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Allison E. Stoars papers

Guide to the Allison Stoars papers
1937-1963

Collection number: HMC-0757.
Creator: Stoars, Allison E.
Title: Allison Stoars papers.
Dates: 1937-1963.
Volume of collection: 0.25 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Papers of an 807th Engineer Aviation Battalion soldier who served at Yakutat Landing Field.

Biographical note:

Allison E. Stoars was from Salem, Oregon. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1939 and served in the Corps of Engineers during World War II. From 1940 to 1944, Stoars was stationed at Yakutat Landing Field in Alaska, where he was a member of the 807th Engineer Aviation Battalion. A contingent of the 28th Engineer Battalion, commanded by Captain Benjamin B. Talley, along with the 807th Engineers, built Yakutat Landing Field in 1940-1941. Stoars also served at Adak Island in the Aleutians, and, for a period, with the 1st Provisional Engineer Construction Group. He married Willa G. Daugherty of Molalla, Oregon, in 1943 or 1944. Allison E. Stoars died in Salem, Oregon, in 1988.

Collection description:

The collection consists of the World War II photograph album and related papers of Allison E. Stoars. The collection contains: a photograph album with 199 original black and white prints, 2 original color prints, and 11 black and white photo post cards; black and white photographic panoramas of the Mount St. Elias Range from Yakutat, and Unalaska Village; a pay record book that includes his immunization record; and his family’s war ration record books. Subjects of the original photographs in the album include: Allison Stoars and fellow U. S. Army Corps of Engineers soldiers of the 807th Engineer Aviation Battalion and the 28th Engineer Battalion, as well as soldiers of the 4th Infantry Regiment, at Yakutat Landing Field; the Yakutat and Southern Railroad, locomotives and cars; construction sites, buildings, docks, ships, trucks, tractors, draglines, other heavy equipment, and scenery at Yakutat Landing Field and Yakutat Village; a Christmas Eve party attended by local natives and soldiers at Yakutat; and Allison Stoars’ family and relatives in Oregon and California (1937-1963). Ships pictured include the U.S. Army Transports Etolin, St. Mihiel and Cherikoff. Subjects of the Yakutat area photo post cards include: Yakutat Village, Nunatak Glacier; fishing boats anchored in the harbor, a fish trap; icebergs in Disenchantment Bay; a salmon cannery; the wrecked barge St. David; and the ice-covered schooner Scandia.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged with the album first, followed by loose photographs, then by papers. The photograph numbers in the container list for the images in the album indicate the album page and the location of the photograph on the page.

Digitized copies: 51 of the photographs in the album have been digitized and placed online in the Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: Archives and Special Collections does not hold copyright to these materials.

Preferred citation: Allison Stoars papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Separated materials: A military religious service book has been moved to the Rare Books collection of the Consortium Library.

Acquisition note: This collection was purchased from eBay in 2005.

Processing information: This collection was initially described by Jeffrey Sinnott in 2005. The guide was converted to current standard by Arlene Schmuland in 2013. The service book was moved to Rare Books at that time.

Container list:

