Martin Gutekunst Papers and Photographs
1943-1994
WVM Mss 407
0.4 linear ft. (1 archives box and 1 oversize folder) of papers and 0.2 linear ft. (1 archives box) of photographs.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum
(Map)
Papers and photographs of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, related to his World War II service in the 2nd Beach Battalion as a combat demolition man with a focus on his participation in the D-Day landing. The core of the collection are lengthy letters spanning 1944 and 1945, written by Gutekunst to his family. The letters offer details of military service and often use humor to reassure and comfort family members. Letters discuss stateside training, inconsistencies of mail delivery, visits to London, appreciation of the Red Cross, and seeing a U. S. O. Show. He touches upon the invasion of France, living in pup tents, many uses of a military helmet, translating German literature for other soldiers, and leave in Hawaii. Transferred from the European theater to the Pacific theater in preparation for the invasion of Japan, Gutekunst was stationed in the Philippines and on Okinawa. He writes about island invasions, lack of church services for soldiers, lack of alcohol for enlisted men, his impressions on the war's end, and occupation duty in Japan. The collection also includes a series of “round robin” style letters Gutekunst wrote home that were typed by his sister, Dorothy Pokel, and circulated between members of the Gutekunst family. Of note are two round robin letters sent to servicemen from Mt. Cavalry Lutheran Church providing information on the congregation members in service. Also included in the collection are personal military papers he received from the Personnel Center in St. Louis and newspaper clippings from Milwaukee newspapers about the anniversary of D-Day many of which include quotes from Gutekunst and his family. There is also a reminiscence of his service written around 1990. The oversized folder contains a May 24, 1990 section of the Milwaukee Journal about the Normandy Invasion and an issue of the New Orleans Times-Picayune celebrating the opening of the National World War II Museum. Photographs show the camp and scenes on Okinawa including the signal station, military cemetery, and an interesting shot of Gutekunst shaving using a mirror on a truck. Other photos show Gutekunst's return to Normandy in 1994 and his trip to the opening of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. There are several images of the Gutekunst family including one of Martin and his brother Bill, both in uniform.
English
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