Sacks and Lediger Families Papers

EVA SACKS: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND LETTERS SENT

Eva Sacks was born on April 12, 1903 and lived in the Philadelphia area. She graduated from Temple University and the old Jewish Hospital School of Nursing. In 1939 she joined the Philadelphia school system as a nurse, but left during World War II to serve in the Army Nurse Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant. The letters in this collection date from 1942-1945 and mainly includes family correspondence written and received by Eva during the war. Very few military or historical details are present in the letters, probably due to wartime censorship. Basic issues covered in the correspondence are descriptions of the weather and various locales, observations on Army and wartime life and some discussion of hospital settings, practices and unifom1s with her niece Cecelia Lediger who was al~o a nurse in the A.N.C.

In 1942 Eva was initially stationed at Camp Croft in Spartanburg, S.C. where she was in charge of a stomach ward. Three letters in the collection written at this time by Eva to her sister Lena Lediger include details about her fellow nurses and her opinions on Army life.

At the end of 1942 Eva was a nurse in the neuropsychiatry ward of the 48th Surgical Hospital in North Africa and which was involved in the battle of Kassarine pass, to which an oblique reference is made in Eva's letter to Cecelia of February 22, 1943. In letters to Cecelia from this period Eva discusses some general aspects of Army hospitals including the benefits of General Hospitals over Evacuation Hospitals as well as a description of her unit's movements and setting (April 25, 1943) hi a number of letters Eva advises Cecelia about romance and "having a good time" in her social life and confesses in one letter that she "become more tolerant of the girls who drink and carry on ... I pray I don't become like them." (January 11, 1943) She also warns Cecelia about falling in love during wartime, and gives a description of her own relationships with different men. (April-25, 1943) Eva also mentions a few visits to see family members and friends who were stationed nearby.

Around May of 1943, when the 48th Surgical Hospital was reorganized as the 128th Evacuation Hospital, Sacks was transferred to the 12th General Hospital, with which she served in Italy. Her letter to Herman Lediger of June 16, 1943 described her new camp's buildings and setting. Letters from this period also mention details of her on and off-duty uniforms, discussions with Cecelia about romance and a certain young man named Leon who Cecelia was apparently involved with, as well as visits to family members and friends also stationed in Italy, including Sayre Hillerson, husband of Eva's niece Marjorie (Sacks) Hillerson. Marjorie lived in Philadelphia with her parents, Eva's brother Samuel Sacks and his wife Cecelia Sacks, while Sayre was overseas. The correspondence from September-December 1944 chronicles the family's concerns at learning that Sayre was "slightly wounded." When it was subsequently learned that Sayre was, in fact, killed, the family kept the information from Maijorie, who was about to have a baby. In a letter to Eva dated October 31, 1944 Marjorie writes that following the birth of her daughter she finally learned of Sayre's death and named the baby Lee Sayre in his honor, and asks if Sayre had ever expressed any wishes for the baby to Eva. In 1944 Eva had the opportunity to travel around Italy: in April she visited Mt. Vesuvius which had erupted the month before. This letter, dated April 26, 1944 and sent to Cecelia, also includes a detailed description of the clothing of the local people. Eva also visited Rome twice in July and Naples in November. In a letter to the Ledigers she wrote: "The old saying see Naples and die was taken seriously by some but I'll see USA before I do." (November 27, 1944)

In 1945, Eva was transferred to the England General Hospital in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She married William Lebby on March 10, 1945. A letter sent to Eva from the School District of Philadelphia dated April 24, 1945 acknowledges her marriage to William "Lebly" [sic] and expresses hope that Eva will "be back with us shmtly." Following her discharge from the Army, Eva did indeed return to the Philadelphia school system where she became a district supervising nurse in 194 7. She retired in 1970, and died on August 18, 1983.

EVA SACKS: LETTERS RECEIVED

Eva Sacks received letters mainly from Herman and Lena Lediger, her sister Bena (Sacks) Weiss (also of Philadelphia), her brother Samuel Sacks and Cecelia Lediger. Herman and Lena Lediger wrote exclusively about family details and events, including the fact the Marjorie was not told of Sayre's death (September 29, 1944) and their admiration of her composure after the fact: "Marge is a surprise and we are so glad she keeps her chin up, she talks of Sayre as though he were next door, refused to mourn, and goes on as a nice young mother ... " (November 13, 1944)

Bena Weiss wrote to Eva with family details and was very concerned with sending supplies to Eva, constantly urging her to request whatever she needs. Her letter of August 1, 1944 mentions the Philadelphia Transit Strike and that the Army had taken over. Her letter of September 5, 1944 comments briefly on Nazi and Japanese atrocities and wonders "why they should ever consider unconditional surrender - it should be annihilation like he annihilated so many poor souls." She also mentions a War Chest Committee demonstration at which Frank Sinatra made an appearance (November 13, 1944), and on October 11, 1944 she wrote to tell Eva that Ma1jorie Hillerson had a baby girl, and that "Now the hard part will be to tell marge about Sayre - I don't envy Ceil or Sam [Sacks] that job."

