Naval History and Heritage Command

Finding aid (Word)

Biographical Note

Before beginning his World War II service, Chief Mailman Harry L. Cowley lived in Orange, New Jersey. Classified 1-A by his Selective Service Local Board, Cowley was ordered in December 1942 to report for induction into the U.S. Army. Six days later, he received notification that his classification was to be changed and he was not required to report for induction.

In early 1943, Cowley enlisted in the Navy. Assigned to the European Theater of Operations, he was stationed in London, England, where he served through the end of the war in Europe.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of the personal papers of Harry Cowley. There are two series. In Series I, Correspondence, are outgoing letters and V-Mail sent by Cowley to his family in New Jersey. In his letters, Cowley relates his experiences and describes life in England. He was also active in the stock market, and many of his letters include requests for family members to sell or purchase stocks on his behalf. The Correspondence Series is arranged chronologically.

Series II contains Cowley's scrapbook. It is made up largely of photographs, picture postcards, and news clippings. A few of Cowley's letters and V-Mails have been pasted in as well. Most of the material in the scrapbook is undated, but it appears to date mainly from 1944 and to be generally in chronological order. Although the pages have been removed from their binder in order to better preserve the scrapbook, Cowley's arrangement has been left unchanged.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as Papers of Harry L. Cowley, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.

Subject Headings (LCSH)

United States. Navy--History--Sources.
United States. Navy--Petty officers.
World War, 1939-1945.
Stocks--History.