Herman Berger Papers

Herman Berger papers (Collection 3575), 1946-1947, 0.4 linear feet

Herman Berger was born in 1927 and grew up in Philadelphia. He was drafted into the Army in early 1946 and after basic training (at Ft. Meade, Maryland) was sent to clerk typist school (at Camp Lee in Virginia). He was posted briefly to San Francisco, then sent to occupied Japan and assigned to duty as a clerk typist at U.S. military general headquarters in Tokyo, where he served from September 1946 to February 1947.

The collection consists of letters from Herman Berger to his mother, Miriam Berger, and other relatives, and from Miriam Berger to Herman, during his military service, from basic training through his posting in Tokyo. Herman Berger’s letters discuss his training, work life, and recreational activities during evenings and weekends. There are approximately 110 letters by Herman Berger and 70 letters by Miriam Berger.

Comprising additional papers are programs, prints, clippings, menus, holiday ephemera, brochures, and other items that Berger collected during his stay oveseas. There is also a group of identified photographs of Berger, alone and with friends; Japanese citizens; and various buildings, including the Ernie Pyle Theatre.

Your donation of $200 will enable us to preserve, organize, and catalog this collection. Please note, this collection will not be processed until the full amount is received.