Collection of 51 Letters Addressed to a Portland, OR Woman, circa 1940-1948, Mostly from Servicemen During WW II

Item Details

1940-1948

VG+

[CORRESPONDENCE]  [WW2]  [WAR]  [OREGON]  [MARIANAS ISLANDS]  [PACIFIC]  [ENTERTAINMENT]  Maryann Mellis and friends.  This extensive collection contains correspondence sent to Maryann Mellis (1922-2000) from several people, primarily from Sergeant Robert Beare (1920-2002), who was stationed in the Pacific throughout 1945.  Consisting of over 50 letters (more than 170 pages), the collection dates between 1940 and 1948.  Maryann, a resident of Portland, Oregon, corresponded with several military men throughout the course of the war.  They are postmarked from various locations throughout the country; often where training facilities and bases were located.  The bulk of the collection was sent by Robert Beare, a member of the 358^th Air Service Group.  He begins to write Maryann from Great Bend, Kansas, in 1944, but is deployed to Tinian, Marianas Islands in December for the remainder of the conflict.  He often writes about what he thinks of the natives and Japanese on the island; what the weather is like; the conflicts that happen close by; and many other details about life in the Marianas Islands.  One of their frequent subjects to write about is entertainment, especially movies.  In almost every letter, Sgt. Beare describes what new movies and shows the men saw that week.  After Robert returns home to Duncan, Oklahoma, they continue to keep in touch for several more years.

In all, there are 51 letters (some partial) consisting of 173 pages.  The letters date between July 1940 and July 1948, with the majority being from 1945.  The collection is currently housed in folders organized by the correspondents and in chronological order.  See the collection inventory list that follows this description.  Overall, the letters are in VG+ condition, with covers, and relatively easy to read.

Maryann Mellis was born on January 16, 1922 in Portland, Oregon.  Her parents were Arthur J Mellis (1891-1949), a printer, and Georgia Blanchet (1896-1970).  She graduated from Jefferson High School and was a clerk for most of her life at several federal agencies, including the War Production Board, the Commodity Credit Corp., and at the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.  These agencies may have been where she got in contact with some of these men.  There are no records of her ever getting married or having children.  She would pass away in July of 2000 in Portland, Oregon at the age of 78.

Robert Floyd Beare lived in Duncan, Oklahoma for most of his life.  He was born there on March 5, 1920 to Thomas Floyd Beare and Bessie Gertrude McInroe.  In February of 1942, he enlisted in the military several months after the United States joined World War II.  After training in Great Bend, Kansas, he was deployed to the Pacific theatre to help in the operations against the Japanese.  While in the Marianas Islands, Sergeant Beare belonged to the 358^th Air Service Group, most likely servicing the aircraft before and after their missions.  Although he was never in battle, he described hiding from the air raids on his island and seeing Japanese prisoners from time to time.  When he returned home in late 1945, he went into the plumbing business and served his community until he passed away in 2002.  He married Billie Jo Hill in 1949, and they had several children together.

There are several other people in this collection who sent letters to Maryann Mellis.  They include one of her best friends, Inez Haskell; Private Delbert Walker of Vancouver, Washington; Private First Class Jack Bremmer; Robert “Bob” Bremmer of the Navy; Delmer Clark of the Navy; and Private First Class George Masek.  While these people only sent a letter or two a piece, they give a glimpse into military life at different installations around the country during World War II.

A sampling of quotes from the letters of various friends provides examples of the correspondence sent to Maryann Mellis.

While deployed in Tinian, Marianas Islands, Sgt. Beare describes how the native residents live and work.  In his letter dated June 30, 1945, he writes: “Maryann, we refer to the Jap civilians, men and women, as ‘gooks’.  I forgot when I last wrote you that you would be unfamiliar with the word.  Lou tells me that he has teased his wife about the women.  Actually they don’t dress and act as the movies would lead you to believe.  They dress a great deal as the women back home and some look fairly well or should I use the word attractive?  All of the natives as we call them live in a wired in camp and we rarely see any of them except when we pass the camp or when they are outside on details.  The men usually do yard work such as building walls and walks while the women do some work in various laundries.”

Almost every letter from Robert Beare consists of him explaining the latest stage show or movie he saw on base.  In his letter dated October 5, 1945, he says: “I haven’t seen a good show in a week or so.  I would like to see the picture ‘The Truth of Glory’.  From the title, it must have been an attempt to show what a senseless thing war is instead of ‘playing up’ the more colorful side.  It seems to me that the futility of war isn’t stressed enough in our books and pictures.  Someone is always being a hero or the emotions hatred and intolerance are being aroused.  Enough ranting for now.  Ha Ha.”

Although he wasn’t on the frontline, Robert was still a witness of death while deployed.  In his November 4, 1945, letter to Maryann he writes: “I really had a sad experience today.  Some of the fellows and I were down at the beach and saw a poor fellow carried out to sea by an undertow.  We could see him opening his mouth shouting and swimming against the current but couldn’t aid him.  Finally he disappeared with nearly a hundred men watching helplessly.  It was the worst experience I have ever had – forced to stand by and watch another perish. It really brought home the realization of man’s individual aloneness.

There are several letters written by Maryann Mellis to Robert Beare.  They were most likely sent and returned to her because he was on his weeks long journey back to the United States.  She mentions all the troopships arriving home in Portland.  In one letter dated November 27, 1945, she mentions seeing a famous soldier return.  “Portland had a real treat last week when Tyrone Power came into the port and was met by his wife, Annabelle.  Of course all the females (young and old) gathered around Annabelle and Tyrone Power while he tried to kiss his wife, between camera shots and a short movie of his return.  All of the girls were very envious of Annabelle.  Some people have all the luck.  Ha! Ha!  I really think I would prefer more privacy.  Ha!”

While chatting with other soldiers, Sergeant Beare learned more about the island he was on and gave his own definition for the word ‘banzai’.  He writes: “We had a very interesting talk on the islands Sunday night.  A sailor who had been here since D+3 and who has a working knowledge of Jap dialects was telling us the history of the people and something of the battle.  It seems that the people here now originally came from Okinawa to help in the growing of sugar cane.  According to the sailor, this island once produced 12 million dollars in sugar annually.  So you see they were good for something.  Haha.  The japs cry of ‘Banzai’ means literally ‘a thousand birthdays to the emperor’.  I think maybe we can eventually change the word birthdays to deaths.”

Maryann Mellis Collection Inventory

Folder 1/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Collection Description; Miscellaneous Notes

Folder 2/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Incoming from multiple senders.  8 letters dated between 1940-1946.  (19pp)

Folder 3/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Incoming from Pfc. Jack Bremmer.  3  letters dated between May 1943 and January 1944.  (8pp)

Folder 4/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Incoming from Sgt. Robert Beare.  6 letters dated 1944.  (28pp)

Folder 5/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Incoming from Sgt. Robert Beare.  18 letters dated 1945.  (57pp)

Folder 6/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Outgoing from Maryann Mellis to Robert Beare.  3 letters dated November 1945.  (8pp)

Folder 7/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Incoming from Robert Beare.  7 letters dated January to March of 1946 and February to July of 1948.  (24pp)

Folder 8/8   Mellis, Maryann.  Correspondence – Miscellaneous.  6 dated partial &/or draft letters (1945-1947), plus other partials &/or drafts undated.  (29pp)