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Mary L. Russell Papers
An inventory of her papers at Syracuse University
Finding aid created by: Michele Combs
Date: 14 Apr 2025
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| Return to finding aids search |
Finding aid created by: Michele Combs
Date: 14 Apr 2025
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Russell, Mary L., Sgt. |
| Title: | Mary L. Russell Papers |
| Dates: | 1918-1945 (bulk: 1943-1945) |
| Quantity: | 0.25 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Correspondence, photographs, and memorabilia of Mary Russell, officer in the Womens Army Corps |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives |
Mary L. Russell (dates unknown) was an American military officer from Chicago. A trained nurse, she served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She gained her medical training at Harlem Hospital, trained at the Third WAC Training Center in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia and at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and worked at the Wakeman Hospital Center in Camp Atterbury, Indiana. She eventually rose to the rank of sergeant.
The Mary L. Russell Papers consists of correspondence, military documents, photographs, and printed material related to Russell's service in the Womens Army Corps (WAC).
Correspondence consists mostly of letters from Russell to her family, including her brother Johnnie, talking about various events and daily life at Fort Oglethorpe in Georgia and Camp Kilmer in New Jersey. The few items from 1918 are from "Jimmie" or "James" who is also in the Army; it is unclear how this person is related to Mary Russell.
Military documents contains an assortment of documents related to Russell's military service such as an Enlisted Man's Pass and a furlough pass.
Photographs contains 8x10 photos of Russell and the other women in her unit, including a formal group portrait of the entire unit. Included wth the photos is a penciled note headed "Index to photograph" followed by a list of names and brief notes about more than 30 of the women; it is not clear however which photograph the note goes with.
Printed material contains programs from holiday celebrations at Camp Kilmer, clippings about Russell, and miscellaneous other items.
Correspondence is arranged chronologically. Material in the remaining series is not in any particular order.
Access Restrictions:
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions:
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Persons
Russell, Mary L., Sgt.
Corporate Bodies
United States. -- Army. -- Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.
United States. -- Army. -- Women's Army Corps.
Subjects
Military nursing.
Women soldiers.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives.
Places
Camp Kilmer (N.J.)
Genres and Forms
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Military records.
Photographs.
Programs (documents)
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Mary L. Russell Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Purchased from Sol Feinstone Fund, 2025.
Correspondence
Military documents
Photographs
Printed material
| Correspondence | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | General 1918 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | General 19143-1945 (2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Military documents | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous [1943-1945] - furlough pass, rules for saluting, etc. | ||||||||||
| Photographs | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous [1943-1945] | ||||||||||
| Printed material | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous [1943-1945] - programs from holiday celebration at Camp Kilmer, clippings about Russell and others, etc. | ||||||||||