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Edward Zahler in uniform at time of service

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
  • Unit of Service: 85th Airdrome Squadron; 8th Air Force
  • Location of Service: New Jersey; Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia; North Carolina; Philippines; New Guinea; Ie-Shima (Ryukyu Islands); Australia; Pacific Theater
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/112362

View full service history

"How is your love life? Mine's fine. I've proposed, and am now anxiously waiting for an answer. I've no fingernails left – chewed them all off… Heck of a note a guy has to propose by air mail." (Letter to sister Lillian, November 20, 1944).

The oldest of eight siblings, Edward Gottlieb Zahler enlisted in the Army Air Forces following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and served in the Pacific Theater as a flight engineer with the 8th Air Force. His Veterans History Project collection includes 91 letters written to his younger sister Lillian. While his correspondence is light-hearted--full of brotherly teasing, movie recommendations, and funny anecdotes about military life--his letters evidence mutual affection and concern. They also portray the challenges of a family with multiple members in service. As the war dragged on, Zahler became increasingly concerned about the fate of his kid brother Donald, who had enlisted in the Army Air Forces with him and was serving with the 91st Bomb Group in the European Theater. Lillian Zahler donated both of her brothers' collections to the Veterans History Project in 2018.

[ Photo Album ]

More Resources

[ Postcard to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/26/1942] ]
[ Postcard to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/31/1942] ]
[ Postcard to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/2/1943] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [2/15/1943] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/24/1943] ]

Show more resources (88)

[ Postcard to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/8/1943] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/19/1944] ]
[ Postcard to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/22/1943] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/8/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/23/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/28/1943] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/6/1943] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/31/1943] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/7/1943] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/17/1943] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler: Includes letter from Ruth to Edward [1/7/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1/13/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1/9/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1/24/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1/28/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [2/6/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/5/1944] ]
[ Copy of letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/11/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/14/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/25/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/31/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [6/4/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [6/5/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [6/15/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [6/18/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [7/11/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/7/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/17/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/26/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/29/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [9/12/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [9/20/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/11/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/15/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/23/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/28/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/12/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/20/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/20/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/6/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/28/1944] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1944] ]
[ Copy of various V mails to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/8/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/9/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/15/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/22/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/29/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/9/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/26/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [6/2/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [6/18/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [7/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [7/8/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/2/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/17/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [8/23/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [9/11/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [9/24/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/3/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/6/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/13/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/26/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/4/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/21/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/6/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/16/1965] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/21/1944] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [2/17/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/5/1945] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/14/1945] ]
[ Vmail to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1942-1946] ]
[ Copy of letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/24/1974] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [7/4/1990] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [10/25/1990] ]
[ Copy of letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/3/1994] ]
[ Card to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [11/24/1995] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [3/3/1996] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [4/1/1996] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [5/24/1996] ]
[ Copy of letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/16/1996] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [1970-1999] ]
[ Letter to Lillian Zahler from Edward Zahler [12/7/1999] ]
[ A log of daily tasks and events that took place during Zahler's military service in the Army Air Forces/ Corps during World War II (10/1941-12/06/1945) ]
[ A brief biographical sketch of Zahler's father serving in the Swiss Army ]
[ Letter to the editor, "Reality of War" by E. G. Zahler [September 26, 1994] ]

About this Item

Title

  • Edward Gottlieb Zahler Collection

Names

  • Porter, Lillian
  • Zahler, Edward Gottlieb

Home State

  • Georgia

Headings

  • -  Zahler, Edward Gottlieb
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army Air Forces/Corps.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
    • Unit of Service: 85th Airdrome Squadron; 8th Air Force
    • Location of Service: New Jersey; Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia; North Carolina; Philippines; New Guinea; Ie-Shima (Ryukyu Islands); Australia; Pacific Theater
    • Highest Rank: Corporal
    • Dates of Service: 1942-1946
    • Military Status: veteran
    • Service History Note: The veteran served as a flight engineer.

Materials

  • Manuscript: Biographical information [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2007)
  • Manuscript: Clippings [5 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1942-2001)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [92 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1942-1999)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [15 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-2016)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1994-09-26)
  • Manuscript: Diaries and journals [2 items] -- Handwritten document (collected 1944-1994)
  • Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [3 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1944-1946)
  • Manuscript: Printed matter [8 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1942-2007)
  • Photograph: Original photographic print [57 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-1983)
  • Photograph: Copy photographic print [1 item] -- Photograph (collected 2007)
  • Photograph: Photocopy of Photographic Print [18 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-1946)
  • Photograph: Duplicate [5 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-2007)
  • Artifact: Artifact [18 items] -- (collected 1942-1946)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/112362

Cite as

  • Edward Gottlieb Zahler Collection (AFC/2001/001/112362), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Porter, Lillian, and Edward Gottlieb Zahler. Edward Gottlieb Zahler Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.112362/.

APA citation style:

Porter, L. & Zahler, E. G. (1942) Edward Gottlieb Zahler Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.112362/.

MLA citation style:

Porter, Lillian, and Edward Gottlieb Zahler. Edward Gottlieb Zahler Collection. 1942. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.112362/>.