Box/Folder Photo number Description Dates
1/1 1a “Speedboat–Ketchikan, Alaska” Small boat with cabin in harbor. undated
1/1 1b “Part of Alaska Mt. range.” View from ship (faded). undated
1/1 1c “Silhouette–myself, taken aboard U.S.A.T. Etolin” (faded). undated
1/1 1d “Mt. range along inland route–Alaska.” undated
1/1 1e “Same range–Alaska.” undated
1/1 1f “Capt. Karel, M.D., Mr. Grov–Civilian Eng., Yakutat, Alaska.” Men examining construction site. undated
1/1 1g “Yakutat Bay, Alaska” View from shore. undated
1/1 1h “Yakutat Bay, Alaska” View from coastal road. undated
1/1 1i “Capt. Talley & Capt. Loomis” Two officers standing on wooden walkway (partially faded.) undated
1/1 2a “U.S.A.T. Etolin leaving Yakutat, Oct. 26, 1940.” 1940 October 26
1/1 2b “Aboard U.S.A.T. Etolin, Army Engineers” Men at rail of ship (faded). undated
1/1 2c “U.S.A.T. Etolin Pier 40, Seattle, Wash., Oct. 16, 1940” View of side of ship from dock. 1940 October 16
1/1 2d “U.S.A.T. Etolin leaving dock–Yakutat, Oct. 26, 1940.” 1940 October 26
1/1 2e “Yakutat, Alaska” View of town from across harbor. undated
1/1 2f “Pfc. Clayton–Campbell H/S Co. 28th Engrs.” Man in work clothes in front of railroad locomotive. undated
1/1 2g “Pvt. Henderson –H/S Co., myself & Speeder” Men on railroad trolley car. undated
1/1 2h “Pvt. Henderson & Pvt. Dingess–H/S Co.” Two men in front of railroad trolley car. undated
1/1 2i “White settlement, Yakutat, Alaska” View of houses from coastal road. undated
1/1 3a “Truck” Men in and on 2nd Engr. Bn. Co. B truck. undated
1/1 3b “Heavy equipment” Two tractors. undated
1/1 3c “Kat.” Man on tractor. undated
1/1 3d “Bob & Sparks, civilian engineers” Men on Yakutat street (faded). undated
1/1 3e “Carryall” trailer. undated
1/1 3f “Post Headquarter, Yakutat, Alaska” View of building. undated
1/1 3g “Truck, Buick & trailer.” undated
1/1 3h “Sgt. Haxton, Pvt. Harris H/S” Soldier holding up turkey carcass. undated
1/1 3i “Derrick & Caterpillar” Tractor pulling derrick on trailer. undated
1/1 4a “Pfc. Golden, Medics, Yakutat, Alaska” Soldier in front of station hospital. undated
1/1 4b “Bay City shovel” crane. undated
1/1 4c “Pfc. Harris, H/S Co., 28th Engrs.” undated
1/1 4d “Mess Hall, Yakutat Landing Field” Exterior view. undated
1/1 4e “Bob & his locomotive” Man in small railroad locomotive. undated
1/1 4f “U.S. Army Dock, Yakutat” Steam pile driver at end of dock. undated
1/1 4g “U.S. Army Dock, Yakutat.” View from side of dock. undated
1/1 4h “Pfc. Espinosa, Co. B, 28th Engineers.” undated
1/1 5a “Mr. Roland (Bob) & Pfc. Campbell” Two men in front of railroad locomotive. undated
1/1 5b “Pvt. Alvin J. Brooks, H/S Co., 28th Engineers. My ‘Buddy’.” undated
1/1 5c “U.S.A.T. Etolin, Seattle, Wash., ‘Old Glory'” Rear view of ship. undated
1/1 5d “Staff Sgt. Deen, Q.M.C., taken at Seattle, Wash., Oct. 14th, 1940–Ft. Lawton.” 1940 October 14
1/1 5e “Sgt. Peters, Co. B, 28th Engineers.” undated
1/1 5f “Sea gulls” Gulls in flight. undated
1/1 5g “Indian monument, Yakutat” Gravestone with cross. undated
1/1 5h “Loading soldiers & equipment at Annette Island, Alaska” Tugboat Annette and barge at side of ship. undated
1/1 6a “Howard Laskey, Roger Blackburn, Co. B, 38th Engineers” Portrait of soldiers saluting in dress uniforms undated
1/1 6b “Pfc. Nolan, Co. B, 28th Engineers” Portrait of soldier wearing dress overcoat undated
1/1 6c “Pvt. Trydle, Det. Q.M.C., Yakutat, Alaska” Portrait of soldier in dress uniform undated
1/1 6d “Pfc. Frank Bailey, Co. B, 28th Engineers, Yakutat, Alaska” Soldier in cook’s uniform undated
1/1 7a “Truck–Motor Pool” undated
1/1 7b “Osborn (first snow).” Man in boots with tractor in background undated
1/1 7c “Pfc. Don Johnson” Soldier in dress uniform in front of log building under construction undated
1/1 7d “Spencer and Burns” Men in broad-brimmed hats carrying firearms on railroad tracks undated
1/1 7e “Burns–Spencer” Burns shooting pistol undated
1/1 7f “Latrine Creek & latrine” undated
1/1 7g “Kitchen & chow hounds” Distant view of soldiers entering mess hall undated
1/1 7h “Kitchen–Sgt. Cain” Distant view of soldier at mess hall door undated
