards)
Box 6 Item 20
Unused Postcards
Box 7 Folder a
99th Infantry Division Patches. 4 items
Box 7 Folder b
Technician 5th Class (Corporal Rank). 6 items
Box 7 Folder c
Belt Buckle Tip Clasp. 1 item
Box 7 Folder d
Cross of Lorraine Patches. 3 items
Box 7 Folder e
Length of Service Stripes Patch. 1 item
Box 7 Folder f
Dog Tag. 1 item
Box 7 Folder g
PFC Patches. 4 items
Box 7 Folder h
Corporal Patch. 1 item
Box 7 Folder i
Brass Buttons with US Army insignia and crossed rifles insignia. 7 items
Box 7 Folder j
Possibly a clerk patch (field clerks were predecessors of warrant officers) This is PFC equivalent. 2 items
Box 7 Folder k
Hitler Youth Insignia (found by LeRoy Hale). 1 item
Box 7 Folder l
Dog Chain Tag Model 1940. 1 item
Box 7 Folder m
Honorable Service Discharge Pins and Patch.7 items
Box 7 Folder n
Green, brown, red, white, black bars for service in European campaign for 30 days or receipt of combat decoration. 3 items
Box 7 Folder o
HQ pin. shell casing, US Army button, and small pin. 4 items
Box 7 Folder p
Blue with gold border - Army Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon. 1 item
Box 7 Folder q
Red and white medals, bars, and tack pins are all good conduct medals. 9 items.
Box 7 Folder r
Pins/Badges meaning that you have been in combat as an infantry man. 2 items
Box 7 Folder s
Foreign Coins
Box 7 Folder t
Foreign Bills