Nancy [Dole] Poche Collection of WWII-era Letters, 1938-1963 | Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections

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Collection Overview

Title: Nancy [Dole] Poche Collection of WWII-era Letters, 1938-1963

Predominant Dates:1943-1945

ID: 01/027

Extent: 172.0 Letters. More info below.

Arrangement: Physical letters are arranged chronologically in archival storage boxes.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Nancy (Dole) Poche letter collection contains 172 letters written between 1938 and 1963. Most of the correspondence is between Senator Dole's brother, Kenneth "Kenney" Dole, and his parents, Doran and Bina Dole of Russell, Kansas, during World War II. The letters offer a glimpse into Kenney’s daily life as a private (later promoted to corporal) in the United States military during World War II, as well as what things were like on the Kansas home front. Kenneth was stationed in the Pacific theater of the war, although specific locations are never mentioned.

Highlights of the collection include letters from Bina Dole to Bob Dole in April of 1945, after he had been injured in Italy. There is also correspondence between Kenneth and Bob and other family members regarding Dole's extended recovery process, as well as a few other letters.

It may be helpful to know that there were four Dole children: Kenneth, Bob, Norma Jean (referred to as N.J. or Norma) and Gloria. Gloria's husband was named Larry, and their son (whose birth and first year are chronicled in these letters) was Larry Ray, also referred to as "Punky." Nancy (Dole) Poche is the daughter of Kenneth Dole and a niece of Senator Bob Dole.

Administrative Information

Repository: Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections

Alternate Extent Statement: 5 boxes

Related Materials: Closely related are 400 letters from Bob Dole that were written primarily while he was a student at the University of Kansas and later serving in the military during World War II. Some of the Bob Dole letters also contain letters to or from his brother, Kenney [Kenny] Dole. These can be found in the Dole Family Papers collection.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Letters written by Kenny Dole],
[Series 2: Letters written to Bob Dole],
[Series 3: Letters written between other family members],
[All]

Series 2: Letters written to Bob Dole

Box 4

Item 25: Letter from "Your Sis" to Bob Dole, 4/5/1945: Subjects include: sending packages, location, gambling with Doran
PDF Available: c027_004_000_125.pdf (3 pp.)
Item 28: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/10/1945: Subjects include: General, End of European Front
PDF Available: c027_004_000_128.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 30: Letter from Doran Dole to Bob Dole, 4/12/1945: Subjects include: news of home
PDF Available: c027_004_000_130.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 31: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/16/1945: Subjects include: news, package,
PDF Available: c027_004_000_131.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 32: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/19/1945: Subjects include: news, army, packages, money
PDF Available: c027_004_000_132.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 34: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/22/1945: Subjects include: 5th Army Mountain Division, news
PDF Available: c027_004_000_134.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 35: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/25/1945: Subjects include: wound
PDF Available: c027_004_000_135.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 36: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/29/1945: Subjects include: news of home
PDF Available: c027_004_000_136.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 38: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 5/10/1945: Subjects include: wound, healing, news of home, weather
PDF Available: c027_004_000_138.pdf (2 pp.)

Box 5

Item 1: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 5/17/1945: Subjects include: new from home, get well soon, war bonds
PDF Available: c027_005_000_139.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 32: Letter from Bina Dole to Bob Dole, 4/30/1947: Subjects include: Russell news, Dole house renovations, Kansas City visit
PDF Available: c027_005_000_170.pdf (2 pp.)
Item 33: Letter from Elizabeth Thomas to Cousin Robert Dole, 9/23/1963: Subjects include: overcoming injury, work in D.C, various signatures for wishing Dole a happy birthday
PDF Available: c027_005_000_171.pdf (5 pp.)
Item 34: Letter from Doran Dole to Bob Dole, Undated: Subjects include: weather, no news
PDF Available: c027_005_000_172.pdf (1 pp.)

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Letters written by Kenny Dole],
[Series 2: Letters written to Bob Dole],
[Series 3: Letters written between other family members],
[All]