Title: Ray Sherman Papers and Photographs
Inclusive Dates: 1942-1946

Creator:

• Sherman, Ray

Call Number: WVM Mss 2045

Quantity: 1.8 linear ft. (2 archives boxes and 2 oversized flat boxes) of papers, 0.1 linear ft. (2 folders and 44 negative flaps) of still images, 0.1 linear ft. (3 sound discs) of sound recordings.

Repository:

Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Have questions? Contact the Reference Archivist

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)

See the catalog entry for current shelf locations and additions.

Abstract:

Papers and photographs pertaining to the service and imprisonment of Ray Sherman, of Belleville, Wisconsin, who served as a private first class in Company K, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, during World War II. Sherman was captured at the Battle of Anzio (Italy) on February 16, 1944, and remained a prisoner until April 1945, when he was liberated by the United States Army. The collection has been arranged into World War II material and post-war material. Papers consist of correspondence between Sherman and various family and friends throughout his imprisonment, a journal that Sherman kept while a prisoner, news clippings pertaining to his capture and the capture of other local Belleville men, three bibles that Sherman had while he was in the army, and a memoir that Sherman wrote regarding his experience as a POW. Of particular interest is the journal that Sherman kept as a prisoner, as it is written on scraps of toilet paper and canvas and describes daily conditions and life in a POW camp. WWII photographs contain images of Sherman in military attire and some from his time as a POW. Post-war material pertains to Sherman's time in the Army Reserve, and items documenting his interaction with other POWs and veterans. Additional photographs pertain to a trip that Sherman took to Germany after WWII to visit the Krause's, a family he became close with while a POW.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss02045

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Ray J. Sherman was born June 29, 1923. His family moved to Belleville, Wisconsin, when he was very young. He graduated from Belleville High school in 1942, and enlisted in the army later that December. Sherman did his training at Camp Phillips, Kansas, and was originally assigned to Company L, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division. Later, Sherman was transferred to Company K, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division and trained as a machine gunner. In 1944 he was deployed in North Africa as part of the Italian invasion force. Sherman fought in the Battle of Anzio, and was captured at Anzio Beach, Italy, on February 16, 1944, and served the rest of the war as a POW in Germany. Despite being a prisoner of war, Sherman managed to keep a journal by hiding it in a small chess set. Sherman made several escape attempts, but was finally liberated in 1945 after almost 18 months of captivity. Following the war, Sherman returned to Wisconsin where he married and had two daughters. He remained in the Army Reserve until 1952 when he requested a discharge.

The Ray Sherman papers and photographs are organized into two series: World War II Materials and Post-War Materials.

World War II Materials (1942-1946) is subdivided by Correspondence, Journals, Memoir, News Clippings, Photographs, Religious Texts, and Sound Recordings. The Correspondence subseries has been further subdivided by recipient. The papers within each subseries are arranged alphabetically. The bulk of the series consists of the correspondence that Sherman sent and received while he was in the Army, and as a POW. Correspondence that specifically relates to the time while Sherman was imprisoned can be found in Box 1, folders 5-7 and 10-20. The Journal subseries encompasses the journals that Sherman kept prior to being captured (Box 3), and the journal that he kept on scrap paper while he was a POW (Box 4). The original papers of the POW journal are now very fragile and difficult to read, but transcriptions by Sherman are included. The Memoir subseries contains two drafts of Sherman's book, along with some notes for the book. The memoir is an item that Sherman wrote using the transcribed journal. This book documents Sherman's time as a POW and all that he experienced while in the Army. There are maps of the different POW camps that he was taken to, along with a detailed account to his capture at Anzio and rescue a year and half later. The Photographs subseries consists of images of Sherman in uniform, and a few of him as a POW. Many of these images have descriptions of their content on the back. The Religious Texts subseries includes a small personal Bible, a book called “Jesus of Nazareth,” and a “New Testament and Psalms.” The small “New Testament and Psalms” was a bible that he had with him while he was in being held captive. Sherman kept notes and pressed flowers in this book, and they are found in Box 2, folder 6. Sound Recordings subseries includes an original Pepsi Cola phonograph recording of Sherman. Pepsi Cola had three service stations for men and women in the military, and one of the services that was provided was a phonograph recording that could be sent to family and loved ones. This message was recorded just prior to Sherman's deployment in 1943.