LETTERS RECEIVED BY HERMAN AND LEDA LEDIGER

Besides receiving letters from Eva and Cecelia (discussed in each woman's respective section), the Ledigers also received letters from other relatives and friends. Corporal Morris Moss, a cousin of Lena's with the 2nd Weather Squadron, talks about how much he dislikes being stationed in Washington D.C. and mentions a plane trip he took with "none other than General [James Howard] Doolittle, in the very plane he flew over Tokio [sic]." (August 8, 1942) He was later stationed in India, from where he sent letters which talk about how the Japanese "shipping facilities and repair bases are being crippled daily" and his pride at contributing to the war effort. He also mentions the irony regarding censorship in letters and not being able to mention specific locations: "While the army wants us to play guessing games while the newspapers are full of om ocean routes to Australia, India, Europe, Africa+ all other places North, South, East and West." (October 17, 1944) The front page of this letters is on custom-made Weather Squadron stationary featuring a Donald Duck logo. The Ledigers received letters from Bim Sacks and Eugene Sacks, who were both in the service during the war, as well as from Eugene Ledger, a nephew of the Ledigers, who joined the Navy in 1948.

Private Erving Watnick who was a neighbor from Philadelphia writes of missing his hometown and friends, the importance of mail to soldiers overseas and repeatedly mentions his longing for corned beef and banana splits. He writes of being happy that the U.S. entered the war against Japan (January 19, 1942). He also briefly talks about rationing of food in England (March 5, 1942? and March 20, 1945) as well as the condition of British citizens compared to the Americans who are safe at home (November 7, 194?)

Private Fritz Hirsch with the 53rd Wing was also a friend from Philadelphia, and was first stationed in New York City, then transferred to England. He mentions that his unit participated in the Normandy invasion and that "The Germans persist in sending robots over to England though we are not bothered by them, most of them prefer the London area." (July 25, 1944)

LETTERS RECEIVED BY SANDER AND MARCIA SACKS

Marcia ("Matiy") Sacks, the daughter of Herman and Lena Lediger and sister of Cecelia, was married to Sander A. Sacks. Sander's father, James Sacks, was a cousin of Lena Lediger's, thus making Sander and Marty cousins.

Sander served as an Army veterinarian in China, Burma and India during World War II, while Matty and Ellen, her only child at the time, resided with the Ledigers in Philadelphia. Because of this, many of the letters sent to the Ledigers also include Matty and Ellen's names in the salutation: "I know you read the family letters which are really written to you too." (February 8, 1945)

CECELIA LEDIGER: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND LETTERS SENT

Cecelia Reba Lediger ("Cele") was born November 9, 1914, and spent her early life in Philadelphia, where she graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1932. She graduated as a Registered Nurse from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1937, and received a Bachelor's degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. She was head of pediatrics in nursing at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1937-1939, and in 1940 she worked with the Visiting Nurse Service at Henry Street in New York City. In 1942, after earning a Master's degree in Public Health from Columbia University, Cecelia joined the Army Nurse Corps, and was initially stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. The letters in the collection written by Cecelia span the years 1942-1945, and were written from the United States and various locations in the South West Pacific Area. There is very little discussion of nursing practices in Cecelia's letters, although some details are present in the letters Cecelia Reba Lediger ("Cele") was born November 9, 1914, and spent her early life in Philadelphia, where she graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1932. She graduated as a Registered Nurse from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1937, and received a Bachelor's degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. She was head of pediatrics in nursing at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1937-1939, and in 1940 she worked with the Visiting Nurse Service at Henry Street in New York City. In 1942, after earning a Master's degree in Public Health from Columbia University, Cecelia joined the Army Nurse Corps, and was initially stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. The letters in the collection written by Cecelia span the years 1942-1945, and were written from the United States and various locations in the South West Pacific Area. There is very little discussion of nursing practices in Cecelia's letters, although some details are present in the letters

On July 30, 1943 the 9th General Hospital was sent overseas, arriving in Townsville, Australia on August 20. Cele describes marching to the boats in the hot sun and gives a detailed description of the inside of her transport (August 1, 1943) On arriving in Australia, Cele described her duties as less than strenuous: "We do no nursing. [We] must report to roll call at nine AM, have a few details - and a few of the gang at a time have the heavy details. Other than that we are free. No - I forgot - we do have an hour or so of drill each day." (To Marty Sacks, August 25, 1943) Coping with boredom and passing the time are common themes throughout Cele's correspondence. She explains that "Hobbies run riot up here" (February 23, 1944) and occupies herself by knitting sweaters, collecting minerals and seashells, shopping, listening to the radio, and writing letters. She tried to take up butterfly collecting but "the ants eat them as soon as you mount the darn things." (February 23, 1944) She also describes her visits to an Australian tea-leaf reader as "Tea leave [sic] reading is a major pass time [sic] in Australia. Between drinking tea and wondering what the future holds for you - a la tea leaves - we really sound quite Anglo Saxon." (December 23, 1943 and January 15, 1944) Dating is also a recurring theme in the letters, with Cele's early letters making references to her doubts about her relationship with Lt. Leon Mannheimer, who was then stationed in Greenland, and various letters from Eva Sacks encourage Cele to socialize. As the war progressed, however, Cele took on more duties and responsibilities which reduced her need to find ways to occupy her time.

