Summary Information
William A. Solien Papers and Photographs
1940-1947
WVM Mss 691
0.8 linear ft. (2 archives boxes) of papers and 0.2 linear ft. (4 folders and 1 flat box) of photographs.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)
Papers and photographs of William A. Solien, who went through officer training and served stateside during World War II. The letters exchanged among Solien, wife Elayne, and their parents make up the majority of this collection. Solien wrote about his experiences in the Army, both at classes and in service. The letters between husband and wife are filled with proclamations of love and affection and often contain sentences in Norwegian. His family relayed events from home such as marriages and deaths. Also included in the collection are Solien's discharge certificates and war ballots for the 1944 primary elections in Wisconsin. Photographs include many shots of Solien and Elayne from his furloughs home along with unidentified shots of family and friends.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss00691 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
William Aldon Solien was born in Stoughton, Wisconsin on June 14, 1921 to William O. and Lena Solien. He attended local schools in Edgerton and worked as a law clerk in the years leading up to World War II. He married Elayne Johnson of Stoughton, Wisconsin on May 31, 1942 and was drafted into service in October of that year. He was selected to attend Officer Candidate Class at Fort Benning, Georgia at the beginning of 1943 and he graduated in June. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, he served stateside in and around Camp Walters, Texas until he was discharged in August 1944. Following the war, he worked as an attorney. He and his wife had a son, Mark, and lived for a time in Florida. Elayne passed away on March 31, 2000 and William followed on January 13, 2002.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of William A. Solien are divided into two series: Papers and Photographs.
Papers (1940-1947) consist almost entirely of the letters exchanged among Solien, his wife, and their parents during his stateside service with the Army in World War II. Letters to his wife, Elayne, express his deep love for her and describe his day-to-day activities as he went through Officer Candidate Class and served in and around Camp Walters, Texas. Her letters describe events at home and her desire to be with him. They often include a few sentences in Norwegian which they both spoke. Letters exchanged among Solien, his parents, and Elayne's parents focus more on events at home. There are also letters to Solien from other friends and family. Other materials include Solien's discharge certificates, a ration book, and war ballot materials sent to Solien so that he could vote in the 1944 primary elections.
Photographs (1943-1944) include many shots of Solien with his wife, Elayne, probably while he was home on furloughs. There are several scrapbook pages that have been kept intact as well as some loose photographs. Almost all are unidentified, though most of the people in the other photographs seem to be family.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Mark and Carol Solien, Houston, TX, 2002. Accession Number: Mss 2002.001. This collection was organized as a result of the National Historic Publications and Records Commission project grant (2003-075).
Processed by Russell Horton in 2004
Contents List
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Series: Papers
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Subseries: Correspondence
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From William A. Solien
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Box
1
Folder
1-5
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To Elayne Solien (wife), 1942-1944
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Box
1
Folder
6
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To William A. Solien, 1940-1945
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Box
1
Folder
7
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From Margaret Christianson, 1943-1944
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Box
1
Folder
8
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From Jim and Ruth Hanson, 1943-1944
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Box
1
Folder
9-15
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From Julius and Lena Johnson (parents-in-law), 1942-1944
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Box
1
Folder
16
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From LaVerne Johnson (brother-in-law), 1943-1944
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Box
2
Folder
1
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From Charles and Janet King, 1943-1944
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Box
2
Folder
2-9
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From Elayne Solien (wife), 1942-1944
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Box
2
Folder
10- 13
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From Mr. and Mrs. William O. Solien (parents), 1942-1944
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Box
2
Folder
14
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Ephemera, 1942-1944
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Box
2
Folder
15
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Unused postcards, undated
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Box
2
Folder
16
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Graduation program, Officer Candidate Class, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
17
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Personal military records, 1943-1947
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Box
2
Folder
18
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Ration books, circa 1944
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Box
2
Folder
19
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War ballot materials, 1944
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Series: Photographs
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Ph
11
Folder
30
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Individuals [5] , undated
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Ph
11
Folder
31
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Elayne Solien [2] , circa 1943
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Ph
11
Folder
32
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William A. Solien [4] , circa 1943
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Ph
11
Folder
33
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with Elayne Solien (wife) [5] , undated
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Photo scrapbook pages, circa 1943-1944
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