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Edwin Groce in civilian clothes [n.d.]

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
  • Service Unit/Ship: 212th Army Air Force Base Unit
  • Location of Service: Camp Upton, New York; Miami Beach, Florida; Tyndall Field, Florida; Sheppard Field, Texas; Washington; Santa Ana Army Air Base, California; Ellington Field, Texas; Lincoln, Nebraska; Gowen Field, Idaho
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/116161

View full service history

"I'm learning everything I can in the Army (this makes the 5th school) because I don't know how long I'll be in; but the way things look it may be for some time now, I don't know whether I'll be able to go back to college." (Letter to Ray, September 28, 1944)

Born in the Bronx, Edwin "Eddy" Groce was drafted into the Army in February 1943. Groce traded his studies at New York University for training as an aerial gunner, aircraft mechanic, and navigator. The more than 130 letters in his collection narrate his experiences during this stateside training. Written to his parents and to his brother Raymond, these letters offer a glimpse into Groce's journeys as he crisscrossed the country, training in locations as varied as Santa Ana, California and Miami Beach, Florida. On December 30, 1944, soon after his last visit home to New York and shortly before he was to depart for overseas, Groce was killed when his plane crashed outside of Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho.

[ Photo Album ]

More Resources

[ Order to Report for Induction [1 February 1943] ]
[ Information sheet regarding United States Naval Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve Aviation Training ]
[ Information sheet regarding the Navy College Training Program ]
[ Letter to Mrs. Leonora Groce from Owen E. Horne, Lt. Col. Air Corps [3 January 1945] ]
[ Letter from C. E. Morrison, Major, Air Corps, to the parents of Edwin D. Groce [5 January 1945] ]
[ Settlement letter to the parents of Edwin D. Groce [4 June 1945] ]

Show more resources (149)

[ Humorous postcard, "Practicing Heavy Shelling," from Edwin D. Groce to his father, Albert L. Groce [19 February 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [23 February 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [7 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [15 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [17 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [19 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [19 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [21 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [22 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [29 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [31 March 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [2 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [4 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [5 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [8 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [12 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [15 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [19 April 1943] ]
[ Postcard from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [23 April 1943] ]
[ Postcard from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [23 April 1943] ]
[ Postcard from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [23 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [23 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [26 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [30 April 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [2 May 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [2 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [5 May 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [8 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [10 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [14 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [19 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [27 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [27 May 1943] ]
[ Birthday card to his father, Albert L. Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [29 May 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [2 June 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [11 June 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [14 June 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [18 June 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [22 June 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [29 June 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [30 June 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [5 July 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [7 July 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [8 July 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [13 July 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [16 July 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [19 July 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [22 July 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [26 July 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [26 July 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [28 July 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [2 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [2 August 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [4 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [7 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [9 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [9 August 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [11 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [12 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [15 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [18 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [26 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [27 August 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [1 September 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [13 September 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [22 September 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [28 September 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his father Albert L. Groce [6 October 1943] ]
[ Letter from Edwin D. Groce to his mother Leonora Groce [6 October 1943] ]
[ Postcard to his father, Albert L. Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [6 October 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [19 October 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [26 October 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [11 November 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [18 November 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [29 November 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [7 December 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [10 December 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [14 December 1943] ]
[ Letter to his father Albert L. Groce from Edwin D. Groce [10 December 1943] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [2 January 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [8 January 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [17 January 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [19 January 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [22 January 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [27 January 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [1 February 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [2 February 1944] ]
[ Western Union Telegram to his mother Leonora Groce from Edwin D. Groce [18 February 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [21 February 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [21 February 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [28 February 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [4 March 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [13 March 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [18 March 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [18 March 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [20 March 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [27 March 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [7 April 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [17 April 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [31 April 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [22 April 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [22 April 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [3 May 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [4 May 1944] ]
[ Birthday card to his father, Albert L. Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [7 May 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [16 May 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [May 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [6 June 1944] ]
[ Silver Anniversary Card to his parents from Edwin D. Groce [1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [7 June 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [28 June 1944] ]
[ "Jumbo" postcard of Chicago at night, from Edwin D. Groce to his parents [1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [15 July 1944] ]
[ Postcard to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [16 July 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [July 1944] ]
[ Letter to his mother, Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [July 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [July 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [July 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [3 August 1944] ]
[ Letter to his father, Albert L. Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [29 August 1944] ]
[ Letter to his brother Ray from Edwin D. Groce [28 September 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [16 October 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [16 October 1944] ]
[ Postcard to his parents from Edwin D. Groce [14 November 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [16 November 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [22 November 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [28 November 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [9 December 1944] ]
[ Letter to his parents, Albert L. and Leonora Groce, from Edwin D. Groce [29 December 1944] ]
[ Telegram to Albert L. and Leonora Groce from the military informing them of their son's death [31 December 1944] ]
[ Telegram to Albert L. and Leonora Groce from the military informing them of the return of their son's remains [1 January 1945] ]
[ Letter to Leonora Groce from the parents of Mr. and Mrs. Reiter [?] [8 February 1945] ]
[ Letter to Mr. Raymond Groce from Rose M. Bushnell enclosing a newsclipping on the death of Edwin Groce and his crewmates [2 April 1945] ]
[ Letter from the MIT Meteorological Committee to Edwin Groce [n.d.] ]
[ Funeral receipt ]
[ Citation of Honor [December 29, 1944] ]
[ Biographical information for Edwin Daniel Groce, written by his niece, Dr. Nancy Groce ]
[ City of New York, Stuyvesant High School records transcript for Edwin D. Groce [1939-1942] ]
[ Newsclippings related to the death of Edwin Groce ]
[ Death notice for Edwin Groce ]
[ Page from the Santa Ana Cadet [Friday May 26, 1944] ]
[ Page from the Santa Ana Cadet [Friday May 26, 1944] ]
[ Page from an unidentified magazine or newsletter ]
[ Page from an unidentified magazine or newsletter ]
[ Letter from the MIT Meteorological Committee to Edwin Groce [15 January 1943] ]
[ Program, graduation exercises Ellington Field, Texas [4 November 1944] ]
[ Cemetery receipt ]
[ Official transcript from New York University [1942] ]

