Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives
General John Kenneth Cannon papers
UUS_COLL MSS 41
15 boxes
10.5 linear feet
1922-1957
Papers include biographical material, correspondence, personal papers, miscellaneous reports and orders, flight record, decorations, citations, and awards. Correspondence primarily from the period when Cannon served as commander in chief of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (1945) with a limited amount of material in regard to his post as commander of the U.S. 12th Air Force and all allied air forces in the European and Mediterranean theatres of World War II. Also includes collection of correspondence by Mrs. Cannon (LaVon Bennion) and such dignitaries as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Charles A. Lindbergh.
Collection materials are in English.
Open to public research.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the General John Kenneth Cannon papers must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives manuscript curator and/or the Special Collections and Archives department head.
This collection was donated to the USU Special Collections and Archives by Lavon Bennion Cannon in 1976. Additional materials were donated in 2026 by Christine Cannon Bracy, a niece of General Cannon.
General John Kenneth Cannon papers, 1922-1957. (COLL MSS 41). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives department.
Four-Star General, U.S. Air Force; Commanding General of Mediterranean Allied Tactical Forces 1943-1945; Commander of Allied Air Forces in European and Mediterranean theatres, WW II; Strategist for "Operation Strangle"; Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Force in Europe, 1945-1948; Head of Air Force Tactical Command, 1951-1954.
Papers include biographical material, correspondence, personal papers, miscellaneous reports and orders, flight record, decorations, citations, and awards. Correspondence primarily from the period when Cannon served as commander in chief of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (1945) with a limited amount of material in regard to his post as commander of the U.S. 12th Air Force and all allied air forces in the European and Mediterranean theatres of World War II. Also includes collection of correspondence by Mrs. Cannon (LaVon Bennion) and such dignitaries as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Charles A. Lindbergh.
Forms part of the Cache Valley Veterans Archives, Utah State University Special Collections and Archives.
Correspondence arranged alphabetically.
John Kenneth Cannon Photograph Collection P0382
Generals--Correspondence.
Armed Forces--Officers--Correspondence.
Officers' spouses--Correspondence.
Military decorations--Specimens.
World War, 1939-1945.
Correspondence
Military
Biographical Material And Addresses
1930 - 1954
(twelve folders)
Biographical sketches
undated
1
1
Biographical sketches, notes
undated
1
2
Biographical sketch (150 page draft)
undated
1
3
Biographical sketch (unnumbered draft)
undated
1
4
Address at Army War College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
1951 June 21
1
5
Address at Army War College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
1951 November 8
1
6
Address at Utah State Agricultural College, Logan, Utah
1952 June 7
1
7
Address at Nato Defense College, Paris, France
1952 July 16
1
8
Address, 6-7-1953: at Miami International Airport, Florida
1953 June 7
1
9
Address at Quantico Marine Corps School, Virginia
1953 July 25
1
10
Addresses, assorted
undated
1
11
Addresses, assorted
undated
1
12
John Kenneth Cannon, Utah's Four Star General: His Military Life and Times, by Kenneth W. Godfrey
undated
1
13
Materials in folders 13-17 were added to the collection in 2026, from a donation by Christine Cannon Bracy.
Assorted photographs
circa 1914 - 1955
1
14
Newspaper clippings
1947-1957
1
15
News clippings announcing General Cannon's passing
1955, 1988-1989
1
16
Also includes the obituaries of wife LaVon and daughter Margaret.
