The collection is comprised of letters, military records, and research related to Peter T. Oleski and to the 549th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons (AAA AW) Battalion. The collection is arranged alphabetically by topic and ranges in date from 1944 to 2011. There is a large date gap from 1953 to 1988. Peter Oleski saved a few items from his military service. There are five 1945 issues of a one-page “Missouri Mule: Somewhere East of St. Louis,” a humorous newsletter produced by Technical Sergeant Andreas for the 549th [March 8, 1945 (2nd edition); March 22 (4th edition); April 26 (7th edition); June 18 (14th edition, Gerstungen, Germany); and July 2 (15th edition)]. Oleski also saved a list of Battery A men and their home addresses dated August 11, 1945. There is a seven-page daily diary documenting events and the movements of the battalion through Europe, which is entitled, “History of Btry A, 549th AAA Auto Wpns Bn since the time departed for Overseas” (copy). The history ends on August 14, 1945, with the news of Japan’s surrender (f.1). John Oleski was a teenager when his father died in 1965. He conducted research online and printed a few items relating to the 549th Battalion. He printed a photograph of the Highland Monarch, the ship that transported the battalion to England in 1944. In 2011, John Andreas sent Oleski copies of communications received at the 87th Infantry Headquarters in April 1945, to which the 549th was attached, from General George Patton, Major General Troy H. Middleton, and Major General Frank L. Culin, Jr., commending the VIII Corps, including the 87th Infantry, for their achievements against enemy forces at Koblenz and in crossing the Rhine (f.2). In 2004, John Oleski corresponded with Joe Schoellkopf, who had been a lieutenant with the 549th Battalion. Schoellkopf shared copies of a historical log of movements for Battery “A” in Europe (see also f.1), photographs, and letters. He shared letters dated from 1989 to 1999 that he received from Capt. Charles Michaud, battery commander, and from Charlie Boyd, who was in the same gun section as Peter Oleski. The historical log revealed that sixty-five officers and men from Battery A toured the Buchenwald concentration camp in June 1945. Schoellkopf glued explanatory notes to several documents (f.3). There are only a few letters from Peter Oleski’s military service. The earliest correspondence is a V-mail from Charles Bohnenberger (1919-2006) from a combat zone in New Guinea dated March 26, 1944. He mentioned mutual friends that were stationed near him. There are three pieces of mail from Peter to his wife, Josie. The first is an Easter card and the second is a V-mail dated March 28, 1945, in which he explained that his letters may be less frequent since the unit is traveling quickly. Finally, on June 2, 1945, Peter wrote a brief letter with which he sent a letter/commendation from a general that she could “hang on the wall” and hopes the “babies are getting along fine.” Possibly, the letter to which Peter refers is the one sent by General Patton to the 87th Infantry Headquarters in April 1945 (see f.2). With the same letter, Peter also sent Josie the May 28, 1945, issue of Stars and Stripes, in which he highlighted a story about wives going out with other men while their husbands were away (f.4). Oleski’s military documents include his order to report for induction, his separation qualification record, which explains his military education and duties in Battery A, and his honorable discharge (also a negative photostat), which lists his awards and commendations. There is an enlisted man’s identification card for the European theater, which includes Oleski’s physical description and home address dated November 11, 1944. Another card with no title, bearing Oleski’s Army serial number, has a date of claim listed as 3/27/52 (f.5). There are three handkerchiefs that belonged to Josie Oleski, Peter’s wife. One is embroidered with the U.S. Army logo and the words “Wife” and “USA.” The other two are both hand-illustrated and come from Europe. A blue one is illustrated with an image of the Arc de Triomphe and the words “Souvenir de Paris.” A small pink one edged in lace is inscribed “To my dear Wife” and “Belgium” (f.6).