Guide to the Andy Fossum papers
1941-1945
Collection number: HMC-0521.
Creator: Fossum, Andy.
Title: Andy Fossum papers.
Dates: circa 1941-1945.
Volume of collection: 0.2 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials in English.
Collection summary: Letters and photos of U. S. Army Corps of Engineers soldier stationed at Fort Raymond in Seward.
Biographical note:
Andy Fossum was from a farm on Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He was a soldier in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Engineers District, Seattle, during World War II. Fossum arrived in Seward, Alaska on February 21, 1942, and worked in the construction of military buildings and other facilities at Fort Raymond. Fossum returned to Seattle aboard the S.S. Aleutian in March of 1943. He lived in Seattle until at least 1945.
Collection description:
The collection consists of the World War II correspondence and photograph album of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers soldier Andy Fossum. The correspondence consists of his letters to his parents in Idaho, and a few other letters between relatives (1942, 1943, and 1945). The photograph album consists of the original album cover, pages with the names, addresses, and comments of friends, a lunch menu from the S.S. Aleutian, and 138 black and white photographic prints from the original album. The subjects of the photographs include Seward, construction at Fort Raymond, the Jesse Lee Home, Resurrection Bay, and other locations on the Kenai Peninsula. They also include photographs of the fire in Seward in November 1941 and post cards and souvenir photographs of various Alaska subjects.
Arrangement: The correspondence is in chronological order. All photographic prints and photo post cards were removed from the original album pages and arranged by photo lot and/or size of print).
Alternative formats: Black and white copy negatives have been made of 33 of the photographs in the album. A Xerox copy of the album was also made and indicates the original order of the photographs.
Digitized copies: Four images from the collection 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 own copyright to the materials in this collection.
Preferred citation: Andy Fossum papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Acquisition note: Archives and Special Collections purchased this collection at internet auction in 2001.
Processing information: This collection was arranged and described by Jeffrey Sinnott in 2001.