1/1 8a “Pfc. Miller, H/S Co. B, 28th Engineers, Yakutat, Alaska” Portrait of soldier in dress uniform undated
1/1 8b “Pvt. Kubus, Med. Dept., Yakutat, Alaska” Soldier in dress uniform undated
1/1 8c “Sgt. Peters, Co. B, 28th Engineers, Yakutat, Alaska” Soldier in dress uniform (print faded and creased) undated
1/1 8d “Pvt. Kubus” Portrait of soldier in dress uniform on bicycle undated
1/1 8e ” Pvt. Kubus” Soldier at front door of station hospital undated
1/1 8f “Pvt. Kubus” Portrait of soldier in dress uniform undated
1/1 9a “Myself & Burns” Soldiers standing on railroad tracks. undated
1/1 9b “Spencer & Burns” Spencer shooting pistol. undated
1/1 9c “Myself & Spencer” Two soldiers standing on railroad tracks. undated
1/1 9d “Coast Guard boat (Daphine)” Distant view of boat in harbor. undated
1/1 9e “Markers of Russian who were killed by Indians (1913).” undated
1/1 9f “Breakers” Waves breaking on beach. undated
1/1 9g “Spencer” Soldier reclining. undated
1/1 9h “Myself & markers of Russians.” undated
1/1 9i “Log cabin” Cabin entrance. undated
1/1 10a “Myself–Engineer Office, 807th” Stoars at desk undated
1/1 10b “Espinosa, 807th Engineers, Co. (AVN), Yakutat, Alaska” Soldier at desk undated
1/1 10c “Espinosa, 807th” Soldier at desk undated
1/1 10d “Sgt. DeWitte, Sgt. Craig, Cpl. Allen, 807th Engineers” Soldiers in work clothes outside building undated
1/1 10e “Pvt. Brewer, Pvt. Hodges, myself, Pvt. L. Taylor, Pvt. Nicely, 807th Engineers” Group photo in dress uniforms outside log building undated
1/1 10f “Myself” Close-up of Stoars in office undated
1/1 10g “Sgt. Haxton, Mess Sgt., 807th” Portrait in suit undated
1/1 10h “Pvt. Earl Smith” Portrait undated
1/1 10i “Q.M.C., V.B.W.” Portrait undated
1/1 10j “Pvt. D. Davis–807th, Lt. Finigan–4th Inf.” Soldiers outside log building undated
1/1 10k “Burns & Espinoza” Soldiers at construction site undated
1/1 11a “Pvt. Blackburn, 807th Engineers” Soldier in dress uniform undated
1/1 11b “Pvt. Jacobson, Pvt. Engle, 807th Engineers (Reverend).” Two soldiers in dress uniforms undated
1/1 11c “Pvt. Teas, Pvt. Knapp, Pfc. Bess, Sgt. Wheeler, Pfc. Rosenback” Group photo of Quartermaster and Finance soldiers undated
1/1 11d “4th Infantry Building–Service Club, 807th Engineers” Men constructing log building undated
1/1 11e “Pvt. Blackburn, Pvt. Brewer, 807th Engineers” Soldiers in dress uniform outside log building undated
1/1 11f “Pvt. L. Taylor, Pvt. Niclely” Soldiers outside log building undated
1/1 11g “Latrine Creek” undated
1/1 11h “Pfc. Chaltraw, 4th Inf.” Soldier outside doorway undated
1/1 11i “Sgt. Curtis” Soldier outside doorway undated
1/1 11j “Barker & Brooks” Soldiers at construction site undated
1/1 11i “Corbett, Nealey, Sinor” Soldiers sitting on doorsteps undated
1/1 12a “Northwestern dragline” Crane and bucket. undated
1/1 12b “Pfc. Lasley, D-4 Cat & sled of lumber.” undated
1/1 12c “Pvt. Teas Q.M.C.–Now (engineer)” Soldier standing on truck cab. undated
1/1 12d “Northwestern dragline” Front view of crane and bucket. undated
1/1 12e “Civilian, DeWitte, Sharp, Lasley” Men standing next to Caterpillar tractor. undated
1/1 12f “Pvt. Trydle” Soldier aiming pistol while sitting in rowboat. undated
1/1 12g “U.S.A.T. Mihiel” Distant view of steamship at dock. undated
1/1 12h “Mrs Birch, Mrs. Baum” Women making snowmen. undated
1/1 12i “Headquarters, Yakutat” View of building from beach below. undated
1/1 13a “Yakutat, Alaska, 1941” 1941
1/1 13b “Mt. St. Elias, Yakutat, Alaska.” undated
1/1 14a “Pfc. Chaltraw, 4th Infantry, Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, 1st Cl. K.P.” Shirtless soldier leaning on mop undated
1/1 14b “Cpl. Butcher” Soldier standing next to lagoon undated
1/1 14c “Diamond ‘T'” Truck undated
1/1 14d “Christmas Eve, Yakutat, Alaska, Indians & soldiers” Large crowd of people attending holiday function in large decorated auditorium undated
1/1 14e “Pvt. Alvin Brooks, 1st Cl. screwball” Soldier in boots, coat and hat undated
1/1 14f “Coast Guard Building, beacon light” Men constructing tower undated
