Arthur Johnson Correspondence: 1917-1919

Arthur A. Johnson was born in Hillsboro, North Dakota, on August 21, 1898. He attended the University of North Dakota in the fall of 1917, before enlisting with the U.S. Army on December 15, 1917. He first served as a member of the 160th Depot Brigade at Camp Custer, Michigan. In February 1918, he became a member of the 269th Aero Squadron at Gerstner Field, Louisiana. He was stationed overseas with the 269th from August 1918 until his discharge on July 21, 1919. After the war, he lived for many years in Evanston, Illinois. Arthur A. Johnson died on November 13, 1983, in Evanston. The Arthur A. Johnson Correspondence consists of 31 letters sent by Johnson to his mother, Elise. Some of the letters were also written jointly to his sister, Mabel. The letters date from December 1917-January 1919, although the bulk of the correspondence dates from December 1917-June 1918. The letters follow Johnson's experiences through training in Missouri, Michigan, and Louisiana. The last three letters were written from France. Johnson discusses the nature of camp life at Jefferson Barracks (Missouri), Camp Custer (Michigan), and Gerstner Field (Louisiana). He frequently wrote on the subjects of weather, food, and training activities. He also frequently wrote of quarantines. He was quarantined for a time at Camp Custer, due to a threat of spinal meningitis. He also came down with the Spanish flu and scarlet fever after he arrived in France. From time to time, Johnson asked his mother to send him money or provisions, such as socks, towels, and foodstuffs. He also sought to make sure that he continued to receive the Hillsboro Banner. Also included are several unidentified and undated portraits, presumably of Johnson, which were given photograph numbers OGL#1278-165 and OGL#1278-166. Also included is Johnson's business card, which lists him as a sergeant in the 269th Aero Squadron, and his "Application for Adjusted Compensation" form, dated 1924. This form outlines Johnson's service history. The Department of Special Collections photocopied several documents, including Johnson's entry from the Official Roster of North Dakota World War I veterans; a selection from Yesteryears in Traill, outlining the history of the Johnson family; and Arthur Johnson's obituary from the November 18, 1983 edition of the Grand Forks Herald. Purchased from Charles Apfelbaum, Rare Manuscripts and Archives, Watchung, NJ, on April 8, 2003 (Acc.#2003-2643).