Letters of condolence, Joint Resolution of Condolence by the Utah Senate and House of Representatives
1955
1
17
Correspondence, Incoming
1930 - 1954
(73 folders)
Aimone-Cat, Mario - Alexander, Sir H.R
undated
2
l
Allard, Jack - Anderson, F.L
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2
2
Archaimbault, H. - Ayer, Frederick
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2
3
Backman, Gus - Bay, C. Ulrick
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2
4
Beamish, George - Bevans, J. M
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2
5
Biffle, Leslie L. - Bowman, H.W
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2
6
Bradley, Follett - Brizuela, Luis E
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2
7
Brook, W.A.D. - Bryan, Travis B
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2
8
Bull, H.R. - Burwell, James B
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2
9
Campbell, John Neal - Chang, Sun W
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2
10
Charbonneaux, P.E. - Churchill, Sir Winston
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2
11
Cigerza, Enrico - Cleveland, Chester W
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2
12
Cochran, Jacqueline - Copenhaver, John R
undated
2
13
Craig, H.A. - Cunningham, Sir Allan G
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2
14
D'Allra, Sir John Henry - Dick, William W
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2
15
Donohue, Tilnothy W.- Drake, Alonzo
undated
2
16
Eaker, Ira C. -
1945 January - 1945 September
3
1
Eaker, Ira C. -
1945 October - 1946 January
3
2
Earle, Edward Mead - Early, James
undated
3
3
Edelman, Leonard E. - Evill, Sir Douglas C.S
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3
4
Fagg, W.L. - Fullerton, Hugh S
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3
5
Gaffney, D.V. - Gerdine, Leigh
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3
6
Gilbert, Donald L. - Gullett, John F
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3
7
Haeff, Emrny ten - Hanley, Paul
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3
8
Hardin, Thomas O. - Haynes, C.V
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3
9
Heilfron, M. - Homes,Madeline
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3
10
Hopper, Effie - Hughes, John E
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3
ll
Hull, Harris B. - Hutchinson, John M
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3
12
Infante, Adolfo - Jensen, Dale H
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3
13
Johnson, Harry A. - Jones, Robert H
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3
14
Keenan, Joseph - Keyes, Geoffrey
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3
15
Kibler, Franklin A. - Kislenko
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3
16
Knapp, Robert D. - Kroll, Bob
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3
17
Kuter, Lawrence
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3
18
Lackas, John C. - Larson, W.T
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4
l
Learned, E.P. - Leese, Sir Oliver
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4
2
Lehne, Hank - Littlejohn, Robert M
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4
3
Lloyd, Sir Hugh P. - Loewy, Erwin
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4
4
Longfellow, Newt - Lyon, Ben
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4
5
McAfee, James B. - McCrary
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4
6
McDaniel, Carl B. - McKenna, Charles F
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4
7
McKim, Kenneth W. - McRae, Thomas
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4
8
Mace, Don - Mickle, Joe J
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4
9
Miller, Joseph A. - Moore, Samuel T
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4
10
Morgan, Ed - Mow, P.T
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4
11
Muller, Walter J. - Myers, James
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4
12
Nebeker, A.H. - Niergarth, O.O
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4
13
Nordlinger, David A. - Nugent, R.E
undated
4
14
Obermeyre, David H. - Oringer, Sanford G
undated
4
15
Parkinson, Cannon - Paxton, A.G
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4
16
Pelisse, P.A. - Powers, Edward Micheal
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4
17
Prendergost, Albert C. - Quesada, E.A
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4
18
Rainey, Leroy A. - Rixey, George F
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5
l
Roberts, G.C. - Rust, Armistead
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5
2
Saltzman, Charles E. - Sawbridge, B.M
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5
3
Schaller, Maurice - Schweiger, John M
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5
4
Secco, Vasco Alves - Skanchy, Rex
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5
5
Slessor, Sir John C. - Smyser, Rudolph E
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5
6
Snagge, Ralph M. - Spalding, James T
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5
7
Spivey, Dlemar T. - Stowell, James S
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5
8
Stranathan, Leland S. - Stuyvesant, E.D
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5
9
Sullivan, Joseph P. - Symington, W. Stuart
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5
10
Taft, Robert - Taylor, Myron C
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5
11
Tedder, Lord - Timberlake, E.J
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5
12
Tobin, Ralph C. - Trudeau, Arthur G
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5
13
Tucker, John H. - Twining, Nathan F
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5
14
Ulrich, Edward F. - Von Ritter, Egan
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5
15
Wade, Lee - Warner, Homer C
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5
16
Webber, Kenneth E. - Weyland, O.P
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5
17
Wheeler, Charles A. - Whittington, V.V
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5
18
Wiehe, Anita - Wimsatt, Robert W.C
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5
19
Withey, William W. - Wymond, G.O
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5
20
Yates, Donald N. - Zumwalt, Ken
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5
21
Correspondence, Outgoing
1930 - 1954
(51 folders)
Airey, Sir Terence - Atkinson, J.H
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6
l
Barcus, Glenn O. - Bertrandeau, Victor E
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6
2
Biffle, Leslie L. - Brewer, C.W
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6
