Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing John William Boehne, III Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Service Unit/Ship: Amphibious Force; USS LST-375 (Landing Ship Tank)
- Location of Service: Little Creek, Virginia; Cornwall, England; Omaha Beach, Normandy, France; Washington, DC; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/31844
The son of a U.S. Congressman from Indiana, Lieutenant John William Boehne III enlisted in the Navy in 1942, and served with the Amphibious Corps. While his memoir recounts his experiences on D-Day aboard USS LST-375 (Landing Ship Tank), and the carnage he witnessed on the beach, his original letters and scrapbook present another facet of his story--that of his time stationed in England before the invasion. Maps of London, ticket stubs, menus, and postcards provide a sense of his travels and pub crawls throughout the countryside. Letters received from Rena, a member of the women's branch of the British Army, hint at the close ties that often developed between military members and their British hosts. As Rena relates in a letter, "Yes our acquaintance was short, but so very sweet."
Interview with veteran
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Excerpt from interview in which veteran discusses the lead-up to D-Day
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Excerpt from interview in which veteran discusses his experiences on D-Day
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About this Item
Title
- John William Boehne, III Collection
Names
- Lebo, Cody
- Boehne III, John William
- Platts, Todd R.
- U.S. House of Representatives/Todd R. Platts
Home State
- Pennsylvania
Headings
- - Boehne III, John William
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Service Unit/Ship: Amphibious Force; USS LST-375 (Landing Ship Tank)
- Location of Service: Little Creek, Virginia; Cornwall, England; Omaha Beach, Normandy, France; Washington, DC; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Dates of Service: 1942-1946
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Photograph: Original photographic print [10 items] -- Photographs (collected 1944-1993)
- Video: Digital File [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected 2003-01; 2018)
- Video: Digital File [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected 2003-01; 2018)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-01)
- Manuscript: Mixed (Multiple types of manuscripts) [2 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1942-1944)
- Manuscript: Diaries and journals [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected 1942-1946)
- Manuscript: Memoir [1 item] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1942-1946)
- Manuscript: Scrapbooks [1 item] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-1945)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/31844
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Special Format
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Cornwall, England
- European Theater
- Little Creek, Virginia
- Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
- Washington, DC