Post-War Materials (1942-2003) is subdivided by Correspondence, Military Records, News Clippings, Newsletters and Photographs. All papers within each subseries are arranged alphabetically. The Correspondence subseries primarily deals with Sherman keeping in contact with fellow veterans and POWs. Included is a letter with one veteran who was also a prisoner with Sherman. This letter is discussing recollections of the area they were being held prisoner in Germany. The Military Records subseries primarily contains papers regarding Sherman's time as a reservist in the Army. However, his pay stubs and vaccination records from WWII have been included in this subseries as they relate to his overall service. The News Clippings subseries has news articles related to Sherman and his time as a POW. There are also a few articles regarding the Battle of Anzio and POWs. Within the Newsletters subseries there are only two items, one from the “Stalag 7 B” organization, and one from the “Ex Prisoner of War” organization. Both of these items are regarding membership. Of particular interest is the Photographs subseries. While Sherman was a POW in Germany, he accepted a work detail on a farm with the Krause family. Sherman and the Krause family became close, and several years after the war Sherman went to go visit them. Further detail regarding Sherman's time working on the farm, and his relationship with the Krause family can be found in the journals in Boxes 3 and 4, and the memoir in Box 2. All of the photographs have corresponding negatives, but some of the negatives have not been developed.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Ray Sherman, 2010. Accession Number: Mss 2010.177.

Processing Information

Processed by Mimi Loran in 2014.

	Series: World War II Materials
	Subseries: Correspondence
	From Sherman
Box   1 Folder   1-6	to LaVerne Cate, 1943-1946
Box   1 Folder   7	to Farnsworth, 1944
Box   1 Folder   8-11	to Parents, 1943-1945
	To Sherman
Box   1 Folder   12	Beverly Burrington, 1944
Box   1 Folder   13	LaVerne Cate, 1943-1945
Box   1 Folder   14	Dorothy Disch, 1944
Box   1 Folder   15	Lillian Dueresi, 1944
Box   1 Folder   16	Miscellaneous family, 1942-1944
Box   1 Folder   17	Miscellaneous friends, 1944
Box   1 Folder   18	Parents, 1944-1946
Box   1 Folder   19	Aunt Sherman, 1944-1945
Box   1 Folder   20	Zimmerman, 1944
Box   1 Folder   21	To Sherman's family, 1942-1945
Box   3	Journals, 1943-1944
Box   4 Folder   1	Prisoner of war journal, 1944-1945
Box   4 Folder   2	Transcription undated
Box   4 Folder   3	Notes about journal, 1944-1945
Box   2 Folder   1	Memoir 2002
Box   2 Folder   2	Draft material, undated
Box   2 Folder   3	Sketches, 1950-2000
	Subseries: News clippings	⇧
Box   2 Folder   4	Other prisoners of war, 1942-1945
Box   2 Folder   5	Sherman, 1944-1945
Ph   28 Folder   22	Photographs [11] , 1942-1946
Box   3	Religious texts 1940-1945
Box   2 Folder   6	Memorabilia removed from Psalms Book, 1944-1945
	Subseries: Sound recordings	⇧
LP   1 Folder   5	Pepsi Co. message transcription disc, 1943
B   1 D   30	CD access copy, 1943
	Series: Post-War Materials	⇧
Box   2 Folder   7	Correspondence to Sherman 1953-2001
Box   2 Folder   8	Military records, 1942-1952
Box   2 Folder   9	Army decals, undated
Box   2 Folder   10	News clippings, 1947-2003
Box   2 Folder   11	Newsletters , circa 1950
Ph   28 Folder   23	Photographs, Krause family visit [6] 1957
PhN   8 Folder   43-87	Negatives [44] , 1957