State Historical Society of Iowa

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Title:
  • Kenneth P. Wells World War II letters, 1942 Dec.-1945 Oct.
Summary note:
  • Approximately 870 letters written by Wells to his family while serving with the Navy. The letters are detailed and were generally written on a daily basis. Some of the letters are accompanied by correspondence he received from other individuals and ephemera items he collected. A selection of envelopes is also included in the collection.
Source of Acquisition:
  • Donated by Carol Emery, 2006.
Biographical/Historical note:
  • Kenneth Wells (Ames, Iowa) served with the U.S. Navy in World War II. He received amphibious training at Princeton, N.J. and Camp Bradford, Virginia. After training he was assigned to tank landing ship LST-240 where he held the successive ranks of lieutenant, executive officer and commanding officer (May 1944). LST-240 was assigned to the Asia-Pacific theater and participated in the 1944 invasion and occupation operations in the Marshall Islands (Kwajelein, Majuro, and Eniwetok) and in Saipan. Wells received a commendation for navigating his ship to safety during the Pearl Harbor West Loch explosions and fires of May 21, 1944. In the final months of his service Wells was assigned to LST-1126 as group operations officer.
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