About this Item

Title

  • Edwin Daniel Groce Collection

Names

  • Groce, Edwin Daniel
  • Groce, Nancy

State of Residence at Time of Collection Donation

  • New York (State)

Headings

  • -  Groce, Edwin Daniel
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army Air Forces/Corps.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
    • Service Unit/Ship: 212th Army Air Force Base Unit
    • Location of Service: Camp Upton, New York; Miami Beach, Florida; Tyndall Field, Florida; Sheppard Field, Texas; Washington; Santa Ana Army Air Base, California; Ellington Field, Texas; Lincoln, Nebraska; Gowen Field, Idaho
    • Highest Rank: Sergeant
    • Dates of Service: 1943-1944
    • Military Status: veteran
    • Service History Note: The veteran trained as an aerial gunner, airplane mechanic, B-24 navigator, and flight officer. He was one of ten Army airmen killed in a weather-related B-24 aircraft crash while training near Gowen Air Field.

Materials

  • Manuscript: Biographical information [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2019)
  • Manuscript: Civilian Papers [2 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1939-1942)
  • Manuscript: Clippings [4 items] -- (collected 1943-1944)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [136 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-1944)
  • Manuscript: Military Papers [9 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1943-1945)
  • Manuscript: Printed matter [4 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1944-1945)
  • Photograph: Original photographic print [5 items] -- Photographs (collected 1942-1944)
  • Computer File: CD [1 item] -- Multiple types of electronic files (collected 2019-03-01; 2019)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/116161

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Groce, Edwin Daniel, and Nancy Groce. Edwin Daniel Groce Collection. 1943. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.116161/.

APA citation style:

Groce, E. D. & Groce, N. (1943) Edwin Daniel Groce Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.116161/.

MLA citation style:

Groce, Edwin Daniel, and Nancy Groce. Edwin Daniel Groce Collection. 1943. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.116161/>.