Early in the correspondence Cele predicts that she will have "very little WAR experience to talk about," (October 6, 1943) and this prediction turns out to be true. Her letters make frequent references to lack of "action," such as: "This is WAR (so I hear)" (December 28, 1943), "This is really seeing the war without bullets." (To Gordons, January 11, 1944), "We' re still fighting this war a la delux - from where I sit." (January 23, 1944)

As a member of the 9th General Hospital, Cele seemed to have very few duties that actually required nursing skills. She was occasionally in charge of the recreation hall, and a letter from October 6, 1943 describes a humorous st01y of how the teetotaling Cele found herself responsible for buying liquor rations for the officers. (October 6, 1943 and again on October 15, 1943) Many of her letters were written to pass the time while on night duty sitting with sleeping patients. Other highlights in Cele's letters from this period include:

In March of 1944 the 9th General Hospital moved to New Guinea, a trip which Cecelia describes in detail in her letters of March 26 and April 1. She was assigned to a Skin Ward, but hears a "grapevine vintage" rumor that she has been requested from above to serve in a new unit for combat fatigue victims. (April 3, 1944) Her letter from May 17 laments the boredom and lack of responsibility of her current job, and mentions that she has packed and unpacked many times waiting for her transfer. In her letter to the Gordons from May 20 she talks about her pending assignment and expresses doubt at her ability to be in charge of an Occupational Therapy program. She also criticizes the 9th General Hospital and the fact that "chances are they'll never see a battle casualty." Finally on May 22, 1944 Cecelia was transferred to the 18th Station Hospital, which was also stationed in New Guinea and which specialized in neuropsychiatry. She eventually managed to attain the position of Occupational Therapist in which her primary task was to "scrounge" materials for the patients to use in their therapy. She also worked as the unit's Quartermaster.

Highlights from this period's correspondence include:

In November, 1944 Cecelia became part of the 125th Station Hospital. In an undated letter probably dating from late November, 1944 she writes about not knowing where she will be sent, but that it's "bot as hell [in New Guinea] during the day - we freeze at night - Preparation for India or Alaska - makes no difference." Her unit was instead sent to the Philippines, a trip Cele describes in great detail in a letter dated as being written on "Republican Thanksgiving" (certainly late November) and which includes entries from early December. The story is continued in her letter of December 5, 1944.

Starting on February 3, 1945 Cecelia was made a temporary First Lieutenant as was the policy for all nurses who served for 18 months. Cecelia's final letters in the collection, dating from early 1945, mention that she has been assigned to duty as a Medical Attendant to accompany patients back to the United States and should be home soon. Her Service Record indicates that she left for home on April 12, 1945.

Highlights from this period of the correspondence include:

Upon her return to the United States, Cecelia was stationed at Thomas M. England General Hospital in Atlantic City, New Jersey and was transferred to Mason General Hospital in Brentwood, New York in September of 1945. Cecelia was discharged from the Army on January 1, 1946 after which she served as Assistant Professor and Director of Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Minnesota, and implemented the University's first Master's degree program in Psychiatric Nursing. Between the late 1940s and 1960 she also served as a Consultant at the Mayo Clinic at the Veteran's Administration hospitals, state and local agencies in various north-central states. She earned a doctorate in Nursing Education from Columbia in 1966, and served as an Associate Professor for the Mental and Psychiatric Nursing Foundation at St. Olaf College, Minnesota until she retired in 1974. From 1974 to 1983 Cecelia worked at the University of Texas at El Paso College of Nursing and Allied Health as an Associate Professor of nursing, where she also served in various University committees and organizations. The was active in many professional and veterans' organizations as well as the El Paso Mineral and Gem Society, with which she continued to pursue her collecting hobby which had begun in Australia in 1943.

Cecelia Lediger died in El Paso on May 31, 1996 at the age of 81.

Filed under "Letters Sent: To Miscellaeous" are two items: One is a letter to Mrs. Hillard Joseph (Cecelia's Aunt Fan) from February 17, 1945 and the other is a letter to "Anne" (almost certainly Anna Marie Noll) from March 12, 1944 in which Cecelia mainly discusses details about other nurses who are apparently their mutual acquaintances. Also included in a separate folder are two fragments of letters to unknown individuals. One is handwritten and undated, and mentions the weather and a picnic and fishing trip (possibly from New Guinea?). The second is typed and mentions a party she attended, as well as "our next stop will be Tokio [sic], Philadelphia doesn't seem too far away," a comment which suggests that the letter dates from 1945.