Service Club, Camp Grant, Illinois

Private Roland D. Miller

Area A BKS-148

Serial No. 364008105

Camp Grant, Ill.

U.S. Army

Postmarked Rockford, Ill, November 24, 1942

Dear Kids:  
Here I am in the good old Army & having a great time.  They feed us very good, all we can eat.  See you sometime.

Love, Roland

How is the big baby?

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Miller

232 Cobrain St., S.W.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

I looked up Private Miller's serial number in the National Archives, as well as posting on this wonderful site run by volunteers for World War II vets to reconnect with friends.  There is no match for the serial number Roland gives in this card, but there is a match for an enlistment of Roland Miller in May of 1942 in Omaha, Nebraska.  Unfortunately, this Roland Miller was born in 1914, making the likelihood of him still being with us today small.  I will update this post with any responses to my posting on the WW2 vets website.

I will find who this Miller family is!

War Department Theatre, Camp Grant, Illinois

Rockford, Ill, May 14, 1942

Pvt Don W. Rich

Co. A 29^th BR 3^rd Pl

Camp Grant, Ill

Hello Kids:

How is the farming coming along.  Is your garden producing yet.  Leo Everst add. Is co. A 29 BR ist Pl.  He is just a couple of bldgs from me. 

So Long,

Don

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Miller

232 Colrain St., S.W.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

I'm not certain if our military got franking privileges in 1942, but I do like Private Miller scrawling the word "free" where the stamp goes.  That's just the sort of Moxie Uncle Sam needs, Private!  In all serious, I am not familiar with World War II era Army structure, so I ask any readers to see if Private Miller's address contains more than just where his mail was delivered.

Donald and Irene must have moved in 1942, since since their Floridian winter resident friend Vicki was sending her correspondence to a different address.  Unfortunately, again this residence is home to more empty lots and redevelopment.  The Miller's new address is now the home of a branch of Cofessco Fire Protection Systems, which has only been in business for the last 41 years.  There are plenty of houses in the 100 block of Colrain Street, which leads one to believe that the warehouse development in the 200 block happened sometime after 1942.

Camp Grant is also a place no more as well.  Used as an induction center for draftees during both World Wars and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, most of the Camp was razed to become the Chicago Rockford Airport.   There is a museum (listing only-no website), a great website with photos of the camp during World War One and a restaurant called "The Command Post" in one of the few remaining buildings.

It is also very probable that the Millers, like an estimated 20 million other patriotic Americans had planted a Victory Garden.

Post Office Building, Tampa, FL

December 3, 1947 11:30 AM

Made it!  It(‘s) so beautiful, and the weather is perfect.  We’ve shed our winter clothing.

Linda

The (Watem’s?)

521 Walnut St

Rockford Illinois


I am originally from Tampa, FL and know this building at 601 Florida Avenue well.  According to the Florida Department of State Division of Historical Records, this 4 story Federal building was constructed between 1902 and 1905 with Second Renaissance and Classical Revival elements. 


Rockford, Illinois is the third most populous city in the state behind Chicago and Aurora, and has had its share of downtown development, which unfortunately obliterated any trace of 521 Walnut Street.  I can't decipher Linda's handwriting to figure out the surname of the recipients, but since the address is a block away from Rockford City Hall and Carpenters Union Local 792, some longtime resident may have the answers to how Linda came to "shed (her) winter clothing" in Tampa in 1947.