Inventory of the George Dales Vallen Senior Papers, 1916-2013

Biography of

George D. Vallen, born February 13, 1899 was the only son and youngest child of William and Amelia Vallen. The family moved to Akron from Richfield Township around 1910. George's mother passed away in 1914, about the time George started at West High School. George was a Junior in high school and worked part time at the M.O'Neils Company when the United States declared war on Germany April 6, 1917. Six days later he enlisted with Company F of the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment of the Ohio National Guard. He reported for duty with company F at Camp Akron in Silver Lake, Ohio mid-July until the 8th left for Camp Sheridan in Montgomery Alabama September 29, 1917. Company F of the 8th Ohio Regiment was re-designated Company F of the 146th Infantry Regiment, and assigned to the 73rd Infantry Brigade of the 37th Division. The 37th Division was known as the "Buckeye" Division since it was organized around the Ohio National Guard units. Once training at Camp Sheridan was completed the Division moved to Camp Lee, Virginia where additional soldiers were assigned to the division to bring it up to strength. From there the Division moved to Fort Dix and then on to France and eventually moving to Belgium. Vallen volunteered for the intelligence section of the 2nd battalion/146th Infantry Regiment. He was trained in cartography, land navigation, and intelligence gathering patrols.

After the armistice was signed in November 1918 the 37th Division prepared to return to the United States. March 18, 1919 Vallen and the 146th Regiment boarded the U.S.S. Maui and left Europe for the United States. They landed at Hoboken, New Jersey on the morning of March 31 and moved to Camp Dix. From there he returned to Akron on April 4, 1919. Vallen was a bus driver for the Wadsworth school system and a member of VFW Post 1089.* George passed away January 14, 1978.

*Vallen, George D. Obituary, Newspapers.com Akron Beacon Journal, January 15, 1978 p 47.

Scope and Content

The papers of George Dales Vallen Senior document George's life and military service from December 1916 through April 13, 1919. Including Letters George sent to his Parents, Sister Addie and her husband Floyd, and Diaries he kept during his time in training and serving in the American Expeditionary Force. Also included is a biography of George's life written by his grandson James G. Vallen in 2013, a picture of George in uniform, a picture of Company "F", Company "F" rosters, Insurance information for Company "F", maps of United State and German Division movements during WWI, photos of the 73rd Brigade of the 37th Division, a diary of a German soldier picked up by H.G. Lafferty, correspondence between Charles Ustine and The American Battle Monument Commission, Mexican Border Patrol photographs and two books on the 37th Division activity during WWI. Researchers interested in WWI soldier experiences or the war in general will find this collection useful.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Restrictions on Access

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

American Legion Post 209 Records, 1919-2005 Mary Gladwin Papers, 1898-1939

Indexing Terms

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Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], George Dales Vallen Senior Papers, Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio.

Detailed Description of The Collection