1/1 14g “Pfc. Chaltraw” Soldier standing in lagoon undated
1/1 14h “Motor pool” Distant view of motor pool area undated
1/1 14i “Pfc. Campbell” Soldier standing in dress coat in snow undated
1/1 15a “Huskie” Dog carrying sack on its back. undated
1/1 15b “Village of Yakutat, Alaska.” undated
1/1 15c “Nunatak Glacier near Yakutat Alaska.” undated
1/1 15d “Yakutat, Alaska” Salmon in fish trap. undated
1/1 16a “Fish boats anchored Yakutat Harbor, Alaska.” undated
1/1 16b “Iceberg, Disenchantment Bay, Alaska” Tugboat next to iceberg. undated
1/1 16c “Salmon arrived from Situck, Yakutat, Alaska” Salmon being unloaded into cannery building. undated
1/1 16d “Barge St. David wrecked near Yakutat, Alaska.” undated
1/1 16e “Iceberg covered Disenchantment Bay, Photo taken May 1917.” 1917
1/1 17a “Schr. Scandia at Yakutat, Alaska, Jan. 21, 1916” Men on schooner’s deck with heavy icing(post card). undated
1/1 17b “…Glacier, Yakutat Alaska” (post card). undated
1/1 17c “Log cabin–beer hall.” undated
1/1 17d “My radio.” undated
1/1 17e “Pfc. Campbell.” undated
1/1 17f “Myself” Close-up of Stoars’ face. undated
1/1 17g “Cpl. Newtoal” Soldier outside mess hall. undated
1/1 17h “Pvt. Burns” Soldier in doorway. undated
1/1 17i “Studenberg & Gant” Men outside doorway. undated
1/1 17j “Sgt. DeWitte up pole” Soldier at top of log pole with wind sock. undated
1/1 18 “Mess Hall, Christmas 1940, Yakutat, Alaska.” Interior view of mess hall with Christmas tree in the center 1940 December
1/1 19a-b “Metz, Davis, Spencer” Soldiers on recreational outing undated
1/1 19c “Davis, Espinoza” Soldiers on recreational outing” undated
1/1 19d “Alvin Brooks” Soldier in boots, coat and hat undated
1/1 19e “?” Soldier cleaning large cooking pot undated
1/1 20 Distant view of snow-capped mountains. undated
1/1 21a Military buildings and lumber at landing field site. undated
1/1 21b View from across bay of U.S. Army dock. undated
1/1 22a Portrait of soldier in garrison cap. undated
1/1 22b Same soldier as above next to totem pole. undated
1/1 23 Portrait of two soldiers in garrison caps. undated
1/1 24 Portrait of soldier in garrison cap. undated
1/1 25 -27 Glacier view. undated
1/1 28 Soldier in dress uniform outside engineers building undated
1/1 29 Soldier with camera. undated
1/1 30 Interior view of soldiers singing during church service inside Quonset hut. undated
1/1 31 “Yakutat, Alaska, 1941 March” Distant view of landing field buildings and tent camp. 1941 March
1/1 32a “Al Stoars 1939” Stoars in dress uniform without hat. 1939
1/1 32b “Al Stoars 1939” Stoars in dress uniform with hat. 1939
1/1 32c “Al Stoars 1939” Stoars in dress uniform without coat. 1939
1/1 32d “Al Stoars 1939” Stoars in uniform standing sideways to camera. 1939
1/1 33 Portrait of Stoars in uniform wearing garrison cap and holding cigarette. undated
1/1 34 “At Yakutat, ’39-44” Interior view of altar inside chapel in Quonset hut during service. 1939-1944
1/1 35 “Church in Yakutat, 1940-44” Interior view of soldiers inside chapel during service. 1940-1944
1/1 36 “U.S.A.T. Cherikoff.  From Adak June 28, 1944 to Seattle, July 6, 1944” Front portside view of ship at dock 1944 June-July
1/1 37a Shirtless soldier leaning on truck bumper undated
1/1 37b Stoars standing in front of tent in T-shirt undated
1/1 37c Soldier in shorts undated
1/1 37d Soldier in shorts near water tower undated
1/1 37e Shirtless soldier in helmet in front of tents undated
1/1 37f Stoars wearing towel in front of tent undated
1/1 37g Stoars and fellow soldier standing on truck bumper undated
1/1 37h Soldier standing in front of tent undated
1/1 37i Shirtless soldier leaning on truck bumper undated
1/1 37j Stoars inside door of truck undated
1/1 38a Unidentified scenery. undated