3
Brizuela, Luis E. - Burwell, James B
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6
4
Caffery, Jefferson - Cavoli, Joseph William
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6
5
Chauncey, C.C. - Cleveland, Chester W
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6
6
Cochrane, Sir Ralph - Culmsee, Carlton
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6
7
Dahl, Leo P. - Deichelmann, Matthew K
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6
8
Devers, Jacob L. - Dribben, William H
undated
6
9
Eaker, Ira
1945 June - September
6
10
Eaker, Ira
1945 October - November
6
11
Eaker, Ira
1945 December - 1946 February
6
12
Earle, Edward Mead - French, C.R,
undated
6
13
Gaffney, D.V. - Fulliver, Ashbel Green
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6
14
Hall, Melvin - Howard, Walter
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6
15
Hudleston, E.C. - Hutchison, John M
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6
16
Infante, Adolfo - Jones, Robert H
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6
17
Kepner, William E. - Keyes, Geoffrey
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7
l
Kibler, Franklin A. - Kuter, Lawrence S
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7
2
Lackas, John C. - Larson, W.T
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7
3
Learned, E.P. - Lewis, Millard
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7
4
Lindbergh, Charles A. - Lyon, Ben
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7
5
McAfee, James B. - Mcllnay, O.F
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7
6
McKee, William F. - Mashburn, Neely C
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7
7
Mechling, Edward - Moore, Samuel T
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7
8
Morgan, Ed - Myers, James
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7
9
Neal, Wilson H. - Nugent, R.E
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7
10
Obermyer, David H. - Philardeau, P
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7
11
Pletzer, Joe - Quesada, E.R
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7
12
Rainey, Leroy A. - Ridgeway, Lindsey S
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7
13
Rivele, John R. - Rumberg, Charles H
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7
14
Saltzman, Charles E. - Secco, Vasco Alves
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7
15
Shannon, Edith Ratcliff - Slessor, Sir John C
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7
16
Smart, Jacob E. - Sprague, John T
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7
17
Stannard, Bruce R. - Stratemeyer, George E
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7
18
Strickland, A.C. - Symington, W. Stuart
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7
19
Talbot, Clarence P. - Twining, Nathan F
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8
l
Ulrich, Edward F. - Warner, Homer C
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8
2
Weber, Kenneth E. - Weyland, O. P
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8
3
Wheeler, Charles A. - Wittkoll, H.M
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8
4
Wolfe, K.B. - Zurnwalt, Ken Fan Mail
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8
5
Baron, William - Crouch, Kenneth E
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8
6
Dalton, Arthur Treadwell - Grice, James
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8
7
Hawk, John - Lubin, Sheldon
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8
8
McDonald, Chester - Russell, Clayton
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8
9
Santos, Ernest A. - Spalding, James T
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8
10
Timbers, James - Zingone, Marie A
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8
11
Invitations
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8
12
Misc. Correspondence
undated
8
13
Misc. Corrispondence
undated
8
14
Partial Correspondents List
undated
8
15
Personal Awards And Notices
1930 - 1954
(fifteen folders)
Commendations
1938 - 1944
9
1
Decorations and Certificates
1943 - 1951
9
2
Flight Record
1932 - 1934
9
3
Flight Record
1935 - 1936
9
4
Flight Record
1937 - 1938
9
5
Filght Record
1939 - 1940
9
6
Flight Record
1941 - 1942
9
7
Orders, General
1943 - 1945
9
8
Orders, Personal
1922 - 1946
9
9
Orders, Special
1936 - 1945
9
10
Press Releases
1943 - 1953
9
11
Report: Experiences at Anzia Beachhead
undated
9
12
Report: Henkell Family Investigation,
1948 - 1949
9
13
Misc
undated
9
14
Misc
undated
9
15
Publications
1930 - 1954
(five folders, three envelopes)
Curtis-Wright Flying Mission to Salonika, Greece
undated
10
l
Foreign Press relating to J.K. Cannon
undated
10
2
Newspapers, Air Force: Mach Meter, Cannon Air Base, NM 5-7-57, 5-20-60, 10-28-60 Ramjet, Ramstein Air Base, Germany 2-25-57 Tailspinner, Langley Air Base, Va
1957 Fenruary 12
10
3
Newspapers, Clovis News Journal: rededication of Clovis Air Force Base to Cannon Air Force Base,
1957 June 9
10
4
Newsclippings
1942 - 1945
10
5
Newsclippings
1946 - 1949
10
6
Newsclippings
1950 - 1957
10
7
Magazines, Various Titles
undated
(six issues)
10
8
Memorabilia
undated
11
Miscellaneous
undated
12
Citations And Certificates (thirty-four) Medals
undated
(eleven)
13
Medals
undated
(eighteen).
14
Correspondence, Lavon B. Cannon
undated
(twenty folders)
Ackerman, Faith - Brossard, Edgar B
undated
15
1
Cannon, John Kenneth -
193() April - 193() May
15
2
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1930 June - 1930 July
15
3
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1942
15
4
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1943 January - 1943 June
15
5
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1943 July - 1943 December
15
6
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1944 January - 1944 Aug
15
7
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1944 September - 1944 December
15
8
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1945 January - 1945 July
15
9
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1945 August - 1945 October
15
10
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1945 November - 1945 December
15
11
Cannon, John Kenneth -
1946 January - 1946 March
15
12
Cannon, Margie - Cannon, Mollie
undated
15
13
Caufield, Frank J. - Curtis, Ted
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15
14
Dan, Mary A. - Hutchins, Flip
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15
15
Ide, Dora D. - Morris, Bing
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15
16
Obermeyer, D.H. - Suerlas, Beatrice
undated
15
17
Taylor, H. - Woodswall, Ruth F
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15
18
Misc
undated
15
19
Memorabilia
undated
15
20