Title: Polar Bear Association of World War II Records
Inclusive Dates: 1918-1919, 1942-1978

Creator:

• Polar Bear Association of World War II

Call Number: Mss 336; PH 3671; PH 3671 (5)

Quantity: 0.4 c.f. (1 archives box), 130 photographs, and 1 drawing

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Incomplete records of the Polar Bear Association of World War II, a national association of veterans of the 339th Regimental Combat Team, 85th Division, collected by Ret. Lt. Col. Charles C. Isely, one of the group's founders. The collection consists of routine organizational records, particularly correspondence and bulletins informing members of upcoming reunions. Also included are some materials of another organization, the 339th Infantry Association, which was formed before the Polar Bear Association and later became a part of it. There are a few personal papers of Isely and small amounts of memorabilia and related World War I and World War II materials. The photographs document scenes from Russia during the Combat Team's service during World War I, from its service in Italy during World War II, and the Association's reunions.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00336

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The name of the Polar Bear Association of World War II originates from the nickname given to the American Expeditionary Force, 339th Infantry, 85th Division, which fought near the city of Archangel in Siberia during World War I. The 5,000 draftees were mainly from Wisconsin and Michigan. The unit remained in Russia to fight the Bolsheviks after the end of the war, and not until June 28, 1919, did all of the Polar Bears leave northern Russia.

The Polar Bear Association of World War II was organized by Ret. Lt. Col. Charles C. Isely, and others, ten years after the demobilization of the U.S. Army in World War II. Earlier attempts at organizing a reunion had failed, although the 339th Infantry Regiment formed its own veterans group many years before. The 339th Infantry Association held reunions beginning in 1950, with the “Red Batt” reunion. It joined the Polar Bear Association in 1960. The first joint reunion took place in Cincinnati in 1960.

Those eligible for membership in the Association include veterans of World War II who served in the 339th Regimental Combat Team, composed of the 339th Infantry Regiment; 910th Field Artillery Battalion, Co. C; 310th Medical Battalion, Co. C; 310th Engineer Battalion; and associated chaplains and medical personnel. The members of the World War II units came primarily from the Northeast part of the U.S. During World War II the Combat Team saw extensive service in Italy, including the battles of Monte Cassino and Rome.

With continual recruitment of new members after the 1960 reunion, membership in the Polar Bear Association of World War II reached a high of 1400 in 1968-1970. The 1970 reunion, held in Washington, D.C., was deemed to be the 25th anniversary of demobilization, and a permanent, formal memorial was presented at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The Association's primary activity at the time of this writing is its biennial reunion.

The collection is organized in four series: Records of the Association; Personal Correspondence of Ret. Lt. Col. Charles C. Isely; 339th Regimental Combat Team Materials; and Photographs. Most of the records of this small, national organization were generated by Ret. Lt. Col. Charles Isely. In later years, correspondence with members was conducted by the organization's secretary, a post Isely also held. Most records are scattered and incomplete since the organization is primarily a fraternal group that maintains no permanent office. Although the collection dates from 1918 to 1978, the majority of material dates from 1942 to 1978. The few early materials include memorabilia, photographs, and newsclippings from and about World War I and the original Polar Bears.

The majority of the RECORDS OF THE ASSOCIATION consists of a few items generated by the 339th Infantry Association. The records are made up of correspondence, bulletins, newsletters, programs, rosters, and reports, all relating to the biennial reunions. By-laws, general correspondence, incomplete financial records, a history of the 339th Infantry in World War II, newsclippings, and letters recruiting new members comprise the remainder of the series.

The PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE OF RET. LT. COL. CHARLES C. ISELY consists solely of family letters.

The series 339th REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM MATERIALS consists of company rosters, 1942-1978, orders, and intelligence documents of the 85th Division; menus and concert programs from World War II; and programs and newsclippings concerning World War I.

The PHOTOGRAPHS series documents scenes from Russia during the Combat Team's service during World War I, and from its service in Italy during World War II. There are also photographs depicting reunions.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Charles C. Isely, Jr., Clearwater Beach, Florida, 1973-1975, and by the Association, West Springfield, Massachusetts, via David Thomson, secretary, 1978. Accession Number: M73-182, M73-283, M74-001, M75-391, M78-055

Processing Information

Processed by William Beaudreau and Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, 1987.

Mss 336	Series: Records of the Association
Box   1 Folder   1	By-Laws and Roster, 1969
Box   1 Folder   2	“Personally Speaking” - Additions to Bulletins, 1970-1972
Box   1 Folder   3	General Correspondence, 1951, 1960-1972
Box   1 Folder   4	Financial Records, 1960-1970
Box   1 Folder   5	History
Box   1 Folder   6	Newsclippings (339th Infantry), 1943-1962
Box   1 Folder   7	Newsletters of the 339th Infantry Association, 1959-1960
Box   1 Folder   8	Recruitment Letters, 1968-1978
	Reunion Records
Box   1 Folder   9-17	“Red Batt” Reunion, 1950; Reunions, , 1952-1970
Box   1 Folder   18	Post Reunion Trip, 1970
Box   1 Folder   19-22	Reunions, 1972-1978
Box   1 Folder   23	Series: Personal Correspondence of Ret. Lt. Col. Charles C. Isely, 1944-1945, 1948, 1950	⇧
	Series: 339th Regimental Combat Team Materials	⇧
Box   1 Folder   24	Company Rosters and Addresses, 1942-1978
Box   1 Folder   25	Orders and Intelligence Reports, 85th Division, 1944
Box   1 Folder   26	World War I Materials - Memorabilia and Newsclippings, 1918-1919
Box   1 Folder   27	World War II Materials, 1942-1944
PH 3671	Series: Photographs	⇧
PH 3671 (5)	Oversize Photographs and 1 Drawing