1/1 38b “Left, Spencer another of my pals. Next to me Lt. Shelley, my boss when I worked at the lst Prv. Engr. Const. Group. (a good guy).” Spencer, Stoars and Shelley at tent camp next to sign for Headquarters, 1st Provisional Engineer Construction Group (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38c-d Steps of Asian temple (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38e Interior view of soldiers at work (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38f “Left, Spencer another of my pals. Next to me Lt. Shelley, my boss when I worked at the lst Prv. Engr. Const. Group. (a good guy).” Spencer, Stoars and Shelley at tent camp next to sign for Headquarters, 1st Provisional Engineer Construction Group (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38g “A Jap temple” (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38h Asian farmers (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38i Post exchange door in Asian building (Location unknown). undated
1/1 38j “A Jap temple” (Location unknown). undated
1/1 39a “At Yakutat, ’39-44” Interior view of altar inside chapel in Quonset hut during service. 1939-1944
1/1 39b “Church in Yakutat, 1940-44” Interior view of soldiers inside chapel during service. 1940-1944
1/1 39c “Yakutat” Portrait of Stoars standing next to wooden pole undated
1/1 39d Unidentified soldier undated
1/1 39e Unidentified soldier in dress uniform undated
1/1 39f “Yakutat” Stoars and unidentified sergeant in dress uniform undated
1/1 39g “Yakutat” Portrait of Stoars in garrison cap. undated
1/1 40a “April 1941” Stoars in dress uniform in front of log building at Yakutat 1941 April
1/1 40b “Spencer and me.” Shirtless Spencer and Stoars (Location unknown) undated
1/1 40c Unidentified forest scene undated
1/1 40d “Br… in Spokane, 1944” soldier next to building steps 1944
1/1 40e “Yakutat” Portrait of Stoars standing next to wooden pole undated
1/1 40f “Just an old Sour Puss” Stoars in garrison cap and sweatshirt undated
1/1 40g “April 1941” Group photo of Stoars and four other soldiers in dress uniforms in front of log building at Yakutat 1941 April
1/1 41a “Grandpa John Stoars and Lona at our home on 2268 Trade Str., Salem, Oregon, 1963”; June 1963 1963 June
1/1 41b “Mae, Willa, Allison Stoars at Otis Fogelsong, Salem, 1963”; June 1963 1963 June
1/1 41c “Grandpa John Stoars at Otis Fogelsong”; June 1963 1963 June
1/1 41d-f “Allison Stoars, 1937” High school portrait proofs 1937
1/1 42a “My aunt from Birmingham visited us in August. Especially good of Jack and his dog.” Elderly woman and boy with dog sitting on car running board undated
1/1 42b “John, Topper, Jackie” Man, boy and dog in front of grocer’s bus undated
1/1 42c “(Fred’s my brother) little girl Ann, Jack and Topper, our pride and Joy. Fred’s car in front yard of our house in back of the store Xmas 1949” Boy, girl and dog on motor scooter in front of house 1949 December
1/1 42d “John Stoars and Jack G.” Man and boy at door of grocer’s bus undated
1/1 42e “Jackie, May–’42” Boy in sailor hat 1942 May
1/1 42f “Jackie, 4-20-’42, cowboy suit for his birthday” Boy next to porch steps 1942 April 20
1/1 42g “Grandpa John Stoars in Fresno California & Leslie Pepper” Joan Stoars and infant girl in front of house; Aug. 12, 1954 1954 August 12
1/1 42h “Our car at Grandpa Stoars, California”; July 1955 1955 July
1/1 43a “Christmas at Grandpa & Grandma Stoars, 1950” Group photo in living room 1950 December
1/1 43b “Pepper and Millie, May ’52” Man and woman in front of house 1952 May
1/1 43c “Xmas at Peppers” Two men in barbeque chef hats in kitchen undated
1/1 43d “Grandpa & Grandma Stoars” Car and trailer next to house; July 1955 1955 July
1/1 43e “Grandpa John & Grandma Mae Stoars’ home, 1957” 1957
1/1 43f “Jack, Topper and new scooter, Xmas 1949” Boy and dog on scooter 1949 December
1/1 44 “March 1960, Henry, Lizzie, LaVerne Scierke. Grandpa John’s sister” Two men and woman in front of house 1960 March
1/2 52 copy negatives of images in the album 1937-1963
OSF1 1 -“Mt St. Elias Range from Yakutat, Alaska” (Panorama composed of 8 prints, 3 X 4.5 inch) undated
OSF1 2 -“Unalaska” Unalaska village (rolled panoramic print, 3.25 X 29 inch) undated
1/3 Blank duplicate pay book, including immunization record 1944-1946
1/4 War ration books for Willa B. Daugherty (Stoars’ wife) and her parents George and Zoe Daugherty of Molalla, Oregon 